Jane Elizabeth Owen Cleverly (1842-1925)

CLEVERLY, OWEN, KIMBERLEY, CLAPPER

Posted By: Gail and Dennis Bell
Date: 5/28/2005 at 11:10:37

THE MAXWELL TRIBUNE, Maxwell, Iowa, Thursday, July 9, 1925, page 1, column 5. “MRS. JONATHAN CLEVERLEY – Jane Elizabeth Owen was born in Coventry, England, October 29, 1842. Died at Collins, Iowa, July 2, 1925, aged eighty-two years, eight month and three days. She came to America at the age of nineteen years, landing in Allamakee county, Iowa, February 1, 1862. On July 27, 1862, she was united in marriage to Jonathan Cleverley, near Postville, Iowa. In April, 1876, she with her husband and family moved to Jasper county, Iowa, settling on what is now known as the old Cleverley homestead, where she lived until March, 1096, when Mr. Cleverley retired from active farm life, moving to Collins, where they have since resided. She is survived by her husband, Jonathan Cleverley, who is in his ninetieth year; two daughters, Mrs. Mary Kimberley, of Collins, and Mrs. Maria Clapper, of Springfield, Mo.; two sons, James H. Cleverley, of Maxwell, and Frank E. Cleverley, of Collins. Four children died in infancy. She also leaves twenty grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren. Funeral services were held at the Christian church in Collins, Sunday afternoon, July 5, Rev. A. V. Hart, of Nevada, an old time friend of the family, having charge of the services. Burial was at the Peoria cemetery, six of her grandsons acting as pall bearers. “Aunt Jane” as she was familiarly known, was one of the quartet of early pioneers who have been very closely associated all their lives, having emigrated from England in an early day, facing together the hardships and privations of the first settlers of Iowa, giving their best to their loved ones, going day or night to help a neighbor in need, never seeking honor or praise, but giving themselves willingly to the great service of life. This quartet was Mr. and Mrs. J. Cleverley and Mr. and Mrs. Isiah Kimberley, Mr. Kimberley being Mrs. Cleverley’s uncle, and Mrs. Kimberley being Mr. Cleverley’s sister. A remarkable coincident is the fact that “Uncle Ike” Kimberley, the first one to go died just twenty-four days before their sixty-third wedding anniversary, and the death of “Aunt Jane” occurred just twenty-four days before her sixty-third wedding anniversary. Another mother is gone. Her last words were, “I am going home.” There will always linger with us a tender memory of her love and devotion to her home and family. She has joined the ranks of the other Iowa pioneers, who have gone on before and the world is a little better by her having lived in it.”

BURIAL: Iowa Historical Library, Des Moines, Iowa. STORY COUNTY., IA GRAVE MARKER INSCRIPTIONS Geneal. * F 627. S8 V. 1-6, pages 1-368, V. 7-11 pages 369-792, V. II pages 793-1128; Peoria Cemetery, page 488. SEC. - 2, ROW - 12, LOT - 4. CLEVERLEY, mother Jane E Owen 1842 - 1925, father Jonathan 1836 - 1925.