Lucy A. Williams 1835-1915

WILLIAMS, SHELLABARGER, HAWKINS, MILLER, SUMMERS, MEEKER

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 3/21/2023 at 13:23:28

Columbus Gazette, Columbus Junction, Iowa
Thursday, January 28, 1915
Page 3

Mrs. Lucy A. Williams was born at Liberty, Union county, Indiana, April 1, 1835. Was married to Joseph D. Williams on October 28, 1851. To this union were born eleven children, three boys and eight girls; Mary Ellen, Florence Eugenia and John Franklin were born at Liberty, Indiana, and when John was about six months old they moved to Muscatine county, Cedar Valley, Iowa, onto a farm where the following children were born: Elsworth, Kate Miller, Ida May, Jessie Fremont, Edith Alberta, Della Jane, Ina Ethel and Earl Monroe. Among the joys of farm life of this large family were the sorrow and the greatest were when Ida May and Jessie Fremont were burned on July 13, 1870 and the following November Florence Eugenia aged fifteen died of typhoid fever and on February 18, 1892, Mr. Williams was called to his reward.

Mrs. Williams lived on the farm with her son Earl and daughter Ina for ten years, then on 1902 the children built her a home in Letts and she left the farm. Mrs. Williams had come home from church on Sunday December 20, and was carrying a bucket of coal when she slipped on ice, and fell, hurting herself, she took her bed immediately. About five o'clock January 15, 1915 while she seemed to be peacefully sleeping and resting she quietly breathed her last breath. She was 79 years, 9 months and 15 days old. She was a loving wife, a kind mother, a good neighbor and a consistent Christian, having joined the Presbyterian church while in Indiana and after moving to Letts she joined the United Brethren church. She leaves to mourn her departure three sons and five daughters: Mary Ellen Shellabarger of Kinross, John Franklin who lives on the home place; Samuel Elsworth of Corpus Christi, Texas; Kate Miller Hawkins of Paulina; Edith Alberta Miller of Livingstone, Montana; Della Jane Summers of Columbus Junction; Ina Ethel Meeker of Cedar Rapids, and Earl Monroe of Manly, besides twenty-one grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren and a host of friends. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. O. O. Hobson, at the United Brethren church at 11 o'clock Sunday morning, and following a short service at Oak Grove church the remains were laid to rest in the Oak Grove cemetery.