Person:Bedelia Neary (1)

BEDELIA NEARY McLUEN

Bedelie Neary was born in Ireland. She was of Scotch and Irish descent. At the age of sixteen in the home of her girlhood she was married to James McLuen, their honeymoon trip was a six weeks over-seas voyage in a sailing vessel to America. They landed in Canada, and from there went to Ohio, migrating from there to Guthrie county, Iowa, in 1856. Here the McLuens developed a large farm of more than 620 acres on Brushy Fork, two and one half miles east from the projected town of Guthrie Center. Twelve children were born to these folks, including mechanics, auctioneers, milliners, housewives and preachers. Later in life the old folks left the farm and passed their declining days in Guthrie Center.

Mother McLuen was greatly loved by her neighbors and because she ministered unto them in their stress and sickness she became very dear to them.

She brought over from her Scotch and Irish ancestry a knowledge of the medical uses of certain teas, roots and herbs and she was never too busy with her large family and her domestic duties to keep her from golng to the beside of pain and suffering and there soothe and cure, a wide circle of beneficiaries of her skill grew up to call her blessed. She was a devout christian. Church privileges in those primitive days were scant. She, how­ever, maintained the "family altar" from which radiated righteousness and truth.

In June, 1898, she passed from her earthly home to her celestial mansion, eternal in the heavens, leaving memories of an ideal mother and a serving, kind and loving neighbor.

1.   Notes
   N1. Neary, Miss Maria L d in GC 26 July 1894 aged 74 yrs. She was b in 1820 in Ireland & came to AM when still in her girlhood in company of a cousin, Mrs. MC GUIRE. She lived in NY City & was matron of the cities insane asylum, a position secured for her by her bro-in-law Mr. DELANY. She came here yrs ago & has since lived with her sis Mrs. B MCLUEN. Burial in the cem. at this place. p3, c4 Guthrian She also had a brother Jimmy. She is buried in Valley Twp. cem. near the Atkinson's lot.