Baker, Matilda Holmes (1830-191?)

BAKER, HOLMES, HEAD, ROBERTS

Posted By: Steve Roberts (email)
Date: 4/29/2008 at 19:33:31

DIES AT AGE OF EIGHTY-ONE YEARS
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WAS MOTHER OF FOURTEEN
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Mrs. Baker Dies at 1 o’clock Monday Morning at The Home of Her Daughter
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Mrs. Matilda Baker died this morning between the hours of 12 and 1 o’clock at the home of her daughter Mrs. Chas. Beekman south of the city. Death was due to the effects of a tumor of the stomach. Mrs. Baker whose maiden name was Matilda Holmes was born in Hampshire County, Virginia, April 17, 1830, being at the time of her death 81 years of age. She lived with her parents in Virginia one year and then they moved to West Virginia. She was married to Sam Baker in 1847 and in 1849 they moved to Eastern Iowa near Burlington. They then removed to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where they lived twenty years and then came to Cass County where they have since resided. They lived two years in Brighton township and then moved to Bear Grove township. Mr. Baker died twenty-one years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Baker were the parents of fourteen children, nine of whom are still living. They are Caroline Leach, Foss, Okla., Jane Logsdon, Bakersfield, Calif., J.S. Baker, Massena; T.L. Baker, Welifleet, Neb.; Sarah Matterson, Armour, S.D.; Hattie Nicholson, Atlantic; Otley Wissler, Wiota; Melvin Baker, Atlantic and Dora Beekman, Atlantic. There are more than 20 grandchildren.
The funeral will be held tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock from the Chas. Beekman home on the Olive street road south of the city. Interment will be in the Lewis Cemetery.
Until very recently Mrs. Baker has been a very active woman for her age. She has a twin sister, Mrs. Caroline Roberts, who resides in Lincoln and Mrs. Baker has gone to Lincoln every year for a number of years to celebrate their birthday April 17th. Mrs. Roberts is now here having been with her sister up to the time of her death. Mrs. Baker was unable to go to Lincoln this year as she had planned. For thirteen years Mrs. Baker has lived with her daughter, Mrs. Beekman. She has been in good health and was able to travel about quite a bit. She had rented her farm in Bear Grove township while living with her daughter.
Mrs. Baker has one other sister Mrs. Reager of Boulder, Colorado, and a brother Frank in West Point, Iowa. The family has been noted for longevity. One brother Henry lived to be a hundred years old. The father John Holmes was also a very old man when he died. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. It was in 1882 that Mr. and Mrs. Baker moved to Cass county and settled in Brighton township where they lived two years before moving over into Bear Grove and buying a farm of their own. Mrs. Baker was a devoted Christian woman and a member of the Bear Grove Methodist church. She was dearly loved by all the family and seven of the nine children came to see her during her last illness. Mrs. Foss of Oklahoma and Mr. Logdson of Bakersfield, California, are the only ones who will be unable to attend the funeral. Those who knew Mrs. Baker well realize what a good woman she was and the admiration and love of all her children and numerous relatives in this county is a fitting testimonial to her life work.

(Transcribed by Steve C. Roberts, great-great grandson of Caroline Holmes Roberts, the twin sister of Matilda. Note: since there is no date on this obit., Matilda's exact deathdate is unknown, but it would be ca 1911. Matilda was the daughter of James Albert Holmes and Ruth Head).