Mrs. Lucy Ellen (Vaughn) Bradfield-Albaugh
Decatur County Journal
Thursday, March l5, l9l7
MRS. LUCY ALBAUGH, who has made her home with her son, HARRY BRADFIELD,
and family, for a number of years, ended her life sometime Saturday
night or early Sunday morning by drowning in a bath tub.She left a
note stating that she could not recover from her infirmaties and for
that reason she had decided to end her life.The body was found lying
in the bath tub about 8:30 o'clock by MRS. BRADFIELD.MR. BRADFIELD
went home about ll o'clock Saturday night from his grocery store and
found his mother lying on a couch.He suggested that she go to bed and
she said she would do so.She started to prepare herself for bed and
MR. BRADFIELD passed on to his own room to retire for the night.MRS.
ALBAUGH slept late usually each morning and was a greater part of the
time the last of the family to retire.MR. BRADFIELD and family heard
no sound during the night.When MRS. BRADFIELD arose Sunday morning she
found the doors leading from the bathroom all closed.As she opened the
bathroom door, she discovered the body of MRS. ALBAUGH lying in the bath
tub.
MRS. ALBAUGH had been in very poor health for some years and only last
fall she was unable to leave her bed for about seven weeks.In October
she was up town a few times.Since that time she has been unable to
leave the house only occasionally going out upon the porches at the home
of her son during nice weather.During the last few months she has been
failing rapidly.Her death came as a great shock to our people.She
was a pioneer resident of Leon and was loved and respected by all.The
bereaved family have the sincere sympathy of everyone in this sad hour.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LUCY ELLEN VAUGHN, daughter of GIST and IDA VAUGHN, was born at Mt.
Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, September 3, l845.She died at her home at
Leon, Iowa, March ll, l9l7.When a child she moved to Missouri with her
parents.At the outbreak of the Civil War she, with her parents, moved
to Iowa, and were practically compelled to do so because of the fact
that her father was an ardent Unionist.Decatur County was her home
until the time of her death.
She was married to THOMAS BRADFIELD, March 27, l870.To this union two
children were born, THOMAS ALBERTUS, who died in infancy, and HARRY
BRADFIELD, of Leon, Iowa.Her husband died March l, l884.
She was united again in marriage to JOHN ALBAUGH in October of l886, who
died March 3, l907.
When a girl twenty years of age, she accepted Jesus Christ as her
personal Savior, and became a member of the Church at Leon, Iowa, where
she held membership at the time of her death.She has practically
always been a member of the Ladies' Aid Society.She was a charter
member of the local auxiliary of the C.W.B.M., and she has always been
vitally connected with the church's life since the days of its beginning
in Leon.She cooked for the men who burned the brick and helped to
build the first house of worship.
Two ministers who have stood out prominently in the church's life,
officiated in the rites of matrimony; Brother J.A. Porter when she
married THOMAS BRADFIELD, and Brother A.B. Cornell when she was married
to JOHN ALBAUGH.
She leaves to mourn her decease, two brothers, JAMES VAUGHN, of Leon,
Iowa, and WILLIAM VAUGHN, of Los Angeles, California, one sister, MRS.
JAMES STANLEY, of Chariton, Iowa, her son, HARRY, and family, of Leon,
Iowa, and other relatives among whom is her niece MRS. MELLIE WOODARD,
of Leon, Iowa, to whom she was a mother in every sense of the word.
These are the simple facts, plainly stated and truthfully too.How much
of life of so many years, touching so many lives, is not even
mentioned.Her hands and heart have been open to bless.Her devotion
to her family and loved ones was the supreme thought of her life.She
loved the church and all its interests.She has passed to her reward
and God, who knows the hearts and thoughts of all, who notes the service
of his loyal children, will give her warm welcome in the land beyond the
shadows.
The funeral services were held at the home of her son, HARRY BRADFIELD,
conducted by Pastors Henry Esch and A.B. Cornell.The burial was in the
Meek Cemetery in Eden Township.
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Re: Mrs. Lucy Ellen (Vaughn) Bradfield-Albaugh
Deborah Stanley 5/17/02