C. E. DEWITT and RACHEL M. WOODLING DEWITT

    Charles Elmer, better known as C. E. or Charlie, was born 25 Sept. 1862 at Colesburg, Iowa. He died 20 Feb. 1930 at his home in Elliott and is buried in Elliott’s Hillside Cemetery. He married Rachel  5 Sept. 1897. She was born 24 Dec. 1869 in Johnson Co., Iowa: died 11 May 1954 at Omaha. She is buried at Elliott.

    With no children of their own, they adopted first, Katherine Irene Burgie. Katharine, always called Katie, married Donald Eggers 7 Nov. 1915 in Omaha. She died at Omaha 6 April 1922 and is buried there in Forest Lawn Cemetery. She was born 19 Jan. 1898 at St. Louis, Mo. Donald was born 7 Nov. 1895. Their children and ages when Katie died: Merna Avis, age 3 and Darrell Orland, who lived only 4 days and preceded his mother in death.

    About a year before C. E’s death, they adopted Geneva June Broyles, born 26 June 1926, who married Dale James Peterson 13 Dec. 1943. Geneva, daughter of Archie Broyles, was a baby when her own mother died. Geneva, loyal and devoted to her own father and her adoptive mother, Rachel DeWitt, brought the happiness to Rachel which sustained her in 1930 and gave purpose to her life until her death in 1954. Rachel and Sylvester (Vet) Woodling were brother and sister.

    C. E. the second son of Dr. George S. DeWitt, M. D. and Sarah Eliza Stanclift came to Elliott in 1868 at the age of six. He, with wife Rachel, owned and operated the farm east of Elliott on the south side of the road. Land was taken from this farm for the Elliott Cemetery. He sold the farm; bought the elevator on the north side of Main Street; and was in the grain and coal business until 1915, when two severe operations shattered his health.

    For many years a member of the town council, he was Elliott’s mayor 1918-1920 and about that time, Mont. Co. Repr. in Iowa’s State Legislature. First a member of the Congregational Church, later of the Methodist, he was active in church business affairs. He attended Normal School at Red Oak, but handicapped by a speech difficulty, he was unable to use his talents to the fullest. He was a Notary Public and owned the first and for a long time the only typewriter in Elliott.

    C. E. and Rachel were both devoted to the word “Duty” and performed their duties as they saw them regardless of how difficult and unpleasant it might be. As his physical health deteriorated and he was no longer able to work, his mental health also began to fail and deep depressions brought about his death.

                                                                                              ~ Dorothy DeWitt Wilkinson