|
* LOCAL/FAMILY HISTORY DEPT. * DONNELLSON PUBLIC LIBRARY * 500 PARK AVE. * DONNELLSON, IA * 52625 |
MAK Project: Betts Family II
The Mary Alma Kays Project
June Newsletter
This month’s feature is the second installment of the family of
Benjamin Betts from the Personal Ancestral Files in the Genealogy Department of
the Donnellson Library. This installment features Eli C. Betts. Our readers
should note that due to the length of the file, the second and third part will
be submitted with pertinent information extracted from the file and not
verbatim.
Eli was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania but with a discrepancy as to the
actual date of his birth. In the ancestral file it is listed as March 20, 1847,
but the standard certificate of death shows his date of birth as December 20,
1847.
The 1894-95 Keokuk City directory lists Eli as a horse dealer residing at 1402
Concert in Keokuk; the 1896-97 directory lists him as a stockman; in the
1910-11 and 1912-13 Keokuk City directories, he is listed as a stockman and
residing with his wife Sala at 816 Blondeau in Keokuk.
Eli died on August 14, 1924 following a long illness. His health had been
failing for four years and he had been bedfast since March of this year. His
death was caused by complications. A funeral service was held from his
residence and
afterward the body was taken to Carthage, Illinois for burial in Moss Ridge
Cemetery.
The file shows Catherine Spangler as Eli‘s first wife but there is no date
listed of the marriage nor a date of her death. Eli later married Ursala “Sala”
Spangler in Carthage, Illinois on June 9, 1872. After having lived in Carthage
for a period of time, the family moved to Keokuk, Iowa in 1892 and became
members of the First Christian Church. Together Eli and Ursala “Sala” had four
children, Grace A, Alma “Anna” L, Adah “Ada” Anna, and Helen Gladys.
Ursala “Sala” Spangler Betts was born November 1854 in Hancock County,
Illinois. She passed away on May 20, 1940, at the age of 85 while visiting her
daughter Leah Betts Kirkland. Sala had made her home with another daughter
Helen Betts Lofton in Keokuk for the past several years. She was a member of
the First Christian Church. Funeral services were held at 1 P.M. at the grave
in Moss Ridge Cemetery in Carthage.
According to our MAK file, Catherine and Ursala were sisters, as well as
sisters to Mary Spangler, the second wife of Mathias Betts as noted in the May
2009 newsletter. The record indicates Catherine and Eli had one child, Leah Mae
Betts, born in Maryville, Nodaway County, Missouri somewhere around 1872. Found
in the Marriage Book #2 1890-1896, Keokuk, Iowa, page 203, the marriage of Leah
Mae Betts to Carl B. Bekemeyer appears. At that time he was 25 years of age;
his place of birth and residence were listed as Springfield, Illinois; his
occupation was a lawyer.
Carl’s parents were William and Marie Schwaking Bekemeyer. Leah Mae Betts
residence was listed as Keokuk, age 24, born in Maryville, Missouri, and her
parents were listed as Eli and Ursala Spangler Betts. If Leah were age 24
between the years of 1890 and 1896, it would place her year of birth between
1866 and 1872. However, Leah Mae’s second marriage to Clarence E. Kirkland,
recorded in the Marriage Book #8 1912-1914 shows Leah’s parents as Eli and
Catherine Spangler Betts. Also in this marriage book, both Leah and Clarence
are listed as 33 years of age. Clarence was born in Schuyler County, Missouri
with his residence in Wyoming.
If Leah were 33 years of age sometime between 1912 and 1914, she would have
been born between 1879 and 1881, thus her mother could be Ursala instead of
Catherine. To complicate matters further, in the 1912-1913 Keokuk City
directory, a Miss Leah M Millener is listed at 724 ½ Main, residence 816
Blondeau, which is the residence of her father, Eli and wife Sala. In October
1961, Leah’s residence was Peoria, Illinois, as listed in her sister Helen’s
obituary.
Grace A Betts, born in March 1874, believed to be their first child died at the
young age of 18 after what appeared to be a slight injury. Grace sustained an
injury to her spine by a fall, and though not considered serious at the time,
her death resulted in a complication. Written in her obituary is the following:
“The serious nature of the accident made itself manifest, and she was soon
confined to her bed and grew steadily worse, in spite of the best of care and
most skillful medical attention until death came to her relief. At times her
suffering must have been intense, but she bore it all with a patience
surprising in one so young, never complaining, always hopeful. Grace was a
young lady whom all respected and loved, a dutiful daughter, a true friend. She
was of a kind and loving disposition and will be sadly missed by her many young
friends and we all united in expressions of sympathy for the family which has
been so sorely bereaved. A funeral service was held in the Christian Church and
conducted by Elder C. J. Scofield, after which the remains were deposited in
the vault at Moss Ridge Cemetery.” Moss Ridge Cemetery is located in Carthage.
In the Carthage Illinois Gazette is written the following: “Died – at her home
in Keokuk at 1 A.M. Tuesday Morning last, Grace A Betts, daughter of Mr. And
Mrs. Eli Betts, aged 18 years and 1 month. The remains arrived here on the 1:12
P.M. train on the Wabash yesterday.
Eli and Ursula’s next daughter, Alma L Anna, born in October 1879 in Illinois,
married J. W. Babb. All that is known about Alma is that in 1896-1897 her
residence was 1402 Concert, Keokuk, the home of her parents Eli and Ursala; in
October 1961 her residence was Chicago, Illinois, as listed in her sister
Helen’s obituary.
Adah “Ada” Anna Betts, believed to be the third daughter, was born in October
1883 in Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois. In the 1910-1911 Keokuk City
directory, Ada resided at 816 Blondeau, the home of her parents, Eli and Ursala.
Recorded in the Keokuk Marriage Book # 7 – 1910-1912 page 234, Ada Anna
Betts, age 27, married Arthur J. Anderson, age 28, on November 21, 1911 in
Keokuk. The witnesses were Edward Anderson and Helen Betts.
Arthur’s occupation was a cigar maker; his parents were Charles and Serena
Olson Anderson. In October 1961, Adah resided in Decatur, Illinois, as listed
in her sister Helen’s obituary.
Helen Gladys Betts, born October 17, 1894 in Keokuk is believed to be the
fourth daughter of Eli and Ursala Betts. On November 5, 1913, Helen married
Leroy R Lofton. Together, Helen and Leroy had three children, Ralph Russell
“Pete” Lofton, Leroy E Lofton, and Shirley Ann Lofton. Helen was a member of
the First Christian Church, Elmira Chapter of the Eastern Star and the C. W. F.
of the First Christian Church. Helen passed away on October 26, 1961. She had
been failing health since the beginning of the year. Funeral services were held
in the DeJong Funeral home with Reverend Ellsworth L Woods, officiating. Burial
was in the family lot at Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk.
Helen’s husband Leroy R. (Pete) Lofton was Mayor of Keokuk. After Helen’s
death, Leroy made his home with his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Leroy
E Lofton at 414 North Eighth, Keokuk. His father, Edwin S Lofton, had been
Mayor before him during the trying days of World War I. On May 17, 1963 while
serving in his second term as Mayor, he died very suddenly at the home of his
son, Leroy. He had been at his office in the Municipal Building as usual on
Friday and although his health
had not been of the best in recent months, his death came as a great shock to
his many friends and the community. In his early life, he worked for the Ewers
McCarthy Clothing Store and the Iowa State Insurance Company before joining his
father in the Insurance Agency of Ed S. Lofton & Sons in 1925. He remained with
the firm until January 1, 1959 when he retired to begin his first term as
Mayor. The funeral was held at DeJong Funeral Home with burial in Oakland
Cemetery.
Ralph Russell “Pete” Lofton was living in New Orleans, Louisiana in October
1961 as listed in his mother Helen Betts Lofton’s obituary. According to the
MAK record, Ralph died in May 1994. No other information is known at this time.
Leroy E Lofton, second son of Helen Betts and Leroy R Lofton was living in
Keokuk in 1963 as listed in his father’s obituary. Leroy and his wife had three
daughters, Patricia, Linda, and Diane. The only information in the MAK records
for Patricia, Linda and Diane are their married names. Patricia married a Mr.
Laubersheimer, and as listed in her Grandfather’s obituary, her residence in
May 1963 was Minneapolis, Minnesota. Linda married a Mr. Auchstotter and her
residence was listed as North Aurora, Illinois. Diane Lofton was listed as
still residing with her parents in Keokuk in May 1963.
Shirley Ann Lofton, the only daughter of Helen Betts and Leroy R Lofton was
born on August 15, 1929 in Keokuk. She married Edward T. Kane on November 22,
1953 in Keokuk. Shirley and Edward had one daughter, Lisa Ann. Shirley
graduated from Keokuk High School in 1947 and was major of the Girls Pep Squad.
She was a member of the First Christian Church, Chapter B. Q. of T.T.T. and was
a former member of the Order of Rainbow for Girls. Except for four years,
Shirley was a life long resident of Keokuk. Shirley died on June 4, 1962 after
a serious illness of six months. Funeral services were held in DeJong Funeral
Home with the Reverend Ellsworth L. Woods and Walker Butler officiating. Burial
was in Oakwood Cemetery in Hamilton, Illinois.
The Family Tree of Benjamin Betts (continued)
1. Benjamin Betts M Leah Flaugh
B. Eli C Betts B March 20, 1847 (or possibly December 20, 1847)
D August 14, 1924
M Catherine Spangler (1st Wife)
1) Leah Mae Betts B circa 1872 M Carl Bekemeyer (1st Husband circa 1861; M
Clarence E Kirkland (2nd
Husband) 1912-1914; M Mr. Millener (possibly 2nd Husband)
M Ursala “Sala” Spangler (2nd Wife) After 1872 B November 1854; D May 20, 1940
2) Grace A Betts B Circa 1874;
D July 21, 1892
3) Alma L Anna Betts
B October 1879; M J.W. Babb
4) Adah “Ada” Anna Betts B October 1883; M Arthur J. Anderson November 21,
1911; B Circa 1883
5) Helen Gladys Betts B October 17, 1894; D October 26, 1961
M LeRoy R Lofton November 5, 1913
B July 20, 1892; D May 17, 1963
a. Ralph Russell “Pete” Lofton D 1994
b. LeRoy E Lofton D after 1994
1. Patricia Lofton M Mr. Lauberscheimer
2. Linda Lofton M Mr. Auchstotter
3. Diane Lofton
c. Shirley Ann Lofton B August 15, 1929; D June 4, 1962;
M Edward T Kane November 22, 1953
1. Lisa Ann Kane
Next month will conclude the Betts Family Tree. 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
| In keeping with the policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial researchers, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, nor for presentation in any form by any other organization or individual or on any other website without permission This entire website & contents are copyright 2009 by Local/Family History & the individual submitters This page was updated Aug -- 2009 |