Pitts, Sophie Elizabeth

Notes:

Buried:
Sophie was buried beside her husband in Alton Cemetery (in the Old Yard section, lot 100).

Died:

     The following obituary was published on Tuesday, 31 October 1939, on page two of the Alton Evening Telegraph (Alton, Illinois).

          Mrs. Sophia Fiegenbaum,
          Physician's Widow, Dies

     An illness precipitated by grief over the death of her husband, Dr. J. H. Fiegenbaum, brought death Monday to Mrs. Sophia Fiegenbaum, 80. Mrs. Fiegenbaum died at 3:15 p.m., at her home, 625 Henry street.
     A native of Alton, she was born Aug. 27, 1859, a daughter of Isabelle Pringle Pitts and Samuel Pitts, at the hotel of William Pitts. A member of one of the old families here, her grandfather, William Pitts, was host to Abraham Lincoln when he stopped in Alton at time of the Lincoln-Douglas debate. The hotel, then one of the foremost and finest in Alton, is still in use but known today as the Lincoln Hotel.
     She was the last one of five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Pitts who survived. In her youth she had shown artistic talent and had been recognized for her ability by Paul Harney, the artist, by being permitted to teach an overflow class of his.
     Mrs. Fiegenbaum was one of the oldest members of First Presbyterian Church where her father, Samuel Pitts, for many years was an elder and had assisted in the laying of the cornerstone of the present church when it was built. She had been a member of First Presbyterian since about the age of 15 and all of her life had been active in work of the women's organizations. Her church membership covered a period of 65 years.
     Mrs. Fiegenbaum, during her eighty years of residence in Alton, was widely known. She belonged to a family which had been distinguished for their fine character and their activity in promoting welfare of worth-while institutions. Particularly had the family been identified with First Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Fiegenbaum's grandfather was a contemporary of Elijah P. Lovejoy and other men who took a prominent part in the early-day events in Alton. Until her advancing age made it necessary for her to be less regular, she had been deeply interested in the work of the Presbyterian Church and was still an attendant at services when she was able to do so.
     Mrs. Fiegenbaum was known for her gracious hospitality in her home. Of a cheerful disposition, she had a large number of good friends, even among those much younger than she. She enjoyed continuing in younger generations the family friendships she had held with the older ones. She had the ability, an inherited one in her family, it seemed, to grow old gracefully, maintaining friendships to the end.
     She was married Sept. 11, 1889, to Dr. Fiegenbaum, a young physician at that time, just getting a start in the medical practice in Alton and whose father was pastor of what is now Grace Methodist Church. Death of Dr. Fiegenbaum Feb. 26, 1938, had been a shock that Mrs. Fiegenbaum had been unable to overcome and the decline in her health had become more and more apparent since his death. The couple had looked forward to observance of their golden wedding, the date of which was last September.
     Dr. and Mrs. Fiegenbaum were parents of two children, Harry Pitts Fiegenbaum, who died in infancy, and Mrs. Harvey Fiegenbaum Harris, who survives. She also leaves three grandchildren, Margaret, Warren and Richard Harris.
     Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the residence with the Rev. E. J. Vance, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, officiating. The body was moved this afternoon from the Morrow-Cutforth funeral home to the residence, where friends may call. Burial will be in the Fiegenbaum family lot in City cemetery.

Sophie married Fiegenbaum, Dr. Julius Henry 11 Sep 1889, Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA. Julius (son of Fiegenbaum, Hermann Wilhelm and Gusewelle, Sophia) was born 27 Apr 1859, Galena, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, USA; died 26 Feb 1938, Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA; was buried 1 Mar 1938, Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died:
Harry died of whooping cough.

Notes:

Buried:
Bertha was buried in Alton Cemetery (in the Old Yard section, lot 54). Her husband was later buried in the same lot.

Died:

The following transcription is based on a digital image supplied by Charles D. Harris of an obituary published on Monday, 5 August 1968.

     Mrs. Bertha F. Harris, 76, a life-time resident of Alton, died at 2:30 p.m., Sunday at St. Anthony Hospital, where she had been a patient for the past two months. Mrs. Harris, had previously resided in Godfrey on Davis Lane for 26 years.
     Born in Alton, Sept. 10, 1891, her parents were the late Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Fiegenbaum.
     Mrs. Harris, a schoolteacher for 30 years in the Alton Public School System and vicinity, received her schooling from the Alton Schools and Shurtleff College. She was graduated from Illinois Women's College, Jacksonville.
     Her marriage to Harvey Harris, who survives, took place in 1922 in Alton.
     Beside her husband, she is also survived by a daughter, Mrs. Margaret Frye of Wood River; two sons, Richard W. of Godfrey, and Warren H. of Mascoutah, Ill.; and 12 grandchildren.
     Mrs. Harris was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Alton.
     Visitation will begin after 7 p.m. today at Morrow-Quinn Mortuary, where services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Interment will follow in Alton City Cemetery.

Bertha married Harris, Harvey Pope 15 Nov 1922, Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA. Harvey (son of Harris, William Lee and Pope, Elizabeth) was born 24 Jan 1889, Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA; died 31 Jul 1976, Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA; was buried 3 Aug 1976, Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Burial was in the Alton Cemetery, Alton, Illinois.

Margaret married Frye, Curtis M.. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Occupation: Between 1945 and 1967; a cryptographer in the U.S. Air Force

Notes:

Buried:
He was buried in the Mascoutah City Cemetery.

Warren married Brown, Eunice Marilyn 1947, Salina, Saline County, Kansas, USA. Eunice (daughter of Bruhn, Carl Joseph and Pehrson, Edith Victoria) was born 23 Mar 1928, Falun, Saline County, Kansas, USA; died 26 Mar 2008, Illinois, USA; was buried , Mascoutah, St. Clair County, Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Services were held at Bryson Funeral Home in Pilot Knob, Missouri, under the direction of Richard's son, Rev. Mark Harris. Burial was at Arcadia Valley Memorial Park in Ironton.

Richard married Hollis, Mary Elizabeth 6 Sep 1950, Pocahontas, Randolph County, Arkansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Richard married Riley, Dorothy Ellen 3 Sep 1955, Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA. Dorothy (daughter of Riley, Cecil Elmer and Hollis, Maudie Florene) was born 27 Nov 1935, Bernie, Stoddard County, Missouri, USA; died 22 Jun 2004, Ironton, Iron County, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died:
David died of cancer.

Notes:

Died:
She was a victim of a tornado which struck the city.

Notes:

Birth:
Details of the birth are not known at this time.

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Birth:
Details of the birth are not known at this time.

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Birth:
Details of the birth are not known at this time.

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Birth:
Details of the birth are not known at this time.