Stephen's Smith Family - Ancestors, Descendants and Cousins

Notes

Rachel Burton

DEATH: Pioneer Gone - A beautiful story of pioneer life, of early education and culture, and a long life of helpfulness and christian living is brought out in the obituary of Mrs. Rachel Burton Nicoll who died of heart trouble at her home in Mt. Etna, June 26, 1924, at the age of 65 years and 19 days mention of whose death was made last week.
    Mrs. Nicoll was the daughter of William and Ann Burton and was born in Sabula, Iowa, June 7th, 1859. Her mother died when she was only eleven years old, leaving her father with a large family of small children. In 1872 the family made the trip from Sabula to Adams county, locating on a farm near Lincoln Center. During her last year Mrs. Nicoll often referred to this journey and loved to remember that her father never traveled on Sunday but always spent the day in route in rest and worship.
    She was married to Thomas Nicoll at Briscoe in 1881. To this union six children were born, two girls and four boys. One boy, John , died when five years old, 1895. The living children are, Agnes, Marian and Reglan I., who are at home and helped care for their parents during their mother's failing health; Bess Philena of Jefferson; Thomas Burton of Marshaltown, and Clifford W. of Kansas City, Mo. She also leaves two brothers and five sisters, being Sidney Burton of Single, Whyoming; William Burton, Blaine, Wash.; Mrs. Martha Nicoll of Billingham, Wash.; Mrs. Julia Matheson of Cedar City, Utah; Mrs. Rebecca Mills of Mitchell, S. D.; Mrs Laura Crawford, Cameron, Mo.; and Mrs. Kate Dynes, Carroll, Ill.
    Mrs. Nicoll has loved and served the church faithfully all her life.
While her devotion to the church was highly commendable her everyday christian service as a neighbor and friend will never be forgotten. To her, sickness at home or in any home in the community was a call for sacrifice and service, and she gave herself unsparingly to comfort the sorrowing and relieve the suffering. No one in the community has given more time, talent and strength to help the community in every way, physically, socially and spiritually. Mt.
Etna has lost one of her best citizens and everyone in the community has lost a real friend.
    Six years ago Mrs. Nicolls health failed and she suffered a stroke of paralysis from which she never fully recovered. Her mind was always keenly alert durning her days of ill health and she never lost her interest in life. The last day of her life was a busy one, but gave no warning of the nearness of death. She laid aside the cares of the day, retired to rest from her labor, not of the day, but to rest from the labor of love and of sacrifice along the journey of her life of three score and five years. she was quiet and unassuming in disposition, ever ready to give assistance spending her life in service of others, and has gone to live with Him who ldaid down his life for his friends.
    The funeral services were held Sunday June 29, at 11 a.m. in the Mt. Etna Methodist church, conducted by Rev. Clarence Moore, her pastor, assisted by Revs. Harry Rogers and W. F. Butman. Interment made in Forest Hill cemetery. The funeral was largely attended by friends and neighbors who wished to express their sympathy and to thus show their appreciation of the life of service so beautifully exemplified in their neighbor and friend whose life work was ended.

BURIAL: Cemetery located on High Ground southeast of Mt. Etna, Iowa, also known as the Baptist cemetery.

Hazel Gladys Mills

I was born March 15, 1899, the last of the family of nine. I started to school in the Oak Hollow Country School, but only went a few months in the spring of 1905 and the fall, for we moved to Springfield in the fall of 1905 and that is where I went to grade school and Normal School. Hartzell was only 1 and a half years older than I and we played and had fights as all do. He was just far enough ahead of me in school that he always let me know he was boss. Ruby and Addie finished and went to teach school and left just Hartzell and me with mother and dad.
    We enjoyed our High School and Normal days as our house was always open for company. Mother often said one place more at the table didn't bother her, just so we all had enough to eat. Many of the boys and girls at school ate at the dormitory and were glad to have a home cooked meal.
    Hartzell and many of the boys in school enlisted in 1916. I believe during the flu epidemic of 1918, mother cared for many sick people but we did not have the flu at home. Ruby was very sick at Spencer, South Dakota with it. Hartzell was wounded in France so was sent home by hospital ship to Camp Dodge, Iowa. Mother, Dad and I went there to see him. My first chance to see an army camp. We were fortunate to find Hartzell for the hospitals were so full, but we found one of the boys from Springfield. The rest of the 147th came home in May of 1919. Lester Wray was in the same outfit, though I didn't know him then.
    I graduated from the Normal and als the music course in 1919 and that was a busy time. Ruby had taught one year at Hurley, so when they had a 1st grade vacancy they offered it to me, so that's how I met Lester. We were married September, 23, 1920.
    Our wedding trip was to the Black Hills, in Lester's new car - a Stephens Roadster. We had a wonderful trip, even though in those days we had muddy roads. Our first night was spent in Huron and really had something to laugh about. Lester never did get hungry like I did, and finally I had to ask if we counldn't have supper. I never let him forget that.
    We returned to Hurley, bringing all my things we could, but shipped the trunk on the train. We had rented a home in Hurley and were not there when the dray delivered my trunk. Some young people had been trying to get us for a chivoree and ride about town. We had slipped away each time, so they decided to take my trunk and its contents and hide it. They thought that we would give up but someone told us where the trunk was so we got it and moved into our home that night. They did not give up, and about a week later came at noon and caught us at home and took us for a ride chained to the pick-up.
    Gladys was born July 30, 1921, so I was busy. We moved to Parker, South Dakota in 1922 and took over the Furniture and Funeral Business there. We lived in an apartment over the store and all three of the girls were really raised on the street. I think I have three pretty fine daughters. They all had most childrens' diseases. I recall so well when Gladys had scarlet fever. The doctor gave Evelyn a shot and Lester took her to Grandma Wray in Hurley. She didn't keep her very long and came back here for Minnie Ruchter to care for her the rest of the three weeks. During those weeks Marjorie was born. I had a shot and also the girl who was working for us and I was terribly miserable. Then Marjorie and the nurse and I were quarantined in the room and Gladys and the girl in the rest of the house. We were out ten days and Evelyn came down with the scarlet fever. Then, Evelyn, Marjoie and I spent three more weeks in quarantine. The doctor assured us that Marj would never have it, but she did when she was in the first grade.
    I think we were more strict with Galdys and Evelyn and they did not do as many different things as marjoire. I worked in the store and it was a problem to keep track of the girls. I even resorted to a rope tied to the side door that was short enough to keep them off the street.
    Sometimes being in the funeral business slone caused some disappointments. One time the car was packed even to the baby bed to go to Mitchell, and Lester had a funeral call and of course counldn't go. He insisted we go alone, so we did. He stayed home and took care of the business. The sad part about the story was that he could never collect for the funeral. We had a lot of strange funeral bills to collect. Like the family who tried to pay their father's funeral bill with an old fur coat. It was practically in tatters but they said he had paid such a lot of money fifty years before, and we could surely get $500.00 out of it.
    Lester and I both enjoyed music. Lester played the slide trombone in World War I band, in the State Legion Band and Masonic, Parker and V.F.W. bands. I played the piano and organ in the Mehtodist church from the fall of 1922 when we moved to Parker until 1969.
    I did not remember my brother George, for he and his wife Josie moved west shortly after I was born. Lew was ill for some time and died of cancer at the base of the brain in 1948. Laura lived to know the hardships of the West River County before she died in 1948. Burt also lived in the West River and died in 1958. Nellie died at age three of measles, so the four older brothers and sisters are gone. Ruby, Addie and Hartzell are more fortunate than I have been as their mates are still alive.
    I think it was in 1955 that Lester had his first heart attack and recovered but could not go back to work like he wanted to. We sold the business in March 1958 and we took a very wonderful trip. We went to Texas, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington and back home. We were gone two months and were just home by the end of May. We had several trips that summer. One to the Black Hills to find a place for our Burton family reunion in September and then back for that.
    Lester died November 22, 1958 at age sixty-six, and left me alone in the big house. I stayed there until 1961 and bought the small home I am living in now.