Two Noble Women Dead
Elvira Gaston Platt
Elvira Gaston Platt, aged 95 years, died at Oberlin, Ohio, Sunday,
January 25, of pneumonia, where a funeral service was read. The body
was then brought to Tabor for interment in the Gaston lot where her
husband and other relatives lie. Services were held here on
Wednesday, January 28, conducted by Rev. C.F. Fisher.
Elvira Gaston Platt was a sister of George B. Gaston, one of the
founders of Tabor College, and an aunt of Ed Rossiter, Loren Hume
and Harry Gilbert of Tabor. Coming from her native state, New York,
she and her father were pioneers of the Oberlin colony, where she
was married in 1841, to Lester W. Platt, with whom she soon
afterward moved to Nebraska. Here at different intervals, in the
Pawnee Indian Nation school she taught and also in the Carlyle
school in Pennsylvania, all her life being spent in educational
work.
At
Percival (then known as Civil Bend) she lived, her home a “shrine”
to young and old.
She
served in the Sanitary Commission during the civil war, and was
later matron of the Soldiers’ Orphan Home at Cedar Falls.
Mrs.
Platt made her home in Tabor for many years and made her life felt
here for uplift. For the last seventeen years she has lived at
Oberlin. In the 95 years of her life, Mrs. Platt has combined
manifold experiences, and has seen and helped in the upbuilding of
our western country.
She
was known throughout many states as a woman of great power. A
memorial service will be given in her honor here at Tabor.
Mrs. Elizabeth Eberman Hiatt
Betsy Elizabeth Eberman was born in eastern Iowa, December 22, 1835,
moved with her parents to McKissick Grove, now Fremont County, Iowa,
in 1838. Deceased was united in marriage at Sidney, Iowa, to David
Hiatt January 27th, 1852. To this union eleven children were
born—eight boys and three girls—all living and present at the
funeral except George, who died when three years old, and Joseph,
who died eight years ago. Her husband died two years ago, the 24th
of June, 1911. Also there remain to mourn her loss 55 grandchildren,
29 great-grandchildren, several nephews and nieces, and one sister,
Nancy Rowe, who lives at Burr, Neb.
Those present at the funeral from a distance were George and Jim
Rowe, from Burr, Neb.; Lillie Brenner, Burr, Neb.; Irene and Weldon
Hiatt, Crescent, Iowa; Nin and Elmer Hiatt, Ayr, Neb.; Moses Hiatt,
Omaha, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Younts, Council Bluffs, Iowa; Ida
Hiatt, South Omaha, Neb.; Mrs. W.S. Hiatt, Jerry, Washington.
The
funeral services were held at Mr. Zion church January 22, 1914,
which was largely attended by neighbors and old friends. The
services were conducted by Elder George Weaver and Elder McCracken,
who paid a glowing tribute to the life of the deceased. The
pallbearers were her six sons—Moses, Andrew, Ninion, Elmer, Milton
and John. Some very beautiful selections were sung by the Faith Home
choir, after which her remains were laid to rest in the Mt. Zion
cemetery beside those of her husband and little son.
“Aunt Betsy,” as everyone loved to call her, has been a resident and
lived in Fremont county 75 years—one of the oldest residents of the
county if not of the state. She knew the hardships of real pioneer
life; she knew these parts in its very wildest existence, when there
were but few white people, but thousands of roving Indians and wild
animals—a wilderness of forest and hazel brush. She knew several of
the noted Indian chiefs, among them Tecumseh and Chief Waubonsie,
her father being a great friend of all of those chiefs and Indian
tribes. He was called by them their “Big White Man Chief.” In fact,
his influence over the Indians was such as to be called into their
councils. She often saw those chiefs and her father in council, when
they would smoke their big peace pipe. They were never harmed or
molested by the Indians.
She
knew how to operate the old fashioned woolen loom and helped to
shear the sheep, fleece the wool, make it into yarn and manufacture
it into cloth. She saw this country spring from a wilderness of
thorns and briars into a rich country of flowers and golden grain.
She saw the habitation of this country pass from wild animal and
roving Indians to that of one of the most civilized people of the
world. She saw the passing of the log huts and the dugouts to the
most modern improved farmhouses of the age. She saw this country
pass from a state of ignorance and savagery to one of education and
religion with churches and schoolhouses dotting the landscape all
over this beautiful country.
To
make hardships worse, her father died when she was but a little
girl, leaving her and her mother and one little sister to support
themselves. She carried sacks of grain horseback thirty-five miles
to the old mill down in Missouri to get food to live on, making the
trip alone, when but 12 years of age. She herded their sheep by day
and watched them from attacks from savage wolves. In fact, she took
the place of a man in the home and she had the privilege of
attending school only a few months during her childhood, her first
and only teacher being the late Giles Cowles of Sidney, Iowa. She
passed through the trials and hardships and tribulations of the
pioneer life with the health and vigor that goes to make America’s
greatest women.
After her
marriage to David Hiatt she moved to a farm joining the town of
Sidney, Iowa. During their residence there the first grave was made
in the Sidney cemetery, this being the year of 1855. Also during
this year their first child was born, Moses E. Hiatt. Living on this
farm two years they moved two and a half miles west of Sidney,
living there during the winter, her husband making rails to build
fences to improve a farm which he had bought three miles north of
Sidney. Living on the farm north of Sidney until 1881, in which year
they moved to the farm seven miles northeast of Sidney where she
lived until her death, making her home with her daughter and
son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Whitman Beam, since her husband’s death.
Too
much cannot be said of the noble Christian life of this good mother.
She became converted to the Christian faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
in early womanhood, uniting with the United Brethren church,
remaining a member until about twenty years ago, changing her
membership to the Holiness church, in which she remained a faithful
member until her death. She was a mother of that true Christian
faith that made her life shine like a lamp set on a hill to all who
chanced to meet her. Loved and respected by all who met her. Her
life in the home was ideal, a loving wife and kind mother, and will
be greatly missed by her children and grandchildren as well as all
her neighbors and friends.
Sleep on sweet mother, and take your rest;
God called you home, He thought it best;
And in the morning when you arise,
We hope to meet you in the skies. |