KIRBY

     Josephus Kirby was born March 19, 1858 at Roseville, Illinois. Clara Belle Yoho was born November 25, 1862 at Vermont, Illinois. They were married at Smithshire, Illinois, May 30, 1882. Mr. Kirby had come to Iowa earlier and bought 80 acres four miles west of Griswold. Immediately after the wedding they came by train to Griswold. They lived there 8 years, then traded with Mel Talbott for 160 acres, four and one-half miles northwest of Elliott, where they lived until December 1918, at which time they moved into Elliott. They were the parents of 13 children, 9 boys and 4 girls. George M., Orlaff R., William I., Fred L., Edgar E., Jesse H., Effie E., Harold L., Lyra L., E. Loraine, Mildred I., Harry V., and Joe C.

    George was rural mail carrier on Route 2, west of Elliott for 41 years. He married Edna Potts and they lived in Elliott. George passed away in 1961, and is buried at Hillside, Elliott. Mrs. Kirby is still living.

    Orlaff (Orley) Kirby was also a rural mail carrier on Route 1, east of Elliott. For several years he carried mail to Grant, but they were later changed to Villisca. He retired in 1947 after 38 years as a mail carrier. He passed away in 1969 and is buried at Hillside Cemetery.

    William I. helped with the farming. He married Leona Reed and they farmed west of Elliott for many years. Both have passed away and are buried in Waveland Cemetery, north and west of Elliott.

    Fred L. was born April 17, 1888. He helped his mother with the cooking for several years. He left home later and worked other places. He was in Chicago when he entered the service in World War I. He was wounded in action in July 1918 and passed away in August 1918. The body was returned a year later, and is buried at Hillside.

    Edgar E. helped with the farming at home. He married Estella Ireland and they farmed in Cass and Montgomery Co’s. He passed away in 1956. Estella lives in Griswold.

    Jesse H. learned the watch repairing trade of L. E. Burris and worked several years in Atlantic. He was working in Waukegan, Ill. when he entered the Navy in World War I. He married Roxa Simpson. When he was discharged from the service they moved to Gillette, Wyoming and homesteaded. They have both passed away. Jesse is buried in Custer National Cemetery at Hardin, Montana. Roxa is buried at Albuquerque, New Mexico.

    Effie married Ray Williams in 1914. They lived a year in Kansas and moved back to Iowa and have lived in or near Elliott. Ray passed away in 1955. Effie still lives in Elliott. She was Librarian for 34 years.

    Harold I. helped his father with the farming. He went into service in World War I in June 1918. He died of the flu in France in October 1918. His body was shipped back and he is buried in Hillside Cemetery.

    Lyra married Clare Acree in 1917. They lived in Kansas several years and moved back to Iowa and farmed around Elliott. Both have passed away and are buried at Hillside Cemetery.

    Loraine married Zearl Hallcock in 1918. They farmed several years and then moved into Elliott. They operated the Elliott Cafe for a few years. Loraine was noted for her pies. They have both passed away and are buried at Hillside.

    Mildred worked as telephone operator for six years and worked in the Houghton State Bank at Elliott for 18 years. She is retired, and still lives in Elliott.

    After Harry graduated from High School he attended the University of Missouri, Columbia for one year. He went to Wood River, Illinois where he worked for Shell Oil Company until retiring. He is married and still lives at Wood River.

    Joe set type at the Elliott Graphic office for several years. He later bought the Graphic and operated same until it passed out of existence. He worked in the Griswold American office for a number of years. He married Pearl Estes. Because of Joe’s health they moved to Apache Junction, Arizona, where they still live.

    The children were all born in Pott. Co. Iowa. They were all members of the Elliott Methodist Church, until later when some transferred to other churches. There were 21 grandchildren. Two have passed away, Lois Morgan and Lorena Peterson. There are 43 great-grandchildren and 32 great-great-grandchildren.