Willeford, Susannah (1810-1896)

SMALLWOOD

Posted By: Catherine Duncan (email)
Date: 10/13/2007 at 01:18:31

Susannah Smallwood Willeford
(November 18, 1810 - September 18, 1896)

Biograpy of Susannah Smallwood Willeford; Written January 1880. With the help of John Willeford..taken from a copy owned by Eva Willeford Karis, Febuary 18,1918. Sent by Catherine Duncan catherineduncan@earthlink.net

After living to be a great age, almost 3 score and ten (70) I feel it proper to have my biography written that my children and friends may have it to read after I am gone, which according to nature, will not be long.
I was born in Manchester, Clay County, Kentucky, November 18,1810. My parents were poor
and I never got much schooling, in fact none until I was twenty years old. In the year of 1825 I went with my Uncle Joseph Holsey in Pulaski County, Kentucky. I lived there about two years, when I came back to Clay County and lived with my Grandmother for sometime. It was while I was there I arrived to womanhood and finally married the oldest son ofJames Willeford, August 9,1829. ( John Willeford)
Shortly after we were married we moved to ourselves and lived a happy life surrounded by friends and relatives, and the best of all there was a sindred spirit existing between myself and my husband that mingled as one. It was there my oldest son was born, also two girls.
We were poor, and having a strong desire to provide the necessary comforts for our family we sacrificed friends and conforts and in the Spring of 1834 we built a raft on the Kentucky River and floated down to the Ohio River and then down the Ohio River to Louisville where we took a steamboat to St. Louis , Missouri. There we stopped four days. We then took a steamboat and on the 24th of April 1843
we arrived at Flint Hills, (Now Burlington) Iowa. It was then we first set foot on Iowa. There were three cabins in Burlington when we arrived there. It was in this year that Burlington was laid out by two men by the names of White and Doolittle.
We stopped there for the night. James Willeford Jr.. a brother of my husband, made a shed of boards and put our household goods, which were few, under it and stayed with our goods while I went into one of the cabins. It was on the same day, April 24th that my husband started to hunt Joseph York, who lived some miles into the country west of Burlington. The next day York came with a team and loaded our effects into a wagon and that night we stayed with Mr. York. In a few days we made a claim in the breaks of Brush Break. We made a tent of some of our bed clothing and prepared to stay when a man by the name of Jacob Marty came and contested our rights to the claim, upon whick mr. Willeford went to investigate the matter, expecting to be home the same night,
Now for the first time, my womanly courage was tried to its upmost as night came and no sign of his return greeting come to my ears. Here I sat under the open tent away from friends and home, with three little children and surrounded by Indians and wolves, but suiting myseft to the emergency, I gathered some dry sticks and put our little stock of provisions in the fork of a tree. Just in front of our tent I vuilt a fire, put the children to bed got the axe and put myself picket, without hope of relief. Here I stay all night with an axe in hand, determined by Gods assistance to defend my little children. It was not until the next day that Mr. Willeford came back, and when he did come back, was brought by some men, very sick. These generous hearted men saw our situation and presuaded us to load our things into their wagon and go to claim cabin which had been vacated by a man named Even Lamb. Soon after we went to this cabin all 3 of our children took down with the measles. This cabin had no door, no floor and in fact no roof, only a few boards thrown on to hold the claim. Mr Willeford and the children were very sick, almost to the point of death. We had no doctors and no medicine save what I gathered from the woods. Some days after they were taken sick. I started to hunt a cabin to get some milk for the children and while I was hunting this cabin all the sacred memories of the past come to my mind, so much so that I could not contain myself any longer. as I sat down in the woods and took a big cry. but knowing the obligation I owed to my family which God had given me, I resolved there in that solitude that God being my helper, I would devote my time, life and energies to the welfare and interest of my family, which resolution I have kept to the best of my ability to this day.
Howere I found the cabin got the milk and came home. Shortly after this Mr. Willeford and the children began to get better, but before they all got so far as to get up, I took sick myself and lay very sick for some time, but finally God in his providence, restored us all to health again. We went back to Joseph York's and there I with my children stayed while my husband and James started hunting for a home. They were gone some two weeks when they returned with the glad tidings that they had secured for themselves a claim which just suited them. Said the is now the one known as the Spearman farm.
Howere on their return we set out for our new home, at which we arrived sometime in June 1834. Immediately after our arrival Mr. Willeford and brother Jame proceeded to erect a camp somewhat after the fashion of a sugar camp in which we stayed for three months.
The men folks devoted their time to making rails and hunting bees. This fall 1834 we had 63 bee trees and took the honey to Burlington and sold it for 50 cents per gallon and the beeswax for 25 cents a pound. This money added considerable to our finances for the bees were very rich these times.
Here I must state that I and my brother - in -law took down with the fever and lay for about 6 weeks and in the meantime while we were very sick we got nothing to eat.
Mr Willeford took is gun for protection and started on foot to Burlington for something to eat. These were trying times, family sick, and nothing to eat. With no friends to protect us and surrounded by Indians and wolves, but God saw fit to restore my family to health but I still lingered, but now the men proceeded to build a house, and byt the assistance of James Dawson, who lived on the farm now known by the name of Hughes, a grother to Lawson Hughes, well knowen in Henry County history. We got our house raised and covered just as a terrible snow and rain came. I was still sick in the camp but the men folks cut a hole in the house and carried me into the house. And while it was snowing the men got prairie grass and twisted it into ropes and drove it into the cracks from the ground to the roof and made it quite confortable compared to the camp we had just left.
I now began to chill till sometime in winter. We had no neighbors nor company, same a straggling land hunter or the native Indians, the latter were seldom if ever welcome visitors, as far as I was concerned.
This winter was pleasant until January 1835 when there came a snow I think was the deepest I have ever seen, and after the snow the coldest weather I ever say from that time to this.
In the spring of 1835, there came to our house 4 men, Christopher Heath, Riley Garron, John Laughlin and Thomas Tucker. Their families were sick with the measles. They all stayed with us until they got cabins built and moved to themselves.
In our immediate neighborhood this we hired ground broke and planted in some corn but the country being wild and the land did not produce much consequently we did not raise enough to do us much good but by strict economy and untiring industry we lived threw the winter of 1835.
We received the glad tidings that our folks were on the way from Kentucky to this country. There were a good many of them considering consisting of James Willeford, Wiley Willeford and Harry ( or Harvey) Willeford, (wife Elizabeth Hobbs). They arrived on the 12th day of May 1836. I was very sick and never shall forget their timely aid and assistance thru this. one of my sorest affliction, we lost on of our children. which sleeps the sleep that know no waking. It was buried in our land at the place known as the Willeford Graveyard. (un-named baby, stillborn)
Immediately after our folks came they began improvements on their claims, which as good luck would have it, all laid continuous to our own. With these six brothers and their fathers, and a few neightbors lived adjoining presented rather an imposing settlement and one that feared no danger.
This year 1836 we raised some corn and made some improvements. The health of my family was good but mine poor. But in the fall of 1836 and the winter of 1837 my health began to improve and in the spring of 1837 we got a team which added considerable to our farming facilitles.
In the summer of 1837 we raised considerable grain. Our health was good and we prospered finally. In fact nothing of importance occurred until the spring of 1839, when we sold our claim and bought the claim that I now live on. This claim consisted of 240 acres. This land we entered in the spring of 1840. This being the first land sale ever held in Iowa. Immediately after we secured this home Mr. Willeford proceeded to improve this farm by making rails and fencing and building. Fortune seemed to smile on us this year and also the year of 1841 when Grandmother Willeford (Jane Bales Willeford) who had been to us a mother took sick and lingered a long while but she met her fate with resignation. Sue suffered intensively but God saw fit in his providence to put and end to her suffering by death. On the 22nd of March 1842 she left her husband and seven children to mourn her loss. (daughter married Son of Eaton Allen)

"She sleeps the sleep that knows no waking
Surrounded by friends and kindred dear
Her spirit's gone and rests in waiting
For those in this life that lingers near
Our Mother's voice is still in death
No more will we ever hear
And while God gives us breath
We'll hod her memory dear.

Immediately after the death of our Mother, Mr Willeford started a flat boat loaded with vegetables and provisions for New Orleans. He got near Memphis Tennesse, when the boat sank
loosing nearly or guite the whole thing amounting to about $1.500.00'
This year in 1842 he returned to work with a will to make up his loss as it had run him into considerable debt, and was succeding very well taking into consideration of the circumstances.
We raised good crops of corn, wheat and oats during the years of 1842,1843 and1844. And in fact was prospering well till March 11, 1845 when the saddest of all my bereavement occurred. At this time God in providence saw fit to take from me my husband. My first and only choice. The man to whom I had first given my heart and confidence. The man with whom I had sacrificed my home and friends, the man with whom I had shed tears and shared his gladness and with whom I had shared many difficulties and by whom I had bore 8 children. Twas hard for me this great affliction.
In the hope and bloom of my life I trusted then in Gods protection and since have lived his widowed wife. And he was brave and not ashamed to do lavor with a willing hand, and earn a dwelling of his own surrounded by his own fair land! Many changing years have gone and I still linger here. I live withing that dear old home and hold his memory dear. And I was left with 7 children to feed and clothe and my greatest desire was the welfare of my family. My oldest boy though young, was all the help I had as the reast were all girls except one, and not old enough to do anything.
Upon settling the affairs of the estate we found we were in debt $50.00. But with the assistance of my oldest boy, Hendeson, we soon settled all our indebtedness. I must say I point to him with pride and administiation for the warmest emotions of a mothers gratitude.

He was only a boy, a youth in years
And by his careworn mother he stood.
And shared his mothers anxious years.
Been to me, A boy thats good."

After having weathered the storm for 4 years and in the meantime paid all our debts and prosperity began to dawn again. I was sorely affected by the death of my 3rd chld Belinda, which took place othe the 8th of August 1849.

"She's gone to her long and lasting home
And there for me is waiting
While I through lifes long storm
Am longing for that happy meeting,"

Soon after this afflication another follows in the death of our Grandfather which took place December 25, 1849

"He lives within the graveyard near
He's gone to his long sought rest
He rest with them most dear
And is numbered with the blest."

After this afflication there was nothing of importance occurred save that the country was fast improving and settling up.

My oldest son now grown to manhood. And my other boy had got to be large enough to help comsiderable. They both stayed with me and carried on the farm with a manner which did them credit.
All was peace and transquility in our little home.
When on the 15th of April 1861 Fort Sumpters was fired upon by rebels in arms. This warmed the blood of the sons of Iowa nad like the surge of the oceans angry wave, they rushed to the defence of their country, sacrificing the homes of their childhood and the bosom of their mother's and laid their lives at the shrine for their Country.
After and early in the year 1862 my son William Willeford enlisted in the war fot the Union
and to the battle for the free institution and prosperity of the American Republic.
I watched the tidal wave of the Union Army with anxious care, but finally the Ruler of all nations saw fit in his providence to Crown his Union Army with success, and restore to me my son, this occurred in 1865. After this we all Live in peace and happiness and nothing happened until March 1868
James Willeford Jr. died. He had lingered for years previous and in fact his death was not unexpected to us. But we all missed him from the family circle.

"He lives within the cities of the dead
By those who went before
And Blessing rest upon his head
And shall be forevermore.

I stayed at home until all of my children were married and went to doing for themselves. And for sometime after that when I rented my farm and went to live with my son William Willeford. I lived with him until 1873 when my youngest daughter and her husband went to California. I having a strong desire to learn more of the resources of our country and its advantages. On the first day of September 1873 I bought a ticket in Mt. Pleasant by the way of the Union Pacific Rail Road to Maryville, California, at which I arrived with no dificulty on the tenth day of the same month.
I stayed in California eight months enjoying good health, when I bade farwell to my children
there and returned to stay here with my children till October 1875, when another of my daoghters including her husband to California. When I again concluded I would liek to visit the golden state, and
see my children again. So I bought a ticket for the same Maryville, on the 9th of October 1875 and arrived in California October 19,1875 and in July of 1876 came home again and went to live with my oldest boy at whose home I still remain.
I have eight children, two of whom are dead, the rest - namely Henderson, Paulina, Amanda, William, Sarah Ann, and Adiline. They are all married and doing well and all are living near me except Adeline who lives in California. I have 31 grand children and 2 great grand children. I have lived here 45 years where the city of Mt Pleasant now stands, there wasn't a mark of civilization. What a contract between then and now.
The indians roamed the parie and adjoining forest with native dignity. But the foot prints of the white man soon became the aggressor and they wer compelled to give place to a higher order of civilization. Where the wigwam stood now stands the prosperous City with its Church Steeples lifting their lofty heads to the heavens.
Wh hear the heavings of the Iron Horse bearing its burden to and fro. And hear the school and Colleges bells tolling their requiem of welcome invitation to rising and the clank of the steamboat piston is heard on the eastern and western borders and on our undulation prairies are seen the fields of golden grain which is the strongest evidence of prosperity and happiness and civilization.
The forest, the floods, the savae all dispute our progress but stought hands and stoughter hearts, the encouranging voice of Contemporaries and the beckoning hands of prosperity and the rightness of our cause propted us to weather the storm of 45 winters. I have beheld the westward marches of the unknown crowed nations and have lived to see the land full of people, restless toiling, striving, speaking many tonges. Yet feeling but one heart beat in their bosoms.

[ A note at the bottom of the sheet says Susanne was the first white woman in Henry County Iowa. At the age of 77 she made a blue nine patch quilt for each of her grandaughters.
One Grandaughter of Susannah Willeford was Mrs. Jule Thomas of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Mrs
Thomas was Minnie Jones. Her Mother was Sarah Willeford. Jule Thomas was a nphew to Elizabeth Ann Thomas who married Stephen Willeford.]

{ Wording, spelling and punctuation on this is Susannah's}

P.S. One Grandson was Luther Bruce Trowbridge, Son of Amanda Willeford and J.D. Trowbridge. Bruce married Arenna Bell Burgess and I am their youngest daughter, Alice Trowbridge Gardner.