#52 Ancestors: Miss Maggie, The Maiden Aunt

I’m joining Amy Johnson Crow’s Week 14 writing prompt ‘The Maiden Aunt’. Most of my grandparents’ sisters married; I had to look back to the 2^nd Great Grandaunts before I found a few maiden aunties.

I selected my 2^nd Great Grandfather James Addison McFall’s sister, Margaret Jane McFall, to be the subject of today’s post. Aunt Maggie lived with her mother and unmarried brothers in the McFall home for most of her life at Mt. Solon, Augusta Co., VA.

An obituary published in The News Leader, Staunton, VA is a great McFall family read and I’m anxious to share it with you.

FUNERAL OF MISS M.

     JANE McFALL

   The funeral services of Miss Maggie McFall, who died at her home in Mt. Solon, on Tuesday, March 12, were held on Thursday, March 14, from the Methodist church. The Rev. J. M. Harris, of Mossy Creek Presbyterian church, of which she was a member, was in charge, assisted by the Rev. J. B. Grimes, the resident Methodist minister. A large concourse of friends, relatives and neighbors was in attendance.

   The music was remarkable for the selections made and the sweetness of the singing. With Prof. James Clarke, at the organ, the singing was rendered by the choir, composed of Mrs. George Chapman, Messrs. Guy Stoutamyer, Russell and Mansen Baylor.

   The remarks of the officiating clergymen embodied little in the wav of eulogy. “Miss Maggie,” as she was familiarly known, had spent her entire life in the community in which she died and had left a record which, in itself, was laudatory of her life and character.

   In early life she was united with old Mossy Creek Presbyterian church and to the end held her membership in that church. During her later life, she was unable to attend her own church with regularity. But she was regular in her attendance at all the services of the nearby Methodist churches.

   She was born May 5, 1842, and had she lived until May 5 next, would have rounded out the 87^th year of her age.

   Her father was David McFall, a prominent merchant of Mt. Solon, who died many years ago. Her mother was Mrs. Catherine Todd McFall, who lived to a ripe old age, having died in February 1908.

   Miss McFall leaves two brothers, Hamilton B. McFall, one of Augusta County’s most widely known citizens; and Stewart B. McFall, formerly of Harrisonburg, but now of Indianapolis, Ind.

   James A. McFall, another brother, died at Mt. Solon in 1887 and David Chambers, the youngest of the family, preceded her to the grave a few years ago, having died during September 1924.

   She is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews, among them being Mrs. Clara Irvine, of Avon; Mrs. Knizer Richcreek of Staunton; Paul McFall, of Waynesboro; Lawrence McFall, of Chicago; James McFall, of Philadelphia; Mrs. Weldon Berry, of Harrisonburg and Walton H. McFall with whom Miss McFall had long made her home in Mt. Solon.

   Beside the above there is a number of grand and greatgrand-nieces and nephews.

   The body was buried in the old Mt. Solon burying ground beside those of her mother and other members of the family.

   The following friends and neighbors acted as pall-bearers. Messrs. Charles Hanna, Bernard Reeves, Eugene Reeves, Chambers Kiracoffe, Frank Reeves, Emmett Wilberger, Harry Denkle, and Edward Hogshead.

   The flower-bearers were grand-nieces of Miss McFall, as follows: Mrs. Robert Dickson, Misses Mary McFall, Martha Hope McFall, Frances McFall, Charlotte McFall and Catherine Hanna.

          The News Leader, Staunton, Virginia, Thursday, March 21, 1929 edition