FORREST, Mary A. BULLETTE 1813 - 1898

FORREST, BULLETTE

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 6/1/2010 at 14:40:01

"The Fairfield Ledger", October 12, 1898, Page 3, Column 4

DEATH OF A PIONEER WOMAN.

A private letter received by the editors of The "Ledger" from Chehalis, Wash., announces the death of Mrs. Mary A. FORREST at that place September 18th. Deceased was formerly Mary Ann BULLETTE, and she was born in Indiana Oct. 31, 1813. She became the wife of John M. FORREST Sept. 10, 1832. In 1835 the young people removed to Ill., and two years later to Lee County, crossing the Mississippi River at Flint Hills, Wisconsin Territory, now the site of the city of Burlington. In December 1844 the family moved further out on the frontier, passed through Fairfield, which was then a new settlement, and located in Polk township, near the site of the present town of Abingdon. The husband died at Martinsburg, near the original home in this county, in 1860. While four sons and three daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. FORREST, all the children have been dead for more than 30 years, except M.W. (Memorial W.) FORREST of Chehalis and W.T. FORREST who has recently been in Alaska.

When the Civil War came on the nation, Mrs. FORREST saw her two sons who were of military age enter the service of the government, M.W. as captain of Co. F, 33d Iowa Infantry, and Lycurgus with Co. D, 17th Iowa Infantry. The latter was wounded at the battle of Iuka and died a short time after that engagement, at Cairo, Ill.

Mrs. FORREST has resided in Washington since 1884. Her life had been not only a long but an eventful one. She came to Iowa when it was a territory and saw it become a state, and her home was in Washington while its people were struggling to acquire statehood. She knew the hardships of pioneer life by actiual experience, for she was, indeed, a pioneer settler. Christian church..... Two sons with their wives, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren survive her. Six G.A.R. comrades bore her remains to their final resting place.

[Ed. note: The G.A.R. is the Grand Army of the Republic, fore-runner to the American Legion.]

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.