Worden, Charles Elbert

WORDEN, PIBURN

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 7/12/2019 at 05:55:46

Biography ~ Charles "Elbert" Worden
1888 - 1936
Garden Grove, Iowa

HISTORY OF CHARLES ELBERT WORDEN 1888-1936

Charles Elbert Worden was born on July 09, 1888 in Decatur County, Iowa and died on August 14, 1936 in the same county. He was the son of Charles Jared Worden (1851-1913) and Anna Eliza Piburn (1856-1936). The Wordens had settled in Decatur County, near Garden Grove, in the spring of 1856. Actually Joseph Worden, an uncle of Charles, had came with the Lyman Chases to the county even earlier in 1855.

Charles never married. Everyone referred to him as Elbert. He was an Iowa Private 1C1 352nd Infantry Division Div in World War I. Elbert shot himself in the finger to avoid the service, but he got called anyway!

World War One was raging and the local County Draft Board was considering either Elbert or his younger brother Harvey Worden (1895-1985, long time resident of Leon). Since they were the last sons at home, the board was only going to draft one of them and leave the the other to work the farm and take care of their mother. The board determined that Harvey would make the better worker and chose Delbert to go to war. That's when he shot himself in the finger, hoping to get out of the draft. The board got mad and sent him anyway!

Except for his war service, Elbert lived all of his life at his parent's home place near Weldon, Iowa. He took care of his mother during her last extended illness. She lingered on her sick bed for at least 2 or 3 years. She probably had uterine cancer. Elbert survived his mother by only months. He is buried in Johnson Cemetery, Franklin Township, Decatur County, Iowa, Row 2, right next to his father and mother.

The following is an extract from a letter dated June 03, 1933 from a cousin Esther to one of Elbert's sisters, about their mother Eliza:

"I suppose you will be suprised to hear from me. I was up to Weldon the other night and I saw Kate Fanny and she had been down to se your mother and she thinks your mother is in bad shape and I think so to. My mother is sick too. They both look awfully bad. They have been sick a long time. Kate thought I ought to write you about it she said she thought if you knew about your mother you would come and see her. they haven't been able to set any hens or make any garden. Elbert has done all of that. He has a nice garden and a nice lot of chickens. We are all all well but awfully busy. Helen will come home Thursday to stay. You don't need to tell your mother that I wrote you but come up and see her as soon as you can. You can get some one to bring you. Aunt Eliza told me that you had stored your car. When you come to your mother call me and I will come over. -- Your cousin, Esther"

Contributed by William Baker, 2002