Christiana Sandiford Sweeney

Adirondack Enterprise, Monday, March 28,1949
*Contributed by Jack Brauckmann. Thanks, Jack!

Mrs. Christiana Sandiford Sweeney, 90, pioneer resident of Northern New York, passed away at 10:45 o'clock Saturday night at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joseph K. French of 80 Broadway. Mrs. Sweeney had been ill for about three months. She had resided in Saranac Lake for 12 years. She came here in 1937 when two of her daughters took up residence in this village.

This nonagenarian was born on a farm at Ellenburg Depot on August 26, 1858, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Owen J. Sandiford.

In 1875, Mrs. Sweeney was married to Patrick J. Sweeney and the couple operated a farm at Chateaugay until 1897 when they moved with their children to Lawrence, Mass. Mr. Sweeney retired in 1912 and the couple returned to their native region and settled in Malone. On January 10, 1919, Mr. Sweeney died while on a visit with one of his sons in Massachusetts. He was one of the many victims of the influenza epidemic which followed World War I.

Mrs. Sweeney was a communicant of St. Bernard's church where she attended services regularly until recently when her illness kept her house-bound.

Survivors include four daughters, Mrs. Joseph K. French, Mrs. Michael Mannis and Mrs. Harry Brauckmann of Saranac Lake and Mrs. James H. Murphy of Malone; and five sons, Patrick H. J., Thomas O., Walter E., James A., and Carl F. Sweeney, all of Massachusetts. There are 14 grandchildren and 18 great grand children who survive.

Funeral services will be conducted at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning in St. Joseph's church, Malone, with burial to follow in the family plot in St. Joseph's cemetery. The body is resting at the Murphy Funeral Home, Malone.