WILSON, Ella (1850-1930)

WILSON, MAUDLIN, RALPH, RODMAN, PITZER, MOORE

Posted By: Kathy Weaver (email)
Date: 11/9/2018 at 18:32:04

Malvern Leader
Malvern, Mills County, Iowa
Thursday, April 3, 1930

SUDDEN DEATH OF MRS. GEORGE WILSON PIONEER RESIDENT

Life Long Resident of Mills County Died Early Monday Morning

Mrs. George Wilson, a pioneer resident of White Cloud township, passed away at her farm home down on the county line south of Malvern early Monday morning after a brief illness.

She was taken sick before arising in the morning. Help and a physician were quickly summoned but she was unable to rally and passed away.

Funeral services were held at the late home Tuesday afternoon at 3 o’clock conducted by Rev. Frank G. Tebow, pastor of the First Baptist church of Malvern. A choir from Randolph sang.

The following obituary was read:

Elnora Maudlin, daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth Maudlin, was born in Cambridge, Indiana, Oct. 17, 1850.

When just a little girl her parents moved to Leavenworth, Kansas. Here she was married to George Wilson, June 20, 1866. About 1868 the family came to Iowa. In October, 1871, they bought the farm which has been her home for almost 60 years.

She was one of the early pioneers who saw this country change from a raw prairie without homes or trees or roads to the beautiful land as we know it now.

Much of the land along the river here was swamp land then and across the river were many acres of land unfenced, and the cattle pastured where they wished. We, of this later generation, cannot understand the love for their homes that these early settlers had. It was a stern fight to break the sod and fight the drought and hot winds and grasshoppers.

They often carried water great distances to keep the little plants alive through the summer. It was such a pleasure to them to watch the trees grow each year until the birds came to live in them and the leaves make a welcome shade from the hot summer sun.

We often wonder why it is so hard for these older folks to leave their homes and be contented to live with their children, but if we think of the loneliness and hardships and sacrifices they endured, just to have a home for their family, we can see something of the reason they loved their homes so much.

The story is told that Mr. and Mrs. Wilson lived several years without a clock in the house. One winter day Mr. Wilson hauled a load of corn to Glenwood and traded it for a clock and Mrs. Wilson used to enjoy it so much for just the ticking of the clock would break the lonesomeness.

Next to her family she loved all the stock on the farm and made pets of all the horses and cattle. One of her favorite horses lived to be thirty-six years old and another thirty-three, and some pet sheep that she kept near the house lived to be sixteen years old.

Her husband served nearly three years in the Civil war and rode with General Sheridan in most of his campaigns.

For many years Mr. Wilson was a carpenter and built many of the best houses in Malvern and Tabor. He was County Treasurer at Glenwood four years and afterward Postmaster at Malvern. The family was widely known in both Mills and Fremont counties.

Five girls were born to this family: Alice Ralph and Anna Rodman preceded her in death; the others are: Mattie, of Omaha, Mrs. Jennie Pitzer, of Blanchard, and Mrs. Hazel Moore, of Waco, Nebr.

There are three grandchildren: Clarence Ralph, Redlands, Calif; Alice Brockenhauser, Wakefield, Nebr.; and Annie Housel, Kalamazoo, Mich.