Obituaries
submitted by: Julia Johnson - julia.johnson63@gmail.com

[Martin Luther Keith]

Times-Republican

Thursday    January 5, 1911    [p. 1]

M. L. Keith

Martin L. [uther] Keith of this city died Wednesday at 11 o'clock at the home of his son William, five miles west of Hopkins, at the age of 60 years.  The funeral services will be held at 11 o'clock Friday at the residence of Mrs. George Keith, conducted by Rev. S. E. Henry.

Mr. Keith had been living at the home of his niece, Mrs. George Keith [Mary Etta George], in Bedford, and gone to the home of his son for a visit.  Another son, Frank Keith, lives near Hopkins.

[Mrs. James Edmunds]

Times-Republican

Thursday    January 5, 1911    [p. 1]

Mrs. Edmunds Dead.

Wife of Taylor County Representative Passes Away

Mrs. James Edmunds of Platte Township, wife of Taylor County's representative, died Sunday, after an illness of several months.  She has been constantly failing for some time.

[Caleb Green]

Times-Republican

Thursday    September 26, 1912    [p. 1]

Obituary.

Caleb Green.

Caleb Green died Sept. 23, at the home of his sister, Mrs. Katherine Willett, in Rio, Ill.  He was 70 years of age.  Funeral services were held at the home and the remains transferred to Bedford for burial.  Interment was in the Titus [Graceland] cemetery, Wednesday morning.  Services at the grave were conducted by Elder William Cobb.

Mr. Green formerly lived on his farm west of Bedford, moving to Missouri in 1900.  From there he went to Nebraska and then to Illinois where he made his home with his sister in Rio.  He is survived by a son, Arthur Green, who lives in Colorado.

[Elma Stickleman Jeffers]

Times-Republican

Thursday    September 26, 1912    [p. 1]

Mrs. Vern Jeffers.

Mrs. Vern Jeffers died at her home in Loveland, Col., Saturday Sept. 21, after an illness of only a few weeks.  The remains were brought to Siam Monday and the funeral services were held at the Christian church at that place Tuesday, conducted by Elder William Cobb.  Interment was made in the Shearer cemetery in Page County.

Elma E. Jeffers, daughter of J. M. and M. A. Stickleman, was born near Siam, March 2, 1888.  December 8, 1909, she united in marriage with E. V. Jeffers.  She united with the Church of Christ in 1904 and continued as a member of that organization to the time of her death.  She leaves to mourn her loss, her husband, father and mother, two brothers, A. R. and J. Lloyd Stickleman; four sisters, Iva A. Glover, Nellie E. Cobb, Elda C. Henderson and Lonesa Stickleman.

[JEFFERS, ELMA STICKELMAN]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, September 26, 1912
Mrs. A. Bebout and her daughter, Mrs. A. Jeffers, went to Colorado last week, called by the critical condition of Mrs. S. E. Andrews at Boulder and Mrs. E. V. Jeffers at Loveland. The latter died Saturday. The remains were brought back here Monday and the funeral services held Tuesday at Siam and interment in the Shearer cemetery. Mrs. Bebout remained at Boulder with Mrs. Andrews, while Mrs. Jeffers came back here with her son.

[JEFFERS, ELMA STICKELMAN]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, October 3, 1912
Obituary Elma - E. Jeffers, daughter of J. M. and M. A. Stickleman, was born near Siam, Iowa, March 2nd, 1888, and died at Loveland, Colorado, Sept. 21st, 1912, aged 24 years, 6 months and 19 days. She was united in marriage to E. V. Jeffers December 8th, 1909.

[Delphia Elizabeth McCloud Green]

Times-Republican

Thursday    September 19, 1907    [p. 5]

Buried At Bedford.

Mrs. Delphia E. [lizabeth McCloud] Green, wife of Caleb Green, died at her home at Annabel, a small town near Macon, Missouri, on Saturday, September 14th.  The body was shipped to Bedford and arrived here Monday evening.  The funeral services were held at the home of her nieces, the Misses McCloud [Eva and Irene], on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Caleb Green, the husband, her son Arthur and family, accompanied the remains to Bedford, and were present at the obsequies.  Prior to moving to Missouri six years ago, for more than half a century Mrs. Green was a resident of Taylor County.  She was known to nearly everybody in this vicinity, and no one stood higher in the estimation of all.  Her death has brought sadness to many hearts, and the sympathy for the bereaved husband and family is sincere and heartfelt.

[Elva Jared Wolverton]

Times-Republican

Thursday    September 19, 1912    p. 4

Mrs. J. P. Wolverton.

Mrs. J. [ames] P. [ruitt] Wolverton died Wednesday Sept. 11, in a hospital in St. Joseph, Mo., following an operation.  She was 25 years of age.  The remains were brought to this city and funeral services held at the home Friday.  Rev. J. W. Neyman, pastor of the First Baptist Church, conducted the services.  Interment was in Fairview cemetery.

Elva Jared, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. [obert] B. [ruce] Jared [Emily Josephine Scrivner], was born Sept. 12, 1887, in Ross Township, Taylor County, Iowa.  She grew to womanhood on the place of her birth and March 4, 1906, was united in marriage with James P. [ruitt] Wolverton.  Two children were born to this union, Bruce and Blanche, now aged, respectively, 5 and 3 years.  These little ones being left motherless at this time, makes this death particularly a sad one.

[WOLVERTON, ELVA JARED]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, September 12, 1912
Elsewhere in this issue will be found mention that Mrs. James Wolverton had gone to St. Joe for an operation. Since that was written we learn that she was operated on Monday evening and died Wednesday evening. Mrs. Mrs. Wolverton was operated on about two years ago and this last illness was a recurrence of an old trouble.

[Wolverton, Elva Jared]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    September 19, 1912    p. 5

Mrs. J. P. Wolverton Dead

The death of Mrs. J. [ames] P. [ruitt] Wolverton last Wednesday was especially sad and came unexpectedly to her many friends.  Three years ago she submitted to an operation and for a time after it seemed that she would regain her usual health but for the past year she has been in poor health, gradually growing worse until it was realized that another operation would be necessary so on Monday of last week she was taken to St. Joe and placed in Engsworth hospital, where the operation was performed Tuesday.  She rallied for a time but her depleted physical condition was not able to withstand the shock and she died Wednesday evening.  The remains were brought home Thursday.

Elva Jared was born in Ross Township, September 12, 1887, and died in St. Joseph, Mo., September 11, 1912, lacking but one day of being 25 years old.  Deceased grew to womanhood in the township in which she was born, and on March 4th, 1906, was married to J. [ames] P. [ruitt] Wolverton, to which union two children were born, Bruce, aged 5, and Blanche aged 3, both of whom survive her to comfort the bereaved father.  Mrs. Jared was a woman of noble qualities, which endeared her to all who knew her.  She was an ideal wife and mother and the work of surrounding her loved ones with home comforts was a pride and delight to her.  She will be sadly missed in the community, and to the home her loss is irreparable.  We can only commend the sorrowing ones to him who also can comfort in such an hour.

Funeral services were held at her late home south of town, conducted by Rev. Neyman of the Baptist church, after which the remains, accompanied by a large number of relatives and friends, were taken to the Fairview cemetery where they were laid to rest.


[Oren Lafayette Marley]

Times-Republican

Thursday    September 19, 1912    p. 4

Oron L. Marley.

Oron [Oren] L. [afayette] Marley died Friday Sept. 13, while in attendance at the funeral of Mrs. [James P.] Wolverton [Elva Jared].  Heart failure, to which he had been subject for several years, was the immediate cause of his death.  He fell from his carriage after driving through a gate leading into the barnyard.  He was 61 years of age.  Funeral services were held at the home Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. J. W. Neyman of the First Baptist church.  Interment was in the Bedford cemetery.

Oron [Oren] Lafayette Marley was born in Morgan County, Indiana, August 3, 1851, being the youngest of ten children born to Robert Marley.  He came to Taylor County in 1877 and settled on the farm which was his home at the time of his death.  On February 17, 1878, he was united in marriage with Lizzie [Elizabeth] C. [aroline] Richardson.  To them were born six children, all of whom are living except one son [Floyd], who died in infancy.

The surviving children are William, Frederick, Robert, John and Jennie, who with their mother mourn the loss of husband and father.

[Mary Jane Henshaw Morris]

Times-Republican

Thursday    September 19, 1912    p. 4

Mrs. Fred Morris.

Word has been received announcing the death of Mrs. Fred Morris [Mary Jane Henshaw], which occurred in Goodland, Kan., Monday, September 16.  Death resulted from a complication of diseases following an attack of paralysis.  Funeral services were held at the home and burial took place in the Goodland cemetery.  Mr. and Mrs. Morris were residents of Taylor County for many years, moving to Kansas only last spring.

[James Newton George]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    May 29, 1941

James George Dies

Former Hardware Dealer Succumbs After Long Illness

James Newton George, 75, died Monday morning at his home in Hopkins following an illness of two years.

He was born November 2, 1865, in Andrew County, Mo., and was married Feb. 10, 1889, to Sarah Rebecca Wells, at Bedford.  He was a retired hardware dealer and had been a resident of Hopkins twenty years.  He was a member of the Unity Church of Christ.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters, Mrs. Tona Covey [Ena] of Louisville, Ky., and Mrs. Emmett Campbell [Ethel] of Searcy, Ark.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Unity church of Christ, three and one-half miles northeast of Hopkins.  Burial was in the New Hope cemetery.

[Bessie Walkinshaw Duncan]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 26, 1946    [p. 1]

Obituary - Mrs. Bessie Duncan

Bessie M., daughter of John H. and Maria Walkinshaw, was born near College Springs, Iowa, November 9, 1872, and died at her home in Bedford, December 17, 1946, at the age of 74 years, 1 month and 8 days.

At an early age, she moved with her parents to a farm south of Blanchard, Iowa, where she attended elementary school.  Later, she attended college, which was then known as Amity, at College Springs.

Through the influence of her strict reformed Presbyterian parents, she, very early in life, united with that church, where she remained a member until her marriage to Orie E. Duncan and then she became affiliated with the church of her husband where she continued as a faithful and loyal member until her death.

She was married January 9, 1894, to Orie E. [mmett] Duncan of Blanchard.  Their new home was established on a farm in Taylor County, where they resided until 1914, at which time they moved to Bedford, where she spent the remainder of her life with the exception of 14 years, which were spent at Collins, Missouri.

They moved back to Bedford May 8, 1946.

To them were born 9 children, one having died in infancy.  They are Lucile E. of Longview, Texas, Omar Daniel, deceased 1916, Major Fred J. of the U.S. Army, stationed in Giessen, Germany; Raymond J. of San Francisco, Orie Leland of Bedford, Jim W. of Des Moines, and Willard E. [dgar] of San Francisco, Elfie F. Thompson of Bedford.

She leaves to mourn her passing, her husband, seven children, eleven grandchildren and three sisters: Jennie McKnight of Orlando, Florida, Hannah Henning of Hopkins, Missouri and Lois Copeland of Maryville; four brothers, Will of Blanchard, Ad of Washington, Jim of Chicago, and Frank of Lincoln, Nebraska.

The funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Gordon F. MacLean.  Burial was in the Fairview cemetery.

[Mary Ellen Boyden Knott]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 26, 1946    [p. 1]

Obituary - Mrs. Mary Ellen Knott

Mary Ellen Boyden, daughter of William H. and Susan L. Boyden, was born at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, June 23, 1866, and died at her home in Sharpsburg, Dec. 18, 1946 at the age of 80 years, 5 months and 23 days.

At the age of 3 she came with her parents in a covered wagon to Taylor County, settling on a farm three miles northwest of Sharpsburg.

She was married to W. I. Knott, October 23, 1882, at Bedford, and with her husband moved to a farm four miles northwest of Sharpsburg, moving to Sharpsburg in 1913, where she resided until her death.

To them were born eight children, Bert E. Knott of Mission, Texas, Susan V. Scott, Charles W. Knott, Maude E. Weller and [El] a [?] M. Smith, all of Sharpsburg, Jessie C. Hyatt and Oma A. Eno of Lincoln, Nebr., and Elva A. Knott of Fort Collins, Colo.  All had the privilege of being at her bedside shortly before her death.

She, with her husband, united with the Christian church at Blue Grove in 1907 and later transferred their membership to the Methodist church of Sharpsburg.

She is survived by her eight children, eighteen grandchildren, nine great grandchildren.  Also, [by] one brother, Charles Boyden, of Omaha.

She was preceded in death by her husband, June 29, 1923, and by one brother, William Boyden.

[Jesse Albert Dresher]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 26, 1946    [p. 1]

Obituary - J. A. Dresher

Jesse Albert Dresher, son of Charles Franklin and Nancy Jane [Morris] Dresher, was born November 16, 1868, at the farm home 9 miles south west of Bedford, where he grew to manhood.  His schooling was received in the High Prairie School near his home.  He joined the First Presbyterian Church in early life.

On Christmas Day, December 25, 1891, he was married to Sarah Sherbeck.  Two children were born to them, Helen and Charles.  Their early years of married life were spent in farming near Bedford.  In August [?] the family moved to Bedford, where they resided until 1912, when they moved to Handel, Saskatchewan, Canada.  He engaged in wheat farming until 1925 when his wife died.  He left Canada permanently about four years later.

On October 5, 1929, he married Mrs. G. R. Brand [Lillie] of Sharpsburg, who survives him.

Surviving also are his daughter, Mrs. Helen Albert of Cedar Falls; two granddaughters, Hope Nicholson of Bloidel, B. C., Canada, and Helen Elizabeth Albert; two great grandchildren, Lorraine and Nicky Nicholson; six step-daughters, Mrs. Pearl Pfander of Osceola, Mrs. Eva Marsh of La Harpe, Kansas, Mrs. Mable Grimm of Kansas City, Mrs. Bessie Pennebaker of Lenox, Mrs. Allene Hoker of Chicago, Mrs. Lily Philpott of Council Bluffs.

Preceding him in death were his father, mother, one brother, Oscar, and three sisters, Louisa, Anna, and Minta [Lydia Araminta], all of Bedford; his son, Charles of Vancouver, British Columbia, and an infant granddaughter, Gail.

He was kind to friends and all members of his family and it is an unusual tribute to a father to have it said he never in all his life spoke unkind to his children.  He died at his home in Sharpsburg.

The funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home, Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Gordon F. MacLean.  Burial was in the Fairview cemetery.