| 159 | Family Section | 159 |
Here is a story told by Ellis J. Lewis which vividly describes one phase of pioneer life in central Iowa. Ellis said that his brother, Henry, died in 1874. There was no cemetery in the vicinity. There was no funeral director or funeral home. A carpenter built the casket. The father, William F. Lewis, gave a short address to the few neighbors gathered at the home. The body was buried on the family farm about fifteen rods from where the house was built at a later date. The home was located about a mile north and a short distance east of where McCallsburg was founded some years later.
When the mother, Ruth Townsend Lewis, died in 1888, her body was buried in the Zearing Cemetery. The next year William F. Lewis sold his farm. The body of Henry was moved to the Zearing Cemetery.
William F. Lewis died on July 6, 1913, at La Junta, Colorado. Ruth died on October 2, 1888, at McCallsburg, Iowa.
Lightfoot :
The Lightfoot family belongs on any list of the leading families in the history of our community. Ray M. is living in Zearing in 1956.
William James Lightfoot was born in New York on August 16, 1844. Nancy Belden was born in New York on November 8, 1851. William and Nancy were married at Kaneville, Illinois, on March 18, 1869. They moved to our community in 1882.
William and Nancy were the parents of four children. They were Harry W., Louise, Jessie, and Ray M. Harry W. died in our community on November 16, 1926.
William died on December 18, 1915. Nancy died on March 7, 1928.
LINCOLN :
The Lincoln family came to our community from Whiteside county, Illinois, in 1880. They drove from Illinois to Lincoln township in a single buggy. A colt made the trip tied to its mother.
Lester Willard Lincoln was born on December 29, 1848, at Winslow, Illinois. He married Melissa E. Drake of Round Grove, Illinois, on February 17, 1875. Melissa was born in New York.
Lester Willard and Melissa were the parents of a daughter, Clara. The Lincoln family moved from Lincoln township to Kansas on December 27, 1913.
Lester Willard died on January 30, 1921. Melissa died in February, 1929. They are buried in the Buxton Cemetery near Girard, Kansas.