Sarah Maxwell Kearney Washburn (1844-1924)
(Mrs. William J. Kearney; Mrs. Jonathan Washburn)

Sarah Maxwell was born in Cuyahanga Falls, Ohio, on November 16, 1844. She was the eldest of a family of thirteen children.

In 1853 at the age of about nine years she came with her parents to Beecher, Illinois. She was married to William J. Kearney, of Peotone, Illinois, on January 1, 1863. To this union was born three children: William, of Oglesby, Ill.; Effie Little, of Lowell; and Lillie, who died in infancy.

In 1869 our beloved departed one experienced the sadness of having her husband taken away by death. Left with three small children, the youngest of whom was three months of age, she tasted of most bitter disappointment that can come to anyone. Eight years after the death of her first husband she married Jonathan Washburn, of Grant Park, Illinois, who preceded her to the land beyond in 1912. Since that time Mrs. Washburn has made her home with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Little, where love and every comfort and consideration that human hands could provide were offered her. Here she passed away on last Thursday evening, November 6, 1924, at six o'clock within eight days of her eightieth birthday.

She leaves to mourn her loss, two children, William J. Kearney, of Oglesby, Ill., and Effie Kearney Little, of Lowell. Also two sisters, Kate M. Washburn, of Grant Park, Illinois, and Jessie M. Vickery, of Clarence, Mo.; four brothers, Joseph E. Maxwell, of Grant Park, Ill., Timothy E. Maxwell, and William S. Maxwell, of Thornton; Charles G. Maxwell, of Beecher, Ill., together with eight nephews and four nieces. Besides her immediate family Mrs. Washburn leaves a host of friends at Grant Park and this community who will miss her from their midst.

Mrs. Washburn was a member of the Lake Prairie Presbyterian church. She was confident in her trust in God and as the end drew near found strength in scripture and prayer. Interment was made in the Union Corners cemetery near Grand Park, Illinois.

Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Arthur Siebens, pastor of the Lake Prairie church, Saturday afternoon at the home. Appropriate songs were rendered by Messrs. Otto, Fred and Antone Dahl. The burial service was in charge of P.A. Hubble of Grant Park. The pall-bearers were five nephews: Roy, George, Frank, Donald and Lewis Maxwell, and Seth Little.