Eliza Watkins Bemis, 1845-1925

BEMIS, WATKINS

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 7/28/2006 at 10:23:57

Mrs. Eliza M. Bemis

Mrs. Eliza M. Bemis who for many months has been in declining health, passed away at her home early Monday morning at the age of nearly 80 years. She had been cared for most tenderly during her illness by her daughters Miss Perl and Mrs. Hazel, and at the last all of her children were with her. Her mind remained unusually clear and unimpaired until the very last.

Mrs. Bemis was one of the very earliest pioneers of Estherville. Her husband, Simeon E. Bemis, was one of our pioneer merchants, his general merchandise store building remaining in its original site at the corner of Sixth and Des Moines street until it was replaced by the new Federal building. It was as a bride that Mrs. Bemis came here in 1866 and her family of six children were all born here and have resided here the greater part of their lives. Mrs. Sargent Beven, Mrs. Fred Brown, and the Misses Perl and Hazel make Estherville their home. Mrs. George Weir lives at Dunnell, Minn., and her son, Sidney Ernest, has but recently moved to Des Moines. Another son, Claude W., died in infancy.

In spite of a multitude of duties falling to a mother of a family of growing children, Mrs. Bemis kept in close touch with the religious and social life of this then pioneer community and in later years as long as her health would permit took an active part in the work of the W. R. C. and of the Baptist church of which she was a member.

Eliza M., daughter of Asa and Diantha Watkins, was born in New York state on Nov. 2, 1845 and was married on March 18, 1866 to Simeon E. Bemis. They moved to Center Chain, Minn., in the spring of that year and the same year moved....

Contributed by: Steve Dahlstrom. Source: The Estherville Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa, April 22, 1925.

CC Note: Gravestone photo available.