Grundy County IL Archives Obituaries.....Starr, Mary J Eaton 1918
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 9, 2007, 7:46 am

Morris Herald, Aug 2, 1918
Death has called another pioneer. Mrs. Mary J. Starr, one of the early 
pioneers of Illinois, died Sunday at the home of William Sparr after a 
prolonged illness caused by the infirmities of advanced age.  Had she lived 
until October 3 she would have been 93 years old. With her passing, one of the 
oldest of the settlers of this section-and one of the band of women who "kept 
the home fires burning” in the trying times of the Civil War-is no more.

Mrs. Starr's maiden name was Eaton. She was born October 3, 1825, in 
Cornwallis, King's County, Nova Scotia. On November 14, 1842, she became the 
bride of Christopher Starr. In 1845 the young couple, lured by the call of the 
unexpected West, joined the pioneer advance into Illinois and settled in 
Starr's Grove in Will County. In 1846 they came to Morris, residing in a log 
cabin at what is now the corner of Washington and Liberty streets, where the 
Pike building now stands. They prospered and after a time Mr. Starr erected 
the brick home on Liberty and High streets.

Then came the trying times of the Civil War. Mr. Starr laid aside his business 
affairs and enlisted in Company H, 53rd Illinois Infantry, which afterwards 
became famous as part of Cushman’s Brigade. He had no sooner been mustered in 
than Charles, his eldest son, a lad of 17, joined the 76th Illinois Infantry, 
fighting under Capt. C. C. Jones and later under Capt. William Reardon, when 
Capt. Jones was promoted.

Mrs.  Starr, with the other patriotic women of the day, went through the 
trying times uncomplainingly caring for her younger children and preparing to 
welcome husband and son back from the battlefield-if they came-and resigned to 
her sacrifice if they didn't.

Although broken in health from the severe campaigns he went through, Mr. Starr 
went to California with the gold seekers of the late sixties and died in 
Sacramento in 1870.

Mrs. Starr's health began to fail a few years ago and she has been steadily 
sinking for the past few weeks. She is survived by four sons: Charles Starr of 
Joliet, Edgar of Chicago, Eugene of Clay Center, Kan., Fred of Oakland, Cal., 
and Mrs. William Sparr (Viola) of Morris.

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