ALVIN DEWITT

    Isaac DeWitt born July 11, 1806 died July 18, 1889 - wife Eleanor born May 6, 1807 died Nov. 15, 1875. They were the parents of four sons and three daughters, most of whom were born in Ohio. They moved to Lafayette Co., Wisconsin in 1857.

    In 1869 the DeWitts and their neighbors, the Daniel Buss family came to Montgomery Co., Iowa (Pilot Grove Twp.) with the same wagon train. There were no roads, sometimes not even a trail. Many of the wagons were pulled by oxen. They forded streams, herded their livestock and run wagons on ferry boats to cross the Mississippi River.

   Alvin DeWitt, son of Isaac and Eleanor was born Sept. 24, 1842 in Wisconsin. He married Hannah Boles on Feb. 2, 1865. They were parents of five children of whom three survive: Emery A., Cora (Mrs. Miles Mullens), and Gertrude (Mrs. Sidney White). Hannah died Jan. 2, 1904. On Sept. 16, 1908 Alvin married Olive Bowles and lived in Cumberland, Iowa until his death about 1930. He must have loved trees because he planted a large grove of walnut trees and many pine trees on his farm in Pilot Grove Twp. Alvin and Hannah are buried in the Frankfort Cemetery in Frankfort Twp.

   Emery A. DeWitt was born Oct. 8, 1865 in Wisconsin and married Alta Sophronia Spicer: born Nov. 9, 1870 in Wisconsin to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Spicer; on Oct. 10, 1888. They farmed all their lives on the farm where their great - grandson, Curtis Peterson and his family farm today. Emery also planted many pine trees and a large apple orchard.

    Emery and Alta were the parents of three children: Clarence A., born 1889, Mabel Blanche born 1891 and Russell E. born 1899. Emery died in 1951 and Alta in 1936. They are buried in the Pilot Grove Cemetery.

   Clarence DeWitt married Marcella Hubbard in 1913. They lived in Elliott most of their married lives. Clarence died in 1950 and Marcella in 1974. They are buried in Hillside Cemetery at Elliott. They were parents of four children: Emery Charles, Emma (Mrs. Mike Erickson), Roy and Dale. They had 8 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Dale died in 1970 and is buried in Elliott Hillside Cemetery.

    Mabel B. married L. Paul Lathrop at her parents home April 12, 1916. She died in 1953 and he died in 1962. They are buried in Evergreen Cemetery at Red Oak. They were parents of three daughters: Mary Helen (Mrs. Maurice Peterson), Frances Lucille (Mrs. Glen Carlson), and Lois Pauline (Mrs. R. L. Keener). They had 9 grand-children and 18 great-grandchildren.

   Russell E. married Mildred Westerlund December 25, 1919. They were parents of two children: Max Bernard and Dorothy Dean (Mrs. Leon Putnam). They had 7 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Russell died in 1974 and is buried in Pilot Grove Cemetery.

   Emery and Alta were active members of the Pilot Grove Methodist Church for many years and he was on the school board in Pilot Grove Twp. They left as descendants three children, 9 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 42 great-great-grandchildre. Their grandson, Max DeWitt and family farms the original DeWitt land.    

 - Mary Helen Peterson