Iowa

Ferguson, Elizabeth McEwen – Obituary

Death Comes To Mrs. Ferguson/Valley’s Oldest Pioneer Passes Only four months short of attaining her 100th birthday, Mrs. Elizabeth (Grandma) Ferguson, who was the oldest pioneer woman living in the Kittitas valley, died this morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lottie Ferguson Harris, at 302 E. Fourth street here [March 24, 1951]. She died at 2:10 a.m. She was a daughter of a pioneer family, as well as being a pioneer herself. She came across the plains in 1860 with her family, making the six-month trip when a girl 9 years old. Grandma Ferguson was born Elizabeth McEwen … Read more

Hayes, James Jonathan – Obituary

James J. ‘Johnnie’ Hayes, 98, of Rt. 2 in the Thrall area, died Wednesday [died February 23, 1977] at a local nursing home. He was born February 22, 1879 (headstone 1880) in Otoe County, Neb. He came here from Iowa in 1883 and lived in School District No. 12 for 80 years. He farmed in the Badger Pocket and Denmark areas until 1967 when he moved to Thrall. He and Dorothy (Tillie) Curtis were married Jan. 29, 1899. She preceded him in death Oct. 6, 1972. Survivors include: two daughters, Mrs. Hazel Indermuhle and Mrs. Velma Casey, and one brother, … Read more

Fortney, Levi J. – Obituary

Levi J. Fortney Called By Death. Retired Farmer Had Been Resident Of County For 41 Years. Levi Jackson Fortney, aged 66, died last evening at his residence on East Eleventh Street. He was born in Decatur, Iowa, he came to Kittitas County 41 years ago, and had resided in Ellensburg for the past 26 years. He was a retired farmer. Mr. Fortney is survived by his wife, four daughters, Mrs. H. S. Floyd of Toppenish, Mrs. W. A. Horn of Myrtle Point, Ore., Mrs. L. B. Horn of Selah and Mrs. J. D. Shelton of Ellensburg; also a son, Jefferson … Read more

McEwen, James William – Obituary

James W. Mcewen Pioneer Is Dead Came To The Kittitas Valley In 1871 Health Had Been Failing Fast For Ten Months And Was Confined To Room 4 Months. James William McEwen, pioneer of the valley died yesterday [July 15, 1915] afternoon from leakage of the heart. He was born October 24, 1853 at Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa. As a child his heath was very poor and the physician advised the father to bring him to the west, which he did when William was a lad of only six years, crossing the Sound country in the fall of ’59, where they … Read more

Ferrier, Ida Beaman – Obituary

Mrs. Ida Ferrier, 78, wife of Jess Ferrier, a Kittitas Valley resident more than half a century, died last night October 8, 1944. Born in Iowa, she came to the valley in 1889. Besides her husband, a brother and a sister survive her. Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the Honeycutt Chapel, with Rev. W. M. Martin officiating. Burial will be in the IOOF Cemetery. Ida’s parents were Justice Beaman and Eliza Rhodes. Her first husband was Samuel Cox. She divorced him by 1910.

McEwen, John Hager – Obituary

J. H. McEwen, formerly known as “Grandpa McEwen,” was born Bartholomew County, Feb. 4, 1832. When but an infant his parents moved to Decatur Co., Ind., where they resided until 1848, when with their family they moved to Fremont, Mahaska County, Iowa, where their son, J. H. was married to Miss Jerusha Amelia Morrow, Aug. 11, 1850. With his wife and young family, McEwen left Iowa in 1860, making his way across the great plains with an ox team. After a long and perilous journey they arrived at the Dallas, Ore., from which point the family were sent by boat … Read more

McEwen, Martha Grewell – Obituary

Old Pioneer of Valley dies at Toppenish. Mrs. Martha McEwen passes away after lingering illness of several months. Mrs. Martha Grewell McEwen, an old pioneer of this vicinity, passed away at Toppenish Sunday morning at 7 o’clock after a lingering illness which confined her to her bed for the past several months [died December 22, 1918] Mrs. McEwen was born February 22, 1860, in Iowa, and three years later crossed the prairies in an ox team with her parents, settling at Vancouver, Wash. When she was 13 years old she moved to this vicinity where she has since made her … Read more

Dixon, Frank M. – Obituary

Funeral services for Frank M. Dixon, 68, former Ellensburg resident who died at his home in Seattle last night, will be held at the Honeycutt Chapel here Monday morning at 11 o’clock. Rev. W. M. Martin will be in charge and burial will be in the IOOF Cemetery Born October 2, 1873, in Iowa, Dixon came to Ellensburg with his parents when he was nine years old. He farmed here for many years and operated a livery stable. He moved to Yakima 16 years ago and subsequently went to Seattle. He was married here to Miss Ollie O’Rear in 1903. … Read more

Taylor, Mary Grewell – Obituary

Mrs. Wm. Taylor, early pioneer of Kittatas, passes. One of the oldest living settlers here, dies Sunday first teacher. Crossed Plains Oxteam, fought Indians, was still active . Mrs. William Taylor, 75, joined the band of Kittitas county’s vanishing pioneers in mid-afternoon Sunday [October 1, 1933], succumbing to a month’s illness. Mrs. Taylor, despite her advanced age was in rugged health and quite active until she became ill the first of last month. Her passing takes from the ranks of the valley pioneers another of the earliest settlers. Mary Grewell was a true product of the West, crossing the plains … Read more

Wheeler, Abraham Lincoln – Obituary

Death came here yesterday [April 1, 1937] at noon to Abe Wheeler, seventy-three, whose 66 years of residence in the Kittitas Valley covered almost the entire period of white men’s settlements in this vicinity. The last of six children who came to the Kittitas with their pioneer parents in 1871, he died at the Ellensburg General Hospital after an illness of three weeks and following an operation performed on Tuesday. His death not only took another from the ranks of the valley’s pioneers, but separated that community’s oldest living married couple, as well. Surviving him is the widow, Mrs. Laura … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Franklin Morgan M.D.

Benjamin Franklin Morgan, M. D., is a physician and surgeon of nearly thirty years’ experience, almost all of which time had been spent in the State of Kansas, and the past seventeen years in the City of Clay Center. The name “Dr. Morgan” is a household word in almost every family throughout Clay and surrounding counties, as four of the immediate family have practiced in Clay Center and never since the year 1883 had there been a time when the familiar form and genial smile of one or more of this family of physicians did not form a part of … Read more

Biography of Philip Wing Hathaway

Philip Wing Hathaway, a pioneer of Iowa and the Cherokee Indian Neutral Lands, was born on a farm near Wareham, Massachusetts. His early life was little unlike that of most boys of his day–spent in farm work with few school advantages, intermingled with pleasures and griefs. He stayed at home until 1832, when his father died, which parent left surviving him a wife and six children–two daughters, Adline and Sophia; four boys, Albert, Andrew, Philip and Mathias. Young Philip, tiring of the farm, sought other pursuits more in keeping with his endowed talent as a mechanic. At the age of … Read more

McLaughlin, Mary Alice Josephine Lee Findley – Obituary

Funeral services for Mrs. Josephine McLaughlin, Seattle resident 51 years, who died Tuesday [March 14, 1944] in a hospital, will be held at 3 o’clock tomorrow in the White Funeral Home. The Rev. Charles Williams will officiate. Mrs. McLaughlin, 84 years old, was born in Iowa. She was the widow of Edward D. McLaughlin. She lived with her daughter, Mrs. Leslie Keller, 2121 – 41st Ave. SW. [First husband was Robert Findley who died 1885] Surviving also are a grandson, Sergeant. Robert G. Keller, United States Army; a granddaughter, Mrs. Frances Steedman, and a great grandson, Gary Steedman, all of … Read more

Lawson, Warren Lee – Obituary

Warren L. Lawson, 51, of Marshalltown, better known as “Doc” a native of Hedrick and one of Iowa’s widely known musicians, collapsed at Bloomfield last Tuesday, December 28, and died before he could be taken to a hospital. “Doc”, whose electric organ recitals and accompaniment for horse shows at fairs, dances, weddings, funeral and other public gatherings had made him famous, had gone to Bloomfield to play for a ball Tuesday night sponsored by the T.T.T. chapter. He was stricken while conferring with members of the organization in the high school gymnasium. He was born at Hedrick and was a … Read more

Lawson, Mary Jane Howard – Obituary

Mrs. John Lawson, who resides three miles west of Hedrick died Tuesday June 17. Mr. and Mrs. Lawson were residents in Sigourney many years ago. Mr. Lawson was in business with Mr. Gaston. The deceased was a sister of Mrs. L. McCoy of Battle Creek, Michigan. Keokuk County News, June 9, 1902 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Brown, Walter ‘Junior’ – Obituary

Walter “Junior” Brown, 78, of Sigourney, died Mon., May 12, 2003, at his home. He was born June 1, 1924, in rural Kirkville, the son of Walter and Maggie Brown. He was raised and educated in the Kirkville area. He was united in marriage to Rosemary Failyer on Nov. 8, 1941, in Lancaster, Mo. He farmed his entire life in the Fremont, Ottumwa and Sigourney area. In later years he worked at Keoco Auction in Sigourney. He was a member of the Eagles. He enjoyed square dancing, western movies, showing mules at the Keokuk County Fair, the Keokuk County Expo, … Read more

Failyer, Margaret Malinda Speer – Obituary

After numerous attacks from heart ailment, Mrs. James Failyer died rather suddenly at her home just east of the Clarion office Monday night [May 11, 1936]. Her maiden name was Margaret Speer. On February 9, 1882 she was married to James Failyer. To them were born 11 children, 8 f them survive. They are Bert, Paul, Mrs. Grover Johnson, and Mrs. Charles Stroud of Richland, Mrs. Eva Readnour Rubio, Othie of Ottumwa, Austin of Cedar, and Mrs. Lillie Jackson of Ottumwa. There are 15 grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Failyer, since their marriage, have resided either in Keokuk or Wapello counties. … Read more

Failyer, James Howard – Obituary

James Howard Failyer was born October 2, 1858 near Kirkville, Iowa. His parents were George W. and Catherine [Lee] Failyer. He was married February 9, 1882 to Margaret Speer. Eleven children were born to them, three of whom besides his wife, preceded him in death. Mr. Failyer passed away January 1, 1944 at the age of 85 years and three months. He was ill only a few weeks. The surviving children are Mrs. Charles Stroud, Mrs. Grover Johnson, Mrs. Eva Readnour and Bert Failyer of Richland; Paul Failyer of Victor, Iowa; Austin of Kirkville; O. G. Failyer and Mrs. W. … Read more

Kopsas, Ralph ‘Nick’ – Obituary

Ralph “Nick” Kopsas, 73, of Merlin, died Monday, Sept. 14, 1998, at his home. Memorial graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Eagle Point National Cemetery. Southern Oregon Cremation Society is in charge of arrangements. He was born on March 3, 1925, in Sioux Center, Iowa. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a seaman first class and was a shipwreck survivor. In 1958, he moved to Grants Pass from Los Angeles. He worked at Redwood and Fourply Mills for many years. He married the former Letha Crossley 28 years ago in Grants Pass. … Read more

Welch, Mabel Leona Morrow – Obituary

Mrs. Amos Welch, 1018 N. 10th St. Burlington, 52, passed away Monday [June 20], at 3:30 p.m. at Mercy Hospital, Burlington where she had been a patient 48 hours. Mabel Leona Welch, daughter of Millie Gholson and Fred Morrow, was born at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Sept. 15, 1902. She was married July 3, 1917 at Chariton to Amos Lloyd Welch. Before moving to Burlington about two years ago, the family resided at Mt. Pleasant. Mrs. Welch was a member of the former Methodist Protestant Church. Besides her husband, she leaves two children; Rex D. and Lila Jean, both of whom … Read more