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MAK Project: Betts Family I

The Mary Alma Kay Project
May Newsletter

This month's feature family from the Genealogy Department of the Donnellson Library comes from the Personal Ancestral Files of the Benjamin Betts Family Tree. Because of the size of the family, we will bring this to you in a three part series. We hope you enjoy reading about the Betts family. If you recognize any of the names and can provide additional information, please let us know. Our readers should note that each part of the series is transcribed verbatim from the Benjamin Betts ancestral files.

This is the story of the children of Benjamin Betts. Benjamin and wife Leah Flaugh had seven children, I Mathias, Eli C, Charles Monroe, Taylor, Scott, Katherine & Della. The record states Benjamin died around 1841, however, we believe it was several years later, certainly after 1855. We do not know the order of the birth of the children since we only have the dates of birth on three of them. At this time nothing else is known about Benjamin or Leah. We begin this series with their first born, I. Mathias Betts.

Mathias was born August 16, 1837 in Meadsville, PA, and moved to Des Moines, IA in his early manhood around 1855. In 1858, Mathias married Margaret Hammer Braum. When a call for volunteers came in 1861 in the Civil War strife, Mathias enlisted on August 14, 1862 and mustered in on August 16, 1862. He was with the 23rd Iowa Infantry, Company E. His residence was Rising Sun, nativity Ohio. This Company came to Keokuk two weeks later then started south to enter engagements in that part of the Country. Mathias was wounded in one of his limbs during a battle and honorably discharged for disability on February 7, 1863 from the Union service at Iron Mountain, MO.

Mathias and Margaret had two sons, Benjamin L. and Sylvester. There are two other children listed in the family tree, George F. and Mary R., but so little is known about them it cannot be confirmed they are also their children. He later moved to Marysville, MO for about two years and it was while there in April 1873 he married his second wife, Miss Mary Emeline Spangler Howes. His first wife had passed away several years earlier. For more than 25 years he was a veterinary surgeon and was one of the careful and successful practitioners of the locality. Mathias and his second wife Mary adopted a son Charles, however written in Lee County IA dated March 6, 1908 entered into probate 22nd June 1911. Executor, Mary Betts; Witness: A L Parsons and Mrs. Marie Mills, Charles Betts was never legally adopted but known by Betts all his life. Although a member of no church, Mathias was an honest, liberty loving and righteous man who was respected wherever he had made his home. Mathias was a member of Belknap Post GAR in Keokuk and was one of the honored and highly respected of the veterans. Mathias died at his home Thursday afternoon, January 7, 1911 at 3:15 o'clock after having been confined to his bed since stricken.

Mary Emeline Spangler Howes Betts was born at Carthage, IL on August 6, 1845 and lived in that city in the early part of her life. After her marriage to Mathias, they lived in Marysville, MO for a few years, then moved to Carthage, IL for about 6 years before moving to Keokuk, IA. They lived in Keokuk for 22 years, and for the last 20 years of her life, Mary was an invalid, unable to walk with the aid of crutches, as she had suffered a paralytic stroke.

After Mathias passed away, Mary Betts made her home with Charlie and his wife, and was known as a good kind woman. On August 20, 1915 Mary was
severely burned when her clothing caught fire from the gasoline stove that had evidently been turned on some time before the torch was applied and which burst into flames in an instant. George Glasgow, a neighbor living across the street heard Mrs. Betts' daughter-in-law cry for help and ran to the aid of Mrs. Betts. By the time he had beaten out the fire in her clothing the flames had been communicated to the other room in the house and it was badly gutted by fire and water. Mrs. Betts was helpless in her limbs from a stroke of paralysis and was unable to get back from the fire. Following the distressing accident Mrs. Betts was taken to Graham Hospital where the burns received the attention of physicians. The burns received in the fire covered her limbs, arms, and breast if she had lived it would have undoubtedly been necessary to graft a large amount of skin on the burned areas. Saturday morning it was stated that she had a chance to live, but toward evening her condition became serious and after a vain struggle she passed away at 5:40 o'clock Sunday morning.

On August 9, 1860 in Des Moines, Polk County, IA, Benjamin L Betts was the first child born to Mathias and his first wife Margaret. He was united in marriage on February 28, 1882 in Carthage, IL with Miss Sylvia Helen Golliher. Together they had three children, Clyde M, Beulah, and Marguerite. Benjamin was a well-known stockman of Keokuk and vicinity. He had resided in Keokuk for sixty-seven years and during that time was actively engaged in the business of stock buying throughout the Keokuk territory. He retired in 1920 from active participation in his line of work. Benjamin Betts passed away at the home of his daughter, Marguerite, (Mrs. Harold D. Ackley) on April 11, 1940 at 1:00 AM in Larchmont, New York. He had been seriously ill for the last two months but his health had been failing for the past six months.

Benjamin's wife Sylvia Helen Golliher was born in Warsaw, Hancock County, IL in February 1860 to the parents of John and Phoebe Fuller Golliher. Their son Clyde M, died at age 3. Sylvia was a member of the Women's Relief Corps for a time, and also the St. Joesph Hospital Guild. Sylvia was a member of the First Congregational Church. Nearly all of her married life was spent in Keokuk. Sylvia passed away on Tuesday February 28, 1935, at 4:45 pm at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank Strickling at Decatur, IL. She had been in failing health for the past year and last fall went to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harold Ackley in New York City, in the hope the change might prove beneficial. As her health continued to fail, she then went to Decatur, IL, where she passed away on her 52nd wedding anniversary.

The second born child of Mathias and Margaret was Sylvester born in 1863. Sylvester was engaged in the horse business in Keokuk until about 1895 when he moved to Muscatine, IA. He was a member of the Legion of Honor. Sylvester married Bertha Henneman on November 9, 1887 in Keokuk, IA, and together, they had 4 children, Hazel, Emmett, Rupert and Allen. On October 4, 1896 Sylvester while visiting his brother Benjamin, was attacked by facial erysipelas. The disease made rapid progress until it resulted in his death on October 9, 1896. Sylvester was about 33 years of age.

Sylvester's wife Bertha Henneman was born in 1863 in St. Louis, MO to the parents of Charles Henneman and Elisabeth Schraeder. Bertha had two brothers, Albert and William Henneman. Bertha passed away in 1916. Nothing else is known of Bertha at this time.

Little is known of the children of Benjamin and Sylvia. Clyde was born in 1884 and died in1887; Beulah was born on June 29, 1888, married Frank Ellsworth Strickling on September 25, 1907. His occupation is listed as a physician. Frank was born about 1886 in Keosauqua, Van Buren County, IA to the parents of William Jordon Strickling and Laura Brady. Marguerite was born April 7, 1893, and married Harold D Ackley.

The oldest child of Sylvester and Bertha Betts was Hazel Adeline born October 7, 1888 in Keokuk, IA. Her occupation is listed as an actress and residing at 1712 Orleans in the 1910-1911 Keokuk City Directory; J Emmett Betts is listed as a bartender in the Keokuk City Directory of 1910-1911 and residing at 1712 Orleans Ave; Rupert is listed in the Keokuk City Directory of 1910-1911, also residing at 1712 Orleans Ave.

Allen Betts, the youngest child of Sylvester and Bertha is listed as a call boy at the Hotel Keokuk in the 1912-1913 Keokuk City Directory and his residence as 1628 Orleans Ave. Allen married Madeline Smith, and had one child Earl Craig Betts born on May 26, 1926.

The Family Tree of Benjamin Betts

1. Benjamin Betts M Leah Flaugh

Mathias Betts B August 16, 1837;
D January 7, 1911; M 1858 first wife Margaret Hammer Braum
1) Benjamin L Betts B August 9, 1860; D April 11, 1940; M Sylvia Helen Golliher
a. Clyde M B 1884; D 1887
b. Beulah B June 29, 1888;
M September 25, 1907 to Frank Ellsworth Strickling B about 1886
c. Marguerite B April 7, 1893;
M Harold D Ackley

2) Sylvester Betts B 1863; D October 9,1896; M November 9, 1887 Bertha L Henneman
a. Hazel Adeline B October 7, 1888
b. J. Emmett
c. Rupert H.
d. Allen M Madaline Smith
1. Earl Craig B May 26, 1926
3) George F
4) Mary R
(Mathias) M April 1873 second wife Mary Emeline Spangler Howes
a. Charles (adopted)

Next month we will continue with the second child of Benjamin and Leah Flaugh Betts, Eli C. Betts. If you are related to the Betts family and have information to add to our data, please contact the Genealogy Department at the Donnellson Library.

~ Researched and submitted by Brenda Anderson
 

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