Mary Ann Wack Wier Stem, 1804 - 1895

WACK, WIER, STEM, MAHANNAH, APGAR, KITCHEN, SCHUYLTER, LEIDZ

Posted By: Gloria J. Henry (email)
Date: 3/4/2005 at 16:15:26

News and obituary from 1895. Mrs. M.A. Stem who was so badly burned Thursday morning of last week is still living, but there is little hope of her final recovery, considering her advanced age. The doctor thinks she cannot possibly have vitality enough left to pull through. It takes a yard of cotton linen to dress the burns which extend over the right arm and the right breast is very badly burned, also the abdomen. The cause of this terrible accident has been partially explained. Mrs. Stem says she got up and closed the bedroom door (having been?) warm, after (lying?) down again she thought she heard the cat in the room and got up to light the lamp. She scratched the match on a piece of sand paper which was (located/) by the (well?) near the window and remembers nothing after lighting the match, but it is supposed the curtain caught fire from the (?) and her clothing from the curtain. She (?) but is (unconscious?) most of the time.

From a newspaper article on her death January 14, 1895: Sketch of Mrs. Stem's life. Mrs. Mary A. Stem, who died in North English, Iowa at 4pm on January 14, 1895, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Clark Mahannah, was born April 9, 1804, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Her maiden name was Wack, one of the oldest and best known families of German Valley, New Jersey. The subject of this sketch was united in marriage with William Wier, April 5, 1827, and removed to Ohio in 1845, her husband dying the same year, leaving her with 4 children, who are still living. The oldest,Mrs. Benjamin Apgar, living in New Jersey, J. A. Wier resides in Kansas City, Mrs. E. Kitchen lives in Canada, and Mrs. Clark Mahannah in North English. In 1855 she moved to Illinois and in March 1871 married Fredrick Stem, at Roseville, Illinois, who died June 8, 1875. She lived alone at Roseville until October 1884 when she came to live with her daughter, Mrs. Clark Mahannah. She was 90 years, 9 months, and 5 days old when she died. In early life and for many years Mrs. Stem was a member of the Dutch Reformed church, but after coming west there was no church of that sect near her and she became a member of the Methodist Church and so continued until her death. John Georg Wack, the great grandfather of deceased, was a native of Wittenburg, Germany and came to this country and settled in Philadelphia in 1748, where he married Elizabeth Schuytler. Their son Casper, the Grandfather of Mrs. Stem, was born August 15, 1752, and was the first person born in America to enter the ministry and be ordained by the Dutch Reformed church in this country. Soon after his ordination, he married Bertha (Barbara) Leidz, of Montgomery County, Penn., and moved to German Valley, New Jersey in 1782, and preached to the congregations at German Valley, Rockaway and Fort Hill, New Jersey. The old Union church in German Valley where he preached is still standing in ruins in the midst of the graveyard, many years ago filled to its full capacity and abandoned as a burying place. The old church was built in 1774. In addition to his ministerial labors Mr. Wack carried on a large farm and also made use of a water tower on the place to run and oil mill and a hulling mill. With all these irons in the fire he made money, accumulating a large property in German Valley, passing away July 19, 1839, aged 86 years. His son, Andrew Wack, father of Mrs. Stem was born November 11, 1781 and died in 1857, aged 75 years. Mrs. Stem was the oldest of his nine children, all of whom are dead except one brother, now 87 years old, and living in German Valley where he was born. Mrs. Stem's mother died at the age of 84 years.

The following is an exact copy of an article written by Mrs. Stem on April 9, 1885, on her 81st birthday. "I am this day 81 years old. When I look back on my past life I see it marked with light and dark all along my pathway. On my part I see many crooked, wandering paths, that I made leaving the path of duty and obedience, but in all my heart wanderings I feel the Lord has watched over and brought me safe to this day. Though troubles and trials befall me in my long journey through this weary pilgrimage of life, I can truly say God has been my helper; he has sustained me; his grace has been sufficient for me. Unworthy as I am, I feel to say, What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits to me? I feel today stronger faith than ever that he will support and keep me the short journey I have yet to travel. My I be patient and resigned to all thy will and put my trust in the promises for the Lord will not forsake those that put their trust in him. May I ever by found faithful, is my prayer"

Mary Ann was living with son-in-law Clark Mahannah and daughter Sophia in the 1885 State Census of Keokuk, Iowa. She is listed as 80 years and a widow.