Elizabeth Lydia Manorgan

Mrs. Manorgan, Manville Pioneer, Dies Thanksgiving

Another pioneer resident of this county is gone. With the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Manorgan, on Thanksgiving afternoon, the Manville community lost one who for 53 years gave unstintingly of her time and strength to the upbuilding of the community in which she lived.

Suffering from the infirmities of age, Mrs. Manorgan was brought to the Spencer Hospital a few days previous to her death.

Elizabeth Lydia Kern was born in Chenoa, Illinois, on November 21, 1866, daughter of the Reverend and Mrs. Josiah Kern. In her childhood the family moved to Council Grove, Kansas, and later to Baldwin, Kansas. There she attended Baker University for three years.

In 1892 Miss Kern came to Wyoming, teaching in schools around the Manville community. During this time she made her home with her cousin, Mrs. Jannie Baughn.

In December, 1893, she was married to Joseph Albert Manorgan. They established a home on his homestead one mile south of Manville, later building the family home in Manville, which still exists. In 1894 they began a mercantile business in Manville which by their joint efforts they built to be one of the largest of its kind in this area, and which continued until 1919.

Four children were born. A daughter born in 1894 and a son born in 1898 lived but a few days. Two sons, Harold George, of Casper, and James Arthur, of Cody, survive their mother. Three granddaughters and two great-granddaughters also survive. She was preceded in death by her husband in February, 1937.

Mrs. Manorgan was one of the organizers and charter members of the First Methodist Church of Manville and a charter member of the Royal Neighbors of America. During the formative years of the Manville community she exerted unstinting effort to further religious educational and cultural activities.

Although she was away from Manville for short intervals, she always maintained her home here, where she lived except in the extreme winter months of the year. She was at her home until two days before her passing, at the age of 79 years and one day. She died at the Spencer Hospital in Lusk at 2:30 P.M. on November 22.

Her burial took place in the Manville cemetery, which was a tract of land given by the Manorgans to the town of Manville for a cemetery.

Funeral arrangements were in charge of the Peet Mortuary and services were held at 2:00 o'clock Sunday afternoon, Nov. 25, in the Methodist Church, in Manville, with Rev. Ellston of Casper officiating.

"Beautiful Isle of Somewhere," "Abide With Me" and "Rock of Ages" were sung by C.W. Pfeifer, Carl Baughn, Mrs. Harry Howard and Mrs. Alexander, accompanied by Mrs. Emma Richardson.

The active bearers were Fred Kettler, Sam Blaney, Marion Rasmusen, Clint Dern, Lee Stoddard and Clarence Pinkerton, and the honorary members were Sam Joss, H.B. Card, Ira Wilson, Harry Howard and Frank Blankenship.

Her sons, Arthur Manorgan and wife and small daughter of Cody, Wyo., and Harold Manorgan and his daughter, Mrs. Florence Siminton of Casper, were here during the illness and death of their mother.

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