The Death of Martha Pepper Daugherty

I’m looking at a copy of the obituary of Mrs. Martha Pepper Daugherty (my second ggrandmother) from a Jan. 1924 newspaper clipping. The old obits had delightful ways of describing the death of local citizens. At least this document mentioned Martha’s maiden name…so many written about women have not…it’s as though there was no history of women mentioned previous to their marriage.

“Mrs. Martha Daugherty died in her home in Wessington (S.D.) on Friday, January 18, 1924. Mrs. Daugherty was one of the pioneers of this country, having lived here since 1884, coming with her husband and children when this country was still in its earliest history.

Martha Pepper was born January 3rd, 1833 at Chillicothee, Ohio. She joined the Methodist Church at the age of eighteen and thereafter her life was dedicated to His work. She was united in marriage to William H. Daugherty at Delavan, Ill. on February 19th, 1861. To this union were born nine children, two passing away in infancy. The surviving children are John William, Hattie, George H., Edward, Fred, Emma J. and Dick.

In the year of 1884 Mr. and Mrs. Daugherty homesteaded in Dakota Territory on land that in now twelve miles northeast of Wessington. In 1905 the family moved to Wessington, where she has made her home until the time of her death. Her husband preceded her in death six years, having passed away in 1918. In January 1922 Mrs. Daugherty was stricken with a sickness which finally resulted in her death. During the last two years of her life, she was as cheerful as ever, always willing for a friendly smile and words with her neighbors.

Besides the many friends who will mourn her loss she leaves her children, sixteen grandchildren and twenty three great grandchildren.

No one of the early settlers here will be remembered with more appreciation by those who lived here at this time.

The marriage of Martha and William Henry was probably a stormy one. We can only guess at some of the situations that occurred with these two individuals. More about this in a later posting.