Rebecca Myers (1840 - 1932)

MYERS, RILEA, HENDRIXSON, CHEW, BESCO, ALLEN, SMITH

Posted By: Barry Mateer (email)
Date: 1/14/2022 at 19:26:53

In scrapbook of obituaries in the Genealogy room at Osceola Public Library, possibly kept by long-time Murray teacher, Eldora Taylor.

The Murray News, Clarke County, Iowa
January, 1932.

Rebecca Hendrixson Myers, daughter of William and Nancy Ann Rilea, was born in Brown County, Ohio, January 2, 1840. Her father was a native of Virginia, her mother Nancy Ann Hendrixson was born at Platt Creek, Fleming County, Ohio, April 20, 1820. She passed away March 17, 1860, leaving a family of five daughters, Rebecca being the eldest. The father, William Rilea, and a brother were cabinet makers, making furniture and shipping it by flat-boat down the Ohio River to New Orleans.

In 1848 the family moved from their home near Cincinnati, Ohio to Iowa by covered wagon, locating in Jefferson County. In the spring of 1854, they moved to Clarke County, where the father homesteaded 80 acres of farm land and 30 acres of timber land three miles south of the village of Hopeville. Here he built his log-cabin home, cutting and hewing the logs and clapboard for the cabin while the family lived in the covered wagon. Thus they became one of the early pioneer settlers of Iowa. The hardships and privations of pioneer life instilled into the children that sturdy and self-reliant character which was an important factor of their lives.

Rebecca was married to Lambert P. Myers, September 20, 1860. He preceded her in death April 2, 1896. Mr. Myers was a carpenter by trade. Their early life was spent at Funks Mill, Iowa. They then moved to the farm her father pre-empted. Here they lived and reared their family. All the children except two were born in the house the grandfather built.

In November of 1901, Mrs. Myers left the old homestead and moved to Bedford, Iowa where her youngest daughter and son were engaged in school work. Here she lived until her declining years forced her to give up her home and live with her daughters. She was the mother of nine children: One daughter who died in infancy, one son, Marion U. preceded her in death.

She leaves to mourn her going, seven children: Leo V. of Santa Anna, Calif., Harmer E. of Broken Bow, Nebr., Anne E. Chew of Grand River, Iowa, Elizabeth Besco of Bedford, Iowa, Armanella Allen of Greeley, Colo., Adna E. of Los Angelos, Calif., Almon Ray of Colville, Wash., one sister, Mrs. T. J. Smith of Murray, a host of relatives and friends.

Mrs. Myers because a Christian and united with the Methodist church in early life, and later became a member of the United Brethren church, where she remained a loyal devoted member until death. Her life … trust and true devotion has been a benediction to all who knew her. She passed to that land where “they count not time by years”, Tuesday evening, at 9:15, January 12, 1932, at the home of her daughter Mrs. W.F. Allen in Greeley, Colorado, where she had made her home the past year and a half.

Brief funeral services were held from the Sattley funeral home in Greeley at 10 o’clock, Thursday morning, Jan. 14th. Rev. W.D. Cole of the Methodist church, who was at her bedside when she passed away, conducted the services. He paid a beautiful tribute to her long, full life of service and devotion to her Master. Mr. Claude Schell sang “The City Four Square” and “The Home of the Soul.”

Mrs. Allen accompanied the body to Murray for burial in the family cemetery. Funeral services were held Gregg Chapel Friday, Jan. 15th at 12:15, conducted by Rev. James Wilkins, Methodist minister of Grand River. The pall-bearers, quartet and organist were relatives and close friends of the deceased.

Memorial at Findagrave
 

Clarke Obituaries maintained by Brenda White.
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