Waterbury, Mrs. Jane 1833-1929

WATERBURY, BROWER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 1/25/2011 at 15:16:11

Akron Register-Tribune
June 6, 1929

“GRANDMA” WATERBURY CALLED

Mrs. Jane Waterbury, one of the earliest settlers in Sioux Valley township, Union county, S.D., and believed to be the oldest person in Akron’s territory, passed away at the home of her son, Fred E. Waterbury, in Akron, Monday, June 3, 1929, at 7 p.m. at the great age of 96 years, 4 months and 8 days. She has been in quite vigorous physical health, but her mental powers have been affected for some time by cancer of the brain, which was primarily the cause of her death.

“Grandma” Waterbury and her husband, Henry Waterbury, who preceded her in death about twenty-four years ago, came to Union county from Connecticut in 1867, and the family home has since remained in this vicinity. She is survived by three sons, George, of Portland, Ore.; Ed., of Hudson, S.D.,; and Fred, of Akron, besides many grandchildren and great grandchildren. A suitable obituary will appear in this paper next week.

Funeral services are being held this (Thursday) afternoon at 2 o’clock in the Baptist church, conducted by Rev. U. G. Miller. Interment in Riverside Cemetery.
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Akron Register-Tribune
June 13, 1929

EARLY PIONEER OF BIG SIOUX VALLEY CALLED TO REWARD

At the home of her son, Fred E. Waterbury, in Akron, Iowa, on Monday evening, June 3, 1929, Jane E. Waterbury, at the age of 96 years, 4 months and 8 days passed to the great beyond, after an illness of seven days, during which time the tenderest care was bestowed by her devoted sons and relatives.

The soul of this revered pioneer citizen took its flight to the realms of peace.

Such a life as Grandma Waterbury’s is deserving of the highest tribute, always upright and industrious and imbued with a keen spirit of motherhood, a woman with whom the home ties and family welfare were ever first and foremost in her thoughts, but from whose presence there never turned away unheeded the deserving needy. She was a direct descendant of Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary war fame.

Being an early pioneer here, and there being no doctor, she always stood with a ready hand to help those who were sick and suffering. In her breast the balm of human kindness was ever sweet and ready to pour out in copious sympathy to the sisterhood of mankind. Of such a life was written:

“None knew her but to love her,
None named her but to praise.”

Jane Elizabeth Brower was born at Bridgeport, Connecticut, on January 26, 1833, and later moved to Westport, Connecticut, where she became acquainted with and married Henry Waterbury, October 29, 1848, who preceded her in death 29 years ago. They then moved to Ansonia, Connecticut and during the next year resided at Bridgeport and Westport. In September, 1850, they moved to Norwalk, where they became converted to the Christian religion, uniting with the Baptist church. From Norwalk they went to the home of his boyhood, Pound Ridge, N.Y. in 1851, residing there four years, when they returned to Connecticut, locating at New Canaan. Here they made their home until the opening of the Civil War, when he enlisted in Company H., Seventeenth Regiment of Connecticut, Volunteers, serving until the close of the war, leaving his wife at Westport, caring for 5 small children. A sixth was born soon after he enlisted.

After his return home they again made their home at New Canaan. On April 22, 1867, Mr. and Mrs. Waterbury and children started for the great west. Upon arriving at Dennison, Iowa, then the terminus of the railroad, they purchased an ox team and prairie schooner and continued their westward course across the broad sparsely settled prairies of Iowa. They reached the Big Sioux valley on the 16th day of May, 1867, and took a homestead in Sioux Valley township, Union county, S.D., about two miles north of Akron. The grasshopper invasion was one of the most trying times for the Waterburys, as they took a large portion of the crops each year up to and including 1878. Farming in those days was most discouraging and in order that his family might not face starvation, Grandfather Waterbury, who was a shoemaker by trade worked in a shoe store in Sioux City, walking back and forth once every 3 or 4 weeks, a distance of 33 or 34 miles each way.

Grandma Waterbury could tell some interesting tales of trials and hardships experienced during the winter of 1880-81, the winter of the heavy snow, as it is referred to, and of the following spring when the high waters of the Big Sioux and Missouri rivers covered the entire territory between Sioux City, Elk Point, and Akron.

After leaving the farm in 1880, they came to Akron and for 3 years Grandfather Waterbury operated a boot and shoe store here. They again returned to the farm and resided there until 1889 when they made their home again in Akron. In 1900 Grandfather Waterbury was called to the great beyond, and Akron still remained Grandmother Waterbury’s home until of late years when she has resided with her sons.

To Mr. and Mrs. Waterbury were born nine children. One daughter, Mary, and five sons, S. A., Henry L., Alfred B., Frank and Robert preceded their mother in death. The three sons surviving are George W. of Woodburn, Ore.; Ed., of Hudson, S.D and Fred, of Akron, Iowa. Besides these three sons who are left to mourn their mother’s departure, there are 36 grandchildren, 52 great grandchildren and 15 great great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held in the First Baptist Church, of which denomination she had been a member for many years, last Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock, conducted by Rev. U. G. Miller, the pastor. There was a large attendance of relatives, old-time neighbors and friends, as a final tribute of respect. Interment was in the family lot in Riverside Cemetery.

CARD OF THANKS.
To the neighbors and friends who so kindly gave their assistance and sympathy during the sickness and death of our beloved mother and grandmother, also for the beautiful floral tributes, we wish to express our sincere thanks and appreciation. ~Fred E. Waterbury and Family, C. E. Waterbury and Family.