Lyman J Chase

CHASE SHURTS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 21:19:45

Woodbury County History 1984

Lyman J and Mary (Shurts) Chase
By Marjorie Heath Ellis

Lyman J Chase was born 14 April 1837 in Bureau County, Illinois, near Princeton. He was the oldest child of Lyman and Jemima (Allen) Chase. In 1860, he was living in the John Shirtz household, working as a farm laborer, and in 1861, he married Mary, on of the Shirtz daughters.

Mary A Shurts (also spelled Shirtz and Shirts) was born 22 November 1843, in Columbiana County, Ohio, to John and Nancy (Burns) Shirtz. John Shirtz (1809-1894) was a native of Ohio and as descendant of Michael Shurts, one of the Palatine Germans who fled their homeland following the Thirty Years War, and came to New York via England in the early 1700’s. Nancy Burns (1813-1884) was born in Pennsylvania and may have been of Scot descent. John and Nancy were married 28 March 1833, in Columbiana County, Ohio; they also lived in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, before moving their family to Bureau County, Illinois. It is believed they ran a hotel in Illinois. In 1873, they moved to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from there to Kansas, and in 1883 they moved to Antelope County, Nebraska. They are both buried in Oakdale, Nebraska.

Lyman and Mary Chase were married 21 March 1861 at Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois, by Charles P Allen, J.P. They farmed rented land in Bureau County until 1869, when they moved to Benton County, Iowa. In 1880, they were living in Carroll County, Iowa, with Lyman’s brother, David W Chase, and his family (David’s wife, Elvira, was Mary’s sister). In 1881, the Lyman J Chase family moved to Woodbury County, Iowa, and purchased 240 acres in Wolf Creek Township. The first building built on the farm was the barn, and the family lived upstairs in it for two years. It was evidently more than just a hay mow, as Ralph Wilcox, who presently owns the farm, recalls that the old barn had a stairway.

Lyman J Chase passed away 28 November 1900, and is buried in Fairfield Cemetery, Rock Branch. Mary Chase died 6 December 1907, at Washta, Cherokee County, Iowa, where she was living with her son, Roy. She also is buried at Rock Branch. Lyman and Mary had ten children: Clara Etta; Charlie, Annie, who died of diptheria as a child; Idella Mary, Frank Lyman; Jennie Irene; Laura May, wo died of diptheria as a child; Minnie Bell; Eva Grace; and James Roy.

Clara Etta ‘Ettie’(2 July 1861-5 April 1926) married Alonzo Tiffany and had three children, Lulu, Clara, and Clinton. Lulu Tiffany married John Hinds and her daughters are Mabel (Mrs Glen Tracewell), now deceased; and Thelma, who lives in Moville. Clara Tiffany married Peter Bohm. Clinton Tiffany died as a teenage at the home of his Aunt and Uncle, Jennie and Chad Heath, following an attack of appendicitis, and emergency surgery at the house. He was buried at Rock Branch.

Charlie Chase (26 September 1863-8 May 1919) married first, Alice M Twogood, and their children were: George, and Mary (Mrs Claude Smith). Alice (23 August 1867-9 January 1899) is buried at Rock Branch, as is Charlie. Charlie’s second wife’s name is unknown; they had two children, Glen and Merle.

Frank Chase (26 Febraury 1871-14 May 1932) married Eleanor Helen Peterson. They had two children, Maurice and Lorraine, who were married in a double wedding at Mayflower Congregational Church in Sioux City. Frank is buried at Rock Branch; Eleanor is buried in California.

Idella Mary ‘Ida’ married Walter P Heath; their story is given separately. Jennie Chase married Charles W ‘Chad’ Heath; for their story see Vellorus and Jane Heath.

Minnie Chase (3 Mday 1878-9 April 1916) married John Grapes (1874-1954); both are buried at Rock Branch. They had two childrne, Helen and Russell.

Eva Chase (9 January 1881-?) married Bruce Carrington; they lived in Sacramento, California. Their children were: Roy, Jr; Miriam; and Lois. Roy had a harness shop in Washta, and later lived in DeSmet, South Dakota, traveling as a harness salesman. He died in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.