Photos:Mt Lebanon Hancock Hamilton Richmond
Village:Shirley, MA Source:bios:103Search: Full Last First
id 103 firstname Margaret lastname Egelson birthyr 1845 deathyr 1925 bio Egelson (Eggleton, Eggelson), Margaret (1845-1925), of the HalVardlShirley, MA, Ministry, was born in Ireland. She went to the Shakers when seven years of age. The US Census has her in 1860 ("at age 16"), at the Upper Canaan Family, NY, learning washhouse work and making soap. Seven years later, in 1867, she moved to the Lower Canaan F. and signed the covenant. She was listed in the 1880 US Census working in the dairy. In 1883 she moved to HalVard, MA, and was appointed 2nd in Ministry of HalVard/Shirley in 1900, and 1st in Ministry in 1904. She eventually returned to the 2nd F., Mt. Lebanon, NY, where she was appointed eldress in 1908. She played a very important role there in the late 1910s and early 1920s, reviving the dormant chair industry, and showed effective leadership in saving two buildings at the time of the big fire of December 28, 1923 (that destroyed the chair factory), with her women's bucket-brigade. Sadly, her own life ended tragically, from fire-burns suffered in a fire caused by the stove in her room, on March 16th, 1925. villageplus the HalVardlShirley. MA