Mrs. Margaret J. McElhone, aged 90, died at 11:15 o'clock this forenoon at her home at 434 Migeon avenue. She had been ill since she suffered a fractured arm in a fall at her home about six weeks ago.
Mrs. McElhone, who was formerly Miss Margaret Cleary, was born in County Clare, Ireland, on May 11, 1841. She came to the United States at the age of 15 years, locating in Winsted, where she resided about two years before moving to Torrington with her family. After seven years spent here, she and her family moved to Goshen, residing there for 35 years, after which they moved back to Torrington. She had continued to live here ever since, a period of 31 years.
She was married in Winsted on November 25, 1866, to Patrick McElhone, who died in Goshen on April 19, 1886. He was a civil war veteran, having been an enlisted member of the First Connecticut Heavy Artillery.
Mrs. McElhone was a woman of pleasing disposition and easily acquired friends of whom she had a host, not only here but in Winsted and Goshen as well. She was highly respcted by all.
Those who survive are six sons, John, Thomas, William, Robert and James, all of Torrington, and Alexander of Newark, N. J.; two daughters, Mrs. Moses Doyle and Mrs. M. J. Heron, both of Torrington; a half brother, Morris Pfaefflin of Winsted; eighteen grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. A sister, Mrs. Bridget Chambers, died last summer in Oregon at the age of 88.
The funeral will be held on Friday morning at an hour to be announced.
Margaret's death certificate listed her occupation as "Housekeeper" who worked at home until December 1931, a total of 75 years. Her father's name was Michael Cleary, her mother's maiden name was Mary Coffey, both born in Ireland. Informant was listed as John McElhone (her son) of 434 Migeon Ave. Burial was Jan. 8, 1932 in Torrington, under the direction of W. A. Gleeson, undertaker of 258 Prospect Street. The attending physician, Timothy M. Ryan, attested that he had treated Margaret on Dec. 2, 1931 until the day of her death for a fractured right humerus suffered in a fall at home and confirmed by X-ray. Other contributing factors in her death were "organic heart disease," "toxoemia" and "old age." The body was embalmed by S. F. Benton, license no. 918.After her husband Patrick died in 1886, Margaret moved her family down the mountain to a house later to be purchased by Asaph Hall, renowned astronomer who is remembered for his discovery of the moons of Mars. An extract from an unpublished book titled The Gunstock Story, by Asaph's descendant Lawrence P. Hall (1980), mentions Margaret: "...As indicated above, Mrs. Wilcox rented the Brewer Baldwin place. In the 1880's it served as the parsonage for the North Goshen Methodist Episcopal Church. It is known that in 1887 Reverend J. H. Hoag lived at the place. Then, it was rented to Mrs. McElhone, a widow with quite a family of children. Her husband Patrick had died and the McElhone farm back of Ivy Mountain was sold March 14, 1887. She continued to live at the Brewer Baldwin place after Asaph Hall acquired it. She served as a guardian of the place and as a housekeeper until about the spring of 1901. Then, Asaph Hall no longer desired her services as he had other plans in mind. She went to live with her children who had grown up and then resided in Torrington. It may be recalled that when Samuel S. Hall died in July 1936, the McElhone family was well represented at his funeral at Gunstock. Mother Hall was always very fond of Mrs. McElhone; and when we first spent summer at Gunstock, Mother Hall enjoyed visiting the McElhones." (pp. 29-30.)
