Evaline Eveland (1815 - 1904)

EVELAND, DIMMITT, KING, WELLMAN, WARREN, RUTHERFORD, HOPKINS

Posted By: Cindy Booth Maher - Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/1/2020 at 07:32:12

WILTON LADY DIES
Demise of Mrs. Evaline Eveland, Aged Eighty-eight Years
At her home in Wilton, at 8 o'clock yesterday morning, occurred the death of Mrs. Evaline Eveland, death being due to advancing years, she being almost 89 years of age.

She was born in West Virginia in 1815 and was married to Joseph Eveland on Feb 15, 1840, in Ohio, the family moving to Wilton some years later.

The following children survive: Mrs. Martha King, Wilton; Mrs. Sarah Wellman, Geneva, Neb.: Mrs. Louisa Warren, Nebraska; Peter Eveland, Wabash, Neb.; Harmon Eveland, Dallas county, Ia.; Mrs. Hester Rutherford, of Albuquerque, N. M.; Frank Eveland, of Wilton, and Mrs. Keturah Hopkins, of this city.

Source: Muscatine Semi-Weekly News Tribune (Muscatine, Iowa, 1 Apr 1904, Fri, pg. 2

Wilton, Ia., April 1 - Eveline J. Dimmitt was born near Wheeling, Va., December 27, 1815. This city was settled in 1769 by Ebenezer Zane, incorporated in 1793 and became the state capital in 1863. How closely interwoven with the early history of our nation is the life of deceased. In her early childhood, her parents moved to Clermont county, Ohio, where on February 15, 1840, she was happily united in marriage to Joseph Eveland. In 1846, while Iowa was yet a territory, the family came from Ohio by wagon and settled in Muscatine county on a farm about four miles south of Wilton, where they resided until the death of the husband, August 25, 1884.

December 28, 1846, Iowa was admitted to the Union. Thus these pioneers became a factor in laying the foundations upon which our great commonwealth so securely rests. What marvelous transformations have been wrought within the lifetime of deceased. Then, no railways, no telegraph, no postal system, no pubic schools, few churches worthy of the name, now everything needed for our convenience and comfort, for our intellectual and spiritual development is here.

To Mr. and Mrs. Eveland fourteen children were born, seven of whom died in infancy. The surviving children are: Mrs. Martha King, Wilton, (Ia.); Mrs. Sarah Wellman, of Geneva, Neb.; Harmon, of Jamaica, (Ia.); Peter, of Murdock, Neb.; Mrs. Hester Rutherford of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Mrs. Keturah Hopkins of Muscatine, (la.) and Frank, of Wilton, (Ia.) Besides the care of her own children, she had the care of her husband's three children by a former marriage in reality becoming a mother to them. She cheerfully contributed one son and a step-son to the preservation of the Union - to the awful and uncertain tragedies of a civil war. Since 1890 deceased has been a citizen of Wilton, living with her daughter, Mrs. King.

At the age of thirteen years, at a camp meeting in Clermont county, Ohio, she was converted to God, uniting with the Methodist Episcopal church, in which faith she lived a beautiful life, passing peacefully to the church triumphant about 8 a.m. March 30, 1904, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years, three months and three days. Mother Eveland possessed cheerfulness in an unusual degree. There was no fret, no worry. Everything done for her was done right - just suited her. She was always zealous for the church of the choice in which she found so delightful a Christian home. It was her custom to attend the midweek prayer meeting as long as strength permitted her to do so. A special effort was made to be at the house of worship on "rainy Sundays". Feebleness has for some eight years deprived her of these, to her, delightful and helpful privileges. Two years ago she was injured by a fall since which she has been unable to walk without assistance. Thus from our ranks has fallen one of the truest and noblest of God's own handmaidens. Like Enoch, "she was not, for God took her: like Abraham, she "gave up the ghost and died in a good old age, an old woman and full of years, and was gathered to her people." She recognized that the end drew nigh. On Monday morning, March 28, she said to her daughter, "I am going soon. You'll not keep me much longer." Like the apostle, she could say, "I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith; hence-forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only but unto all them that love His appearing."

Her good name is an invaluable legacy to the sons and daughters who today mourn her departure. The funeral rites were held from the M. E. church Friday, April 1, 1904 at 1 o'clock, conducted by rev. J. R. Payne, pastor of the M. E. church. The remains were buried in the Klein cemetery about six miles southwest of Wilton.
Source: The Muscatine Journal (Muscatine, IA) 1 Apr 1904, Fri, pg. 8