Morris Baines (1802 - 1903)

BAINES, JONES, HARRIS, KENWORTHY, MCGINNIS, DESTIGUER, POTIER, HELSERMAN, WOODCOCK, NORTON, WASHINGTON

Posted By: DJ Scieszinski
Date: 6/29/2019 at 14:52:54

Monroe County News
Thursday, February 26, 1903

A Centenarian Gone

Morris Baines, the oldest citizen of Monroe county, died at the D. O. Kenworthy home, west of Albia, last Saturday, Feb. 21, aged 100 years and 3 months.

Until recent months deceased had been physically active, being the most tireless walker in the country. Many long trips he has taken, on foot, since he was 90 years of age, and had he been in a climate where changes were less sudden and severe he would no doubt have gone on living many years, as his constitution was vigorous almost to the last.

Mr. Baines was born in Montgomeryshire Wales, Nov. 21, 1802, was married in his native Wales to Miss Alice Jones in 1820, and to them two children were born before they crossed the waters and settled in Delaware county, Ohio, in 1830.

They came to Iowa in 1856 and settled in Monroe county, west of Albia. All his life he was a sturdy farmer, a member of the M.E. church for seventy years and in every way a good citizen.

His children Mary and Edward both preceded him to the spirit land as did also his faithful wife, she going in 1861. The grandchildren now living are Mrs. D. C. Kenworthy, Mrs. Emily McGinnis of Monroe County, J.M. and G.P. Baines of What Cheer, Chas. L. Baines and Mrs. Mary Destiguer of Colorado Springs, Colo., O. A. Harris of Denver, Colo., Morris Harris of Moravia, Appanoose county, Mrs. Rev. Potier of Ainsworth, Iowa. Mrs. Hattie Helserman, of Yuma, Colo., Mrs. Mary Woodcock, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Several of these were present at the funeral Monday.

Funeral services were conducted at the M.E. church, Monday at one o'clock, by Rev. Norton, of Moravia.

Besides these eleven living grandchildren there are seven dead and he had no less than 37 great-grand-children, 12 of whom are living.

Mr. Baines lived during the life of every president this nation ever had except Washington. The five generations of his family, living at his demise, if as long lived as he, will reach far into the future, and supposing his paternal ancestry to have been of equal duration his great, great grandfather would have been too old to have crossed the ocean with Columbus.

The Albia Republican
Thursday, March 5, 1903

Obituary

Morris Baines was born in Montgomery Shire Wales November 1802, and died at the home of D.C. Kenworthy Feb. 21, 1903, at the age of 100 years and 3 months.

He was married in 1820 to Alice Jones. Of this union two children were born. Mary, afterwards wife of Robert Harris, and Edward, of Mt. Pleasant, both having preceded him to their final rest. His wife, Alice died in 1868.

They crossed the water in 1830 settling in Delaware county Ohio, where they lived for 26 years coming to Monroe county Iowa in 1856 where he has lived continuously for 47 years. He has been a member of the Methodist church for more than seventy years and a class leader for sixty years.