Mary Ellen (Will) Bowen (1846 - 1931)

BOWEN, WILL, HEAVENER, KELTZ, RAUGH, ELDER

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 11/27/2012 at 11:35:00

MAXWELL PIONEER LADY BURIED HERE SUNDAY

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Mrs. Mary Ellen Bowen, Story County
Resident Since 1858,
Died Last Thursday Evening

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Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Ellen Bowen, who died Thursday, were held at the Presbyterian church at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon, November 8. Rev. B. H. Guthrie had charge of the services.

The pall bearers were Ray Posten, Guy Cooper, Chas. French, Forney Strombeck, John Link and George Cole.

Mrs. Jesse Bowen, pioneer woman of this community, passed away at her home in Maxwell, Iowa, Oct. 5, 1931, aged 85 years and one month. The death of Mrs. Bowen marks the passing of one of the oldest pioneers of this community.

Mary Ellen Will, daughter of James St. Clair and Lavina Heavener-Will, was born at Buckhannon, Upshur county, Virginia, now West Virginia, October 6, 1846.

In the spring of 1858, when Mrs. Bowen was twelve years of age, the Will family moved from Virginia to Story county, Iowa, temporarily residing with the Berlin family on a farm west of Maxwell. The family later moved to Iowa Center, Iowa.

On October 31, 1864, Mary Ellen Will was united in marriage to Jesse Bowen. This union was blessed with ten children.

Three sons, Fred, Sidney and Curt, have preceded their mother in death.

The following children survive and were with their mother during her last illness: Maude Bowen, Mrs. Edna Keltz, John E. Bowen, Mrs. Kate Raugh, Ester R. Bowen, Glen A. Bowen and Mrs. Annie Laurie Elder.

She leaves, besides her children, sixteen grandchildren and twenty-five great grandchildren. Her husband passed away September 16, 1920.

The early years of Mrs. Bowen’s married life were spent at Iowa Center, Iowa.

In the fall of 1882 the family moved to Maxwell, Iowa where she has continuously resided.

She united with the Presbyterian church April 25, 1875, to which she remained a devoted member until called to the church triumphant. She was a faithful Christian, devoted wife, loving mother and helpful friend. Her trust in her Saviour’s will was a comfort and benediction to those about her.

Mother

Tears and joy today are blended,
Tears for loss and joy for gain;
Mother stay on earth is ended,
God has called her from her pain.

Vain the tribute we would tender,
Words of ours can ne’er express,
Nor the flowers the loved ones send her,
All she was of loveliness.

Proud are we that God has loaned her,
Though it seems so short a while;
Proud to think that we have owned her
And have seen her blessed smile.

Anywhere we ever found her,
Seemed like something from above;
Spreading sunshine all around her,
Blending happiness with love.

Thanks to God, who gave her to us,
As we lay her ‘neath the flowers,
Such a gift was never due us,
As that Mother Dear of ours.

Out-of-town relatives and friends in attendance at the funeral were as follows:
Dr. and Mrs. A. C. Page, Dr. and Mrs. S. E. Lincoln and daughter, Polly, Mrs. Louise J. Price, Mrs. W. H. Carpenter, Miss Emma Wilson, Miss Jennie Park, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fox, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Willis, Dr. and Mrs. Frank Will, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Raugh, Misses Stephanna and Christine Balliett, Mrs. Catherine O’Grady and daughters and Mrs. Paul Curtis of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hostetter, of Fort Dodge; Mrs. Nettie Ballinger, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Elder, Zanetta Elder and Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Brown, of Boone; Miss Elizabeth Tiernan, Dorothy Frary, Io Morrow, Myra Whited, Hattie Adams, Margaret Sloss, G. P. Bowdish and Thomas Sloss of Ames; Mr. and A. T. Elder, Mrs. Wm. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Leon H. Will of Marshalltown; Mrs. L. A. Will of Salina, Kansas; Mrs. Efa Wardsley, Mrs. Peter Shugart, Mrs. Emmett Armstrong, J. E. Drybread, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Bohannon, of Nevada.

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Card Of Thanks

We desire to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all neighbors and friends whose sympathy and services were so kindly given to us during the illness and death of our mother.

The Children of Mrs. Mary Ellen Bowen

[Obituary clipping from unknown newspaper, provided by Ted Underhill, great-great grandson of Mary Ellen Will Bowen.]