AMELIA COUCH. – Much honor is due to the worthy lady, whose name is written above for the noble way in which she has met the burdens and hardships of life and has achieved a success that is both gratifying and praiseworthy, while she has always shown forth her characteristic goodness and sagacity, being gracious and affable in her personal walk.
Mrs. Couch is the daughter of William and Rebecca Walker being born on November 25, 1838 in Bedford county, Tennessee. The parents removed to Missouri when she was very young and there she received her primary education in the district schools, and there, also, the father died. Later the mother removed to Van Buren county, Iowa, where she finished her education. The widowed mother removed to Jefferson county, Iowa, and then about eight years later our subject went to Missouri where a married sister lived and where also she was married to Mr. R.T. Couch, a farmer, and for sixteen years they lived there. In the centennial year the subject of this sketch and her husband came direct to Union county, whither her mother and sisters had preceded her by twelve years. Mr. and Mrs. Couch rented land for a time and then purchased their present home place of eighty acres which is situated immediately northwest from Island City. On September 7, 1888, Mr. Couch died, being aged fifty-four. The widow had cast upon her the responsibilities of caring for a large family, but she has discharged the duties with a manifestation of wisdom and graciousness that have been acceptable to all. In 1890, she built a fine large house, and she has good barns and substantial outbuildings and the farm is in good shape. The children born to this worthy couple are named as follows: Willard F., married to Minerva C. Williams, and they have one child, Roy L.; Elma D. married to M.M. Carter and they have four children, Agnes, Lloyd, Mary and Clarence; Ulysses, married to Mary McCall and they have two children Elise and Ray; Leonard, married to May H. Harris and they have two children, Leo and Ralph; William R., clerking for Wade Brothers in Summerville; John L. living with mother; Ethel, living with mother. Mr. Couch was an active Republican and was a man of influence in his section. His ancestors fought under the noted Marion of Revolutionary fame, and established a family mansion in Georgia where the lineal descendants reside now. Mrs. Couch and her husband were members of the Baptist church and she is highly esteemed at the present time, being active in the work of propagating her faith both by precept and practice.