Webster City Daily Freeman-Journal, September 13, 1976
Contributed by Debbie Hackley, March 2010 for the IAGenWeb.
“Oldtime photos recall pioneers including ‘oldest valentine’
Two old-time photos loaned to the Daily Freeman-Journal by Mrs. Florence Avery of this city, revived memories of Hamilton county’s “oldest valentine”, the late Mrs. Mary Jane Thompson, who lived to be 102 years old, and also Dr. Levi Harris, who served as a doctor during the Civil War and married a sister of Mrs. Thompson.
Mrs. Avery also brought in a copy of the Daily Freeman-Journal published March 12, 1949, which told of “Aunt Mary Jane” Thompson, who was Webster City’s eldest resident at that time and who had died the evening of March 11.
Born in Wisconsin, Mrs. Thompson was known as Hamilton county’s oldest living valentine because she had been born on Feb. 14, 1847 in Greene county, Wis., the daughter of Socrates and Olive Kellogg Doolittle. Late in 1864, the family moved by covered wagon to Webster City where the Doolittle family members were widely known pioneer residents. After reaching Webster City Oct. 25 in 1864, they camped overnight on the Boone River bluff now known as the Buxton property and then came into Webster City, later taking up farming south of the city.
Aunt Mary was married June 10, 1868 to W. W. Bass, a Civil War veteran and cabinet maker. The couple had three children, George, Mattie and Arthur, all of whom preceded their mother in death.
On Nov. 10, 1898, she was married to J. S. Thompson who died in 1905.
She worked as a seamstress and a practical nurse for many years and was active in the First Baptist church for 84 years and also active in the Women’s Relief Corps.
Mrs. Thompson had three sisters, Mrs. Eleanor Sinclair, Mrs. John (Ida) Frakes and Mrs. Esther Harris – the latter of whom married Dr. Levi Harris, who had attended medical school for two years, then was called into service during the Civil War. He suffered an injury to his left hand, which seriously affected his medical practice and he returned to Webster City where Mrs. Harris was a midwife in this community.
The four Doolittle sisters also had two half-brothers, Earl Doolittle and Harry Doolittle and a half-sister, Olive Miller.
Mrs. Avery is a granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. Harris. Other grandchildren of this pioneer doctor and his wife include Mrs. Dorothy Graham, Otis Harris, Mrs. Ethan Day, Emmett Boggs, Frank Boggs and Ethel Slaughter, all of Clarion; Mrs. Rosie Garland of Dows; Sidney Harris of Belmond; Harold Harris of Qimby, Iowa, several other grandchildren in Minnesota.
Mrs. Thompson’s and Mrs. Harris’ sister, Ida, who married John Frakes another pioneer resident, was the grandmother of Byron Frakes and Donald Frakes.
Under Picture of the Four Doolittle Sisters:
This oldtime photo shows the four Doolittle sisters, pioneer residents of the Webster City area. Mrs. Levi (Esther) Harris, is shown in front. Left to right in the back row are her sisters, Mrs. Eleanor Sinclair, Mrs. John (Ida) Frakes and Mrs. Jane Thompson, who lived to be 102 years old and was known as Hamilton County’s oldest “living Valentine” since she was born on Feb.14, 1847.
Under picture of Dr. and Mrs. Levi Harris:
This is Dr. and Mrs. Levi Harris, pioneer residents of the community. Dr. Harris served in the medical corps during the Civil War before a hand injury forced him to curtail his medical activities. His wife was the former Esther Doolittle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Socrates Doolittle, who moved to this community in 1864.