Mary Lane
| Date of Interment or Death | 03/18/1931 |
|---|---|
| Location | Old Fairview |
| Section | C |
| Block-Lot-Grave | 1-3-2 |
Obituary
Mrs. Mary F. Lane, Pioneer Richland Lady Dies here on Monday
Funeral Services for Pioneer Resident Will be Held Wednesday Afternoon from Home
Funeral services for Mrs. Mary F. Lane, 89, pioneer resident of Wahpeton who died at her home ten o’clock this (Monday) morning, will be held from the Lane home Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. By request of the deceased, flowers are not to be sent.
Death came as a result of several weeks of suffering from an infection which started in one hand and spread over her body. Due to advanced age little could be done to combat the trouble, but every care was given her by her attendants and by relatives and medical aid was called from the cities.
Mary E. Barnes, daughter of Jesse and Rachel Barnes, was born September 11, 1841 in Chemung county, New York. She spent her childhood there and received her education in New York Schools. Her parents moved to Illinois when she was a young woman and she entered the teaching profession there.
On her twenty-first birthday, September 11, 1862 she was united in marriage to T.L. French at DeKalb, Ill. One son, Jesse R. French was born to them in 1863. Jesse French died in 1902 and he and his wife are buried in the family lot at Fairview cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. French came to Richland county 1877 and spent the summer; the following year they returned to make their home here. Mr. French purchased the Lorindale Farms, a number of disconnected pieces of land extending from the Bois de Sioux to the Wild Rice river, or about five miles west of Wahpeton. The home farm was located three miles south of Wahpeton on what is now the Meridian Highway. In 1887 Mr. French established the People’s Savings Bank, which in 1891 became a state bank, the officers then being Mr. French, president; W.E. Purcell, vice president and W. D. Henry, cashier.
Both Mr. French and his wife were prominent in early Wahpeton history. Mr. French was a trustee of the Red River University and a liberal subscriber to its funds. Mr. French died August 6, 1892 and in October 1893, Mrs. French married H. F. Lane at LaCrosse, Wis. They made heir home at the farm south of town and Mr. Lane died there in 1914.
A few years later Mrs. Lane built the home on North Fifth Street which she occupied until her death. She continued active in community affairs and in her church and her club. During her lifetime she and her husband contributed freely to every worthwhile community enterprise, including the Congregational Church, the Armory Fund, The Wahpeton Band and the Leach Public Library.
The tables and chair in the east reading room at the public library were a gift from the pioneer who came to Wahpeton before a hotel had been established here and who spent her first summer in Richland county in a granary on the French farm while the home was being built.
She was one of the oldest members of the Congregational church and contributed generously to its support. She was the donor of a $1,000 gift when the parsonage was established and made generous gifts to other branches of the church work as well.
Mrs. Lane was the oldest member of the Sumner chapter of the Womans Relief Corps and was honored with the office of Department President of the Department of North Dakota in 1915. She was one of the oldest members of the Order of Eastern Star and was an active member of the Womans Literary Club until two years ago when she was voted to an honorary membership.
Mrs. Lane was the youngest of a family of thirteen children and was the last living member of the family. One niece, Mrs. Jessie Searing lives in this city. Mrs. Lane has requested that no flowers be sent.
Headstone photograph(s)
Location
Old Fairview is located on the southern half of the cemetery grounds.