This is an exact transcription of the text from the Illinois State Register, February 14, 1911. The transcription is faithful to the content of the original, including spelling and style anomalies. It is also inaccurate in some of its facts and details.
Death of Sister Rachael Conway on Sunday Night.
Half an Hour After 102nd Birthday Anniversary of Lincoln Ends, Nun who Pulled Veil Off His Bronze Figure Dies.
By peculiar coincidence, just one half hour after the passing of the one hundred and second anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, Sister Rachael Conway, one of the two Dominican sisters, who, on Oct. 15, 1874, unveiled the bronze statue of Lincoln on the stately monument that marks the resting place of the great emancipator in Oak Ridge cemetery, passed away at the Convent of the Sacred Heart at the mature age of 91 years.
She had been in failing health for some years past and her death occurred at 12:30 o’clock yesterday morning.
When seeking some one to unveil the monument of the martyred president, Governor Oglesby chose sister Rachael with sister Josephine, both of the Mother Convent of the Dominican Order at Jacksonville. Sister Josephine is still living at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in this city.
Many Notable Speakers.
The dedication of the Lincoln monument on Oct. 15, 1874, was a brilliant affair, no less than six hundred of the officers of the Army of the Tenneesee being present. The Society of the Army of the Tennesse had made it a point to hold their annual reunion in this city on the occasion of the dedication of the monument, and in addition to Governor Oglesby, who presided at the ceremony as president of the National Lincoln Monument Memorial Association, the speakers were General William T. Sherman, president at that time of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, Geneal U. S. Grant and General U. F. Linder. Among other officers in attendance besides those named were General Phil Sheridan, General Irvin McDowell and General G. M. Dodge. General Dodge, who now resides in Omoha Neb., is now president of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee.
Major Edward S. Johnson, the present custodian of the National Lincoln monument, was the commander of the Governor’s Guard, which organization escorted the officers of the Army of the Tennessee to the National Lincoln monument.
The Society of the Army of the Tennessee held its sessions in the old Chatterton opera house, northeast corner of Sixth and Washington streets, which was burned, and their banquet was held at the Leland hotel on the night of the second days’ session.
Sixty-five years in the Order
Sister Rachel Conway was one of the pioneer members of the Dominican Order in this state, spending sixty-five years of her life in religious work.
Sister Rachael was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1820, and twenty years later joined the Dominican order of Nuns at Sinsinwa, Wis., and was sent some years later to a convent of the order in Kentucky, whence she came to Jacksonville which was then the headquarters of the diocese of Alton. She was a talented musician and while at Jacksonville, taught music.
She has been at the Sacred Heart Convent in this sty since 1893.
The funeral will be held at the convent at 9 o’clock to-morrow morning and the interment will be made in Calvary cemetery.
