Old Settlers' Annual Meeting
August 20, 1879
Deaths
MEMMORIAL ADDRESS OF MR. CLARK.
I am to speak of the old settlers of Van Buren county who have died in the last
two years. While you have been busy in your teeming harvest fields of this
bounteous year. Death has been busy reaping the bearded and the ripe grain of
this Old Settlers' society. Since the biennial address last made by Senator
Wright, your records show the following deaths:
Peter Avery, of Village township: died April 5, 1878. Came to Iowa in 1832. The oldest settler of the county at the time of his death.
Wm. Harvey Alexander, of Harrisburg township, died Dec. 7, 1878. Born in Virginia, in 1812. Came to Van Buren county in March, 1810.
Judge Uriah Beggs, died recently in the west. Was the earliest county surveyor of the county.
Mrs. Esther Calhoun died near Birmingham Sept 17, 1878. Came with her husband and settled near Birmingham 1839.
Mrs. Susan Childs, wife of Dr. Harvey Childs: died Jan. 30, 1879. Came with her husband and settled in Bonaparte in 1842.
Mary A. Clayton: diel near Pittsburg, Yan Buren county, July 17, 1878. Came to the county in 1842. In 1843 was married to J. H. Clayton.
Thomas B. Clifford died Aug. 29, 1877, aged 91. Came to Van Buren county in 1810.
Bushrod W. Craven.
Jeremiah Ellis: died in Keosauqua, Feb. 13, 1879. Came to Iowa in 1839.
Geo. W. Games: died in Bloomfield. Born in Fredericksburg, Md., in 1812. Came to Iowa and settled at Muscatine in 1836. Came to Keosauqua in 1839.
Dudley Hardy: died Sept. 30, 1878. Born in New Hampshire, in 1803. Was near 75 at his death. He was twice a member of the Iowa house. He came to Iowa in June, 1837, and made the first settlement at what is now Pierceville.
William L. Hargrove.
Jeremiah Jackson: died Feb. 13, 1879 aged 73. Was born in Maryland, in 1805. Came to Iowa in 1837.
Mrs. Sarah Hull came to Van Buren county in 1844? from Pennsylvania. She died in her 80th year.
Mrs. Margaret Jobe; died in January, 1879. Was born in 1798. Came to Iowa with her husband in 1836.
Russell Johnston: died March 5, 1878, in Keosauqua, aged 34. Was born in Van Buren county, April 16, 1813.
Adam Keplinger, of Union township; died April 18, 1878, aged 70. Had lived on the farm where he died since 1833.
Mrs. John Lineweaver, one of the oldest settlers of Vernon Prairie: died July 16, 1878.
Mrs Sarah McManaman, a sister of Mr. John Goodall: died Dec 18, 1877. Was born in Kentucky in 1811. Came to Iowa and Van Buren county in 1834.
A. N. McCrary: born in Van Buren county, July 25, 1843; died in Des Moines township, Feb. 7, 1879. Was a son of Major and Mrs. J. C. McCrary, and was a soldier in the war for the union.
David Miller: died April 28, 1878; was born May 2, 1794. Was a soldier of the war of 1812. Came to lowa in 1846.
Mrs. Jane Hunter Miller: was born in Stanton, Va., Nov. 11, 1796. Married Thomas Miller Dec. 21. 1820. Came to Iowa with her husband in 1842. Died Feb. 28, 1879.
Mrs. Mary Miller: died Jan. 16, 1878, aged 76. Born in North Carolina. Came with her husband to Van Buren county in '37. Was left a widow with seven children. She was the mother of Geo. W. Meredith, Jesse Meredith, John Meredith and Mrs. Wm. Clark.
Thomas Miller: born July 2, 1795, in Kentucky; Died March 17, 1879.
Mrs. Matilda McCrary, wife of James McCrary; died in Vernon township, July 5, 1878, aged about 71. Came to Van Buren county in 183_. Was mother of the present secretary of war.
Mrs. McCrary, mother of your well known citizen, Mr. Samuel McCrary, of Des Moines township: died Jan. 2, 1879, aged 94. She was born in Ireland and thought to be the oldest person in the county at the time of her death. She came to Van Buren county more than 36 years ago.
Mrs. Sarah McManaman, a sister of Mr. John Goodall: died Dec. 18, 1877. Was born in Kentucky in 1811. Came to Iowa and Van Buren county in 1834.
Thomas Miller; born July 2, 1795, in Kentucky; Died March 17 1879.
Clarissa H. Phillips died Aug. 10, 1878, aged 40 years. Came with her parents to Van Buren county in 1844. A daughter of G. and S. Bradford.
Mrs. Elizabeth Phillips: died at the age of 74, Aug. 13, 1878. Was born in Saratoga county, New York. Married to Asa Phillips in 1819. Came with her husband to Van Buren county 1843.
John Rutledge: died near Birmingham, May 17, 1878, aged 68. Came to Iowa and this county in 1837.
Jacob Smith: died Aug. 27, 1878. Born in Pennsylvania, March 13, 1810, Moved to Michigan in 1835, and to Iowa in March, 1838.
Samuel Smith, of Chequest township, died Oct. 26, 1877, in Jefferson county. Came to Van Buren county in 1837.
Mrs. Mary Teites: died Dec. 17, 1878, aged 83. Was born in New Brunswick. Came to Iowa in April, 1842.
J. C. Watson, of Cedar township: died Jan. 4, 1877, aged 46. Had lived in this county 40 years.
Mrs. Ellen Westcott: born in Farmington in 1843, died there Sept. 14, 1877.
This is the list as furnished me by your careful and tireless secretary, to whom
this society owes so much. If any are omitted whose names are entitled to this
commemoration it is simply because they have unintentionally escaped his
diliegnce and the omission can be supplied by your speaker whoever he may be at
another yearly meeting.