Civil War - Civil Union: 
The Story of David & Mary Elderkin

Chapter 5: Mary Jane (Finity) Elderkin (1845 - 1934)

Photographs

Descendancy Chart  (to come)

For Questions or Corrections, contact:
Susan Elderkin
susan@1000friends.org

Civil War-Civil Union is copyrighted 2003

Mary lived another 22 years in her house at 819 7th Avenue in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  She survived on the rental and sale of the 160 acres of land near Finchford that were bequeathed to her in David’s will[i] and subdivided portions of her lot in Cedar Falls.[ii]  Also, after the now-familiar hassle and paperwork, she secured a widow’s pension of $12 per month in September 1913, which increased to $20 per month in September 1916.[iii] 

Her children came and went - the girls were in Montana, Amos in Cedar Rapids, and Charlie moved to Michigan.  Silas, however, returned around 1920 to the family home.  He farmed in the Finchford area and helped care for his mother.  When she died on February 6, 1934,[iv] she left the family home and its contents to Silas.  She also divided her hard-earned $6,000 savings among her five living children and one daughter in-law.  After medical and funeral-related expenses, the children received approximately $890 each.[v]