George Lewellyn Washburn

WASHBURN LEACH JENNINGS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 22:13:05

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

George Lewellyn Washburn
By Loraine E Washburn

George Lewellyn ‘Lew’ Washburn was born 23 August 1861, at Centralia, Illinois, the second child of Jesse and Nancy (Leach) Washburn. He moved with his parents to Sloan Township, Woodbury County, Iowa, sometime between 1868 and 1872. Here he spent his youth. He was married 24 October 1881 in Cherokee County, Iowa, to Laura E Jennings, at the home of her parents, Benjamin F and Mary E (Jones) Jennings. The couple lived at Sloan, for five years, having moved there shortly after their marriage. They then moved to Bleeding, Kansas, for two years. They then returned to Woodbury County and lived at Hornick, for about thirteen years. Following this, they farmed in Hancock Township, Plymouth County, for four years, their address at this time was Sioux City. From there they moved to near Geddes, South Dakota, in Charles Mix County for a time, and then were among the first to homestead in Lyman County, South Dakota, settling about nine miles northeast of Presho. After proving up their claim, they then moved to Spencer, South Dakota, for about one year, and then traveled overland for about a year to Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. They then returned to Woodbury County for one year, move to Presho, South Dakota, for two years, and then moved to Vivian, South Dakota. Lew died in Yankton, South Dakota, hospital, 5 November 1921 and is buried at Presho, South Dakota.

Laura remarried after his death to Mr. Herman Needler, and moved to Washington state for a number of years. After his death, she returned to South Dakota, and died there at Mitchell, 19 June 1941. She is also buried at Presho.

Lew and Laura were parents of twenty-one children, at least ten of whom were born in Woodbury County.

1( Lillian Mae ‘Lillie’, born 14 June 1883, at Sloan, Iowa, married 1901 to James T Johndreau. They farmed many years near Climbing Hill, Iowa, and had a family of eleven children, three of whom still reside in Woodbury County, as well as some member of there succeeding generations. Lillie died 24 October 1961 at Sioux City, and she and James T, 1875-1957, are buried at Climbing Hill.

2( Ethel Mary, born 15 June 1885, Sloan, Iowa, married 1903, in South Dakota to Fred Biehl, 1874-1959. Ethel and Fred were ranchers in Montana. Ethel died in October 1966 at Lewiston; both are buried there. They were parents of ten children.

3( Florence Edna, born 5 November 1886, Bleeding, Kansas, married first to Archie O Smith, and second to Ernest Epperly. She lived a number of years in the Mapleton and Smithland area. She had two children of her first marriage and still has descendants in the county. She died 31 December 1961 in Nebraska and is buried at Mapleton, Iowa.

4( Jesse Franklin, born 16 January 1888, at Jennings Hotel, Hornick, Iowa, married 31 October 1917, at Sioux City, to Elsie McKnight, 1895-1973, they farmed most of their lives in Woodbury County, except for three years in Plymouth County, around 1928-1931. In 1953 they retired from the farm, and bought a home in Sioux City, where Jesse died 3 September 1954. Both are buried at Memorial Park at Sioux City. They were parents of seven children and most of their descendants still reside in Woodbury County.

5( Dollie Edith, born 24 February 1889, Hornick, Iowa, married in South Dakota in 1907 to Art Wagoner. This family lived mostly in South Dakota; they had nine children. Dollied died 5 January 1952 in South Dakota.

6( Arthur Lewellyn, born 31 July 1890, Hornick, Iowa, was married 1912 in South Dakota to Clara Stainbrook; they lived in South Dakota and Colorado. They had eight children. Art died 23 June 1957 and she died in 1976, both in Colorado.

7( Leroy Allen, born 12 April 1892, Hornick, Iowa, married first in 1920 in Montana to Mabel Edwards, and second in about 1950 in Nevada to Rebecca Davis. He had five children of his first marriage. He died 23 May 1955 in Nevada.

8( Maebelle Christine, born 1 July 1893, Hornick, Iowa, married 1913 in South Dakota to Harvey Rockafellow; she died 22 December 1937, in South Dakota. They had two children.

9( Lee Andrew, born 7 December 1894, Hornick, Iowa, married 1916 in South Dakota to Bernice Lester. He died 17 June 1959 in South Dakota. They had three children.

10( Erma Marie, born 27 April 1896, Hornick, Iowa, married 1921, South Dakota, to Ray Schiltz. She died 21 September 1974 in South Dakota. They had three children.

11( Zedna Ann, born 28 November 1898, Hornick, Iowa, married 1928 in South Dakota to Bob Liesch, and had two children. She resides in Lake City, Iowa.

12( Phyllis Esther, born 26 October 1899, Plymouth County, married twice, and one child by her first marriage, she resides in Washington state.

13( Glen, born 11 July 1901, Geddes, South Dakota, married three times. He had one child of marriage one, three children of marriage two, and four children of marriage three. He lives in North Lima, Ohio.

14( Lois Martisse, born 5 April 1905, Presho, South Dakota, married Howard Steele, and had one son. She died 2 March 1977, in South Dakota.

15 and 16( Johnnie and Nellie, both died in 1908, at the age of nine months and are buried at Presho.

17( Norma Eleanor, born July 1908, Presho, South Dakota, married twice; she had four children by her first marriage. She lives in Washington state.

18( Frieda, born 6 April 1913, Spencer, South Dakota, married to Robert Elliott, she had one son. She lives in Washington state.

19( Howard Allen, born 9 July 1916, Presho, South Dakota, married twice. He had two children of marriage one. He lives in Washington state.

20 and 21( Stillborn infants, probably born in Iowa sometime before 1900.