Eighth Generation

1041. Eliza Louella Bedwell^143,411,987 was born on 31 Mar 1854 in Sullivan County, Indiana. She died on 19 Jan 1918 in Oskaloosa, Clay County, Illinois. She was buried in Red Brush Cemetery, Louisville, Clay County, Illinois.

• From Indiana Marriages database on ancestry.com:
Spouse 1: Simeon E. Stark Spouse 2: Eliza L. Bedwell
Marriage Date: 27 Oct 1877 Name: J. W. Wolfe

• A letter donated and transcribed by Rita Dickey, [email protected]:



Rita Stark Dickey
728 Strawbridge Drive
Rockton, Illinos

January 6, 1964

Dear Rosellen - Robert and Family,

So happy to receive your nice letter. Sorry that your are so poorly Rosellyn, but happy your 3 children seem to be doing so well. Keep praying for your son your prayers are powerful, and the Bible tells us raise up a child in the way of the Lord and he will not depart, they may wander away and become uninterested in god that Eventually they will return so keep praying. Yes it is tood bad, goung children are not kept in church and S.S. usually the couple that prays together stay to-gether Yes, I miss Victoria's letters Etc, also I missed Al more this Christmas than at anytime believe such a longing. I always miss him but I go and accept conditions. I am real sorry I am afraid that I cannot help your too much on the Stark-Bedwell Family Tree The old family Bible was lost c all mamma's records. This I remember, Mother was borned Mar 31, 1854. Father Mar 23 1958 (Mamma was 4 yrs older than Father. He died of pneumonia Nov. 23, 1893. I was 2 wks old. I believe they were married in Sullivan Indiana marriage date I don't know. Children Lawrence oldest died 2 mos or 6 mos, Then Homer, Willie, either still born or 2 mos or 6 mos Edd, Victoria, Mattie, Claude, Carl, Wilford, Elmer me. I was 9 days when Father died, my birth Nov 9, 1893, Elmer Nov 1, 1891. (The other Births I do not know correct dates (All these records can be obtained from Sullivan Indiana and a place in Illinois, for the life of me, I cannot remember . I know some of the older children were borned in Indiana and some in Illinois. I know Wilford, Elmer and me were borned in Louisville Ill. Clay Co. The Bedwell family as I recall from Mom. Her father was either an Elder or a Minister. Her brother David was a Methodist minister also his son Fred. Mom was a Methodist until after she married and became a member of the Christian Chruch. They were Charter Members of the Red Brush Christian Chruch. As you can verify for your record, Mother was not only a Mother but a father. She worked day and nite for her family. Homer the oldest 14 when Fr passed away was always a frail delicate person. Few jobs for young people in our small town. Mama washed, sewed, wove carpets, and rugs. Did everything to provide for her family. Her health was almost completely broken down. I nursed her thru many a long willness. She always said I seemed to know how to do things to make her more comfortable. She was a deeply religious woman who lived it every day of her life. I recall everynite , Wilford Jack Elmer and me at her knees. Evenings she would read from the bible and pray. I shall never forget the wonderful heritage and training we had. If I have ever accomplished anything in life, I owe it all to my dear deceased mother. My only regret I did not know my Father. Please contact Pastor Bill Stark. There will be some notations in a bible I gave him. I am very sorry I know so little. I regret so much that I did not realize the importance of all this until it is too late. I am grategul indeed for your interest and that you are really beginning to investigate and find out all important things. May God bless you may he open doors-today and means for you to get full information. I was married Oct 28 1928. Al passsed away April 1, 1953. Homer passed away July 7 1950. Carl April 1st 1949. About Edds family you could write to Mrs Nella Tandy - 28 Timberlane, Decatur, Illinois. She could give dates of children and deaths of some also her Father Edd's death. Father had 3 brothers (what I know of Wesley, Jonathan, Carm,Simeon Elisha Stark (also all were charter members of the Red Brush Church. I pray that God will guide and direct you to people that can furnish you with history pertaining to our family tree. We had a very nice Christmas Clara her mother Aunt and mutual friend Sou came here for dinner and supper. Her Aunt's grandson and family came about 940. We had a late supper for 8. I have been real exhausted since. The Christmas preparations, New Years I was at 1 Dear Friends for dinner, Tues before Clifford prepared a lovely venison dinner for his grandmother Malinda - Clara - her mother, Easline and John and me. I don't know when they went back . If I have repeated myself pardon. I was interrupted this afternoon. I have 2 other letters to take to the Boy, so decided to close yours and mail it tonight. My prayers are with each of you daily for increased youth, health and happiness. Always glad to hear from but sorry you are not well
God bless each of as my daily consult and frequent prayer,

Love ,
Aunt Beulah


Louisville Court House
Sullivan Indiana
Beulah Stark Klunk also told Rosellen Laughlin Stark the following:
"In Sullivan, Indiana, Simeon had his own brick kiln. He made bricks and laid them. Simon brought his family and his mother Illinois in a covered wgon. Thje women were afraid to cross the Wabash River in the wagon. Simeon took everything across, then came back and floated the women across on a raft. It is believed that they settled around New Salem, Illinois, the moved to Lousiville, Illinois. He continued to be a bricklayer. both he and his wife are buried in Red Brush Cemetery at Louisville in Clay County, Illinois. They had 10 children. Lawrence Stark the first child cied as a baby. The other children in order are: Homer, Edward, Victoria, Mattie, claude Otto, Hosea Carl, Wilfred, Elmer H., and Beulah."

According to Louisville Courhouse County Clerk records, Nancy Stark, a 71 year old wido is buried in Louisville Cemetery. She died November 7 1888. We believe that she could have been Sieon Stark's mother.

Simeon Elisha Stark died when his son Claude Stark was seven years old. The Stark family then moved to Wayne County and rented the Marshall place from the Laughlins. Elmer Stark would call the women on the party line and tease them. they said he was a ladies man until he died. Homer did a lot of hunting. He made his younger brother claude Stark carry the game. When Claude was grown, he would not go hunting.

The Starks then bought their own ground. This was the Joe Brown place near Blue Point Baptist Church. In 1916 they wold this ground. Homer, who never married, moved with his mother in with Mattie, a wido, who was living at Louisville, Illinois.
Claude OttoStark married Philena Conard on January 29, 1913 in Wayne County, Illinois. When their second child Robert was born on January 20, 1918, Claude otto was away attending his mother's funeral at Louisville.

Robert Otto Stark, my father, attended the Blue Point School for eight years. Estes Laughlin was one of his teachers. He later married Estes Laughlin's little sister, Rosellen Laughlin, my mother, on April 2, 1939. Both my mother and father have passed away in Wayne County, Illinois.

Hopefully, this information can attest to the fact that Simeon Elisha Stark and Eliza Louella Bedwell moved and settled in Wayne County, Illinois not Missouri.

Eliza Louella Bedwell and Simeon Elisha Stark were married on 27 Oct 1877 in Scott County, Indiana.⁴⁰⁷ Simeon Elisha Stark^5,987 was born on 23 Mar 1858 in Sullivan County, Indiana. He died of pneumonia on 23 Nov 1893 in Louisville, Clay County, Illinois. He was buried in Red Brush Cemetery, Louisville, Clay County, Illinois. Eliza Louella Bedwell and Simeon Elisha Stark had the following children:

2831	i.	Lawrence Stark987 was born about 1878 in Indiana. He died about 1878 in Indiana.
2832	ii.	Homer B. Stark987 was born in Sep 1879 in Marshall, Clark County, Illinois.
+2833	iii.	Jonathan M. Edward (Edd) Stark.
+2834	iv.	Rebecca Victoria Stark.
+2835	v.	Nancy Matilda (Mattie) Stark.
+2836	vi.	Claude Otto Stark.
+2837	vii.	Hosea Carl Stark.
+2838	viii.	Wilford Jack Stark.
+2839	ix.	Elmer C. Stark.
+2840	x.	Beulah Stark.