Bellesfield, Samuel (1846-1917)

BELLESFIELD, GRIFFIN, HAMILTON, KIRKVINK, FIRMAN

Posted By: Linda Linn (email)
Date: 12/28/2011 at 21:58:37

Rock Valley Bee
4-6-1917

SAMUEL BELLESFIELD
Samuel Bellesfield, for forty-nine years a resident of Sioux County was born at Stroudaburg, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, March 10, 1846, and died at his home in Rock Valley, March 29, of cancer of the bowels, aged seventy-one years and nineteen days. In 1851 when about five years old, he with his parents came to Janesville, Wisconsin, where he grew to manhood. When the Civil war broke out, he enlisted in Company E. eighth Wisconsin Infantry, in 1862 and served three years, being in active service at the siege of Vicksburg. He spent sometime at Memphis and Mobile with the troops, going back to Madison, Wisconsin in 1865 to be mustered out of service after the close of war.

In May of 1868 the family left Janesville, by overland route, reaching Caliope, Iowa, two months later, July 23, where they stopped to secure medical aid for his father, Peter Bellesfield, who was taken sick on their way, and soon afterward died. They then located on a homestead, on the Rock River, in what is known now as Sioux township, passing through the pioneer hardships and experiencing the grasshopper days. For a number of years he with his brother David Bellesfield, operated a ferry boat on the Rock river. They also kept a wayside inn, their place being- halfway between LeMars and Sioux Falls by stage route and many were the weary travelers who found a place of refuge here, on their journey through the country and while there the James boys passed through on their way to Northfield, Minn.

In the year of 1869 the Irene postoffice was established, after which the subject of this sketch, drove stage carrying mail from LeMars to Luverne, for three years. He also carried mail from Worthington, Minn., to Valley Springs, S. Dak., but only for a short time.

He was married to Miss Sarah Griffin March 29 1874, and departed this life on their forty-third wedding anniversary. To this union were born seven children, two boys and five girls, namely; Mrs. Effie Hamilton, Becker, Minn.; C. B. Bellesfield, Paullina, Iowa; Mrs Millie Firman ? N. Dak . ; Mrs. R. C. Kurvink Flandreau, S.D.; Mrs. Amy Ortman, Miss Cynthia Bellesfield and Wilmer Bellesfield of Rock Valley.

In Dec. I880 he moved his family to Rock Valley, where he continued to reside up to the time of his death.

For a time he engaged in the threshing business being at that time an expert in the trade. Later he engaged in the housemoving business and was known throughout north west Iowa as the Pioneer House Mover. About the first building he moved was a house on the old Buck Wheelock place south of Hudson, to the town of Hudson, then called Eden. He proved himself an expertat the business, which he followed for thirty eight years, moving elevators across rivers, which many people once thought could never be done.

Last November he felt the ravages of the fatal disease coming upon him and disposed of his moving apparatus to Kipley & Reimcrs, of Alvord, and since that time he failed fast. In January he decided to enter the Battle Mountain Sanitarium,
at Hot Springs, S D , for treatment, but to no avail, so he returned home. About two weeks after his return, he seemed to get better and was able to get out of doors occasionally, until a week before his demise, he grew worse, and failed rapidly until the end.

All that medical skill and loving hands could do was administered but the voice of God was calling and he passed peacefully to the Great Beyond Thursday noon.

Besides his life companion and children, he leaves to mourn his death, one sister, Mrs. Alice Thorpe of Sioux Falls. S. D., and fourteen grandchildren.

He was a member of the Jerry Busk G. A. R. Post of this city.

Gravestone Photo
 

Sioux Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen