The Redlingshafer family holds the record at Salem for most efficient use of space. Nine people are buried on the lot although tombstones suggest that there are 10. The George D. Redlingshafer stone, however, is a memorial; his remains are elsewhere. George W. Redlingshafer bought this lot from the Salem trustees when his mother died in the late summer of 1881.
Those buried or memorialized in Lot No. 4 are Doratha Redlingshafer, the matriarch of the Redlingshafer family in America; her son and daughter-in-law, George W. and Frances Caroline (Lewis) Redlingshafer; George D. Redlingshafer, Adelia O. Redlingshafer, Charles M. Redlingshafer and William L. Redlingshafer, children of George and Frances; and Alice M. Pickett, another daughter of George and Frances, and her husband, William S. Pickett, and their infant child, Gale A. The transcriptions here are from south to north to allow Doratha to have pride of place.
REDLINGSHAFER
DIED
Aug.13, 1881
Aged
78Y, 25D
NARRATIVE: DORATHA (REDLINGSHAFER) REDLINGSHAFER
I confess partiality in the ancestor department to Doratha, who is my great-great-great grandmother, in part because she's the only immigrant forbear I can relate to. The others arrived in the Americas so long ago or with such common surnames (like Brown) that for the most part they're just abstractions. Doratha, on the other hand, has a wonderfully distinctive surname, twice actually since it was both maiden and married; she's here at Salem where I can visit at any time; and then there's this wonderful photo, courtesy of my esteemed cousin Donnell (Redlingshafer) Wisniewiski whose family preserved it. Donnell's great-grandfather, John W. Redlingshafer, and my great-grandmother, Mary Belle (Redlingshafer) Myers, were siblings.
There is no published death notice or obituary for Doratha, so it's necessary to rely on other sources. My dad wasn't of much help in this department since the only family story he recalled regarding Doratha was that one of her favorite pastimes was smoking a small pipe --- unusual in Lucas County but not at all so in her native Bavaria.
According to German lore, the Redlingshafers were Austrian originally, but were chased out because of their Lutheran (as opposed to Roman Catholic) faith and found refuge in an area west of Nuremberg where they reproduced enthusiastically during the 17th and 18th centuries, filling several farming villages. In that sort of setting, cousins tended to marry cousins as was the case with Doratha and her husband, George Redlngshafer. That's the background for this brief exerpt from a biographical sketch of Donnell's and my great-great-grandfather, Doratha's son, John G. Redlingshafer:
GEORGE REDLINGSHAFER, the father of our subject (John G. Redlingshafer), was twice married and the children recorded above are of the second union. His first wife, who was a Miss Wise and who was a native of the same province in which he was born, bore him three children, - Barbara, James and John. All have long since passed away. The mother died soon after the birth of her last child. Of the father of this large family, we further record that he was born in Bavaria, December 7, 1787, and that he was a farmer and met with more than ordinary success in his vocation. When the war cloud gathered and hung over his native land he converted his acres into cash and came to America, making the Atlantic voyage in the Abegunde and being sixty-three days from Hamburg to Baltimore. The progress of the vessel was hindered by both calm and storm, and although the vessel was somewhat the worse for the voyage, she landed her precious freight in safety. Patiently awaiting the arrival of this good ship was James Redlingshafer, the brother of our subject, who had several years before emigrated to America. United, the family set out for Uniontown, Pennsylvania, making the journey by rail to Cumberland and thence by stage to their destination. This was in 1848.
After a residence of about a year at Uniontown, Pennsylvania, the family removed to Washington county, same State, where they purchased a farm and settled upon the same. About six years later the father and mother, upon the continued solicitation of Mary, their daughter, came west to Bureau County, Illinois. Still later they located in Clayton county, Iowa. Here ended the useful career of George Redlingshafer. He lived long enough, however, to feel assured of the success of all his children. It was January 7, 1856, and at the home of his daughter, Mary, in Guttenberg, Iowa, that he quietly passed away. The mother of our subject, nee Dorothea Redlingshafer, was born in Bavaria, July 18, 1803. She was a devoted Christian woman and a member of the German Lutheran Church. After an active and useful life, the closing years of which were spent at the home of her son George, in Benton township, Lucas county, Iowa, she passed to her reward, the date of her death being August 13, 1881. In the Salem Church burying-ground a stone marks her last resting place. {"A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1896, Page 230)
The Redlingshafers followed German naming practices and once they'd settled on a few names they stuck with them, generation after generation, like an old dog with a bone. It's enough to drive a genealogist to drink. All of Doratha's daughters, for example, was given the name Anna. She had two sets of daughters who had exactly the same names, just reversed: Margaret Anna and Anna Margaret; Mary Anna and Anna Mary. See what I mean?
Anyhow, of George's first family --- who came to America first --- the eldest was the formidable, but reportedly beautiful, Barbara (26 May 1809-11 February 1890), who married Jacob Fisher in Pennsylvania in 1844, had three children by him and raised them alone after his premature death in 1851. She lived and died in Washington County, Pennsylvania. We're less sure about the boys, James and John Kaspar.
These are the four children of Doratha and George Redlingshafer who settled permanently in Lucas County. John G. Redlingshafer (left) and George W. Redlingshafer are standing; Anna Margaret (Redlingshafer) Rosa/Wulf (left) and Margaret Anna (Redlingshafer) Hupp are seated
1. Anna Margaret (28 February 1824-7 February 1906). She married first John W. Rosa and after his early death in Chariton during 1867, Joachim Wulf. Anna Margaret and John Rosa had 10 or 12 children, depending upon whom one believes, but only three survived: John W. Jr., Adam George and Anna Margaret (who married William P. Schreck). All of Lucas County's Rosas and many of its Schrecks descend from Anna Margaret, who is buried in the Chariton Cemetery with her two husbands.
2. John G. Redlingshafer, my great-great-grandfather (9 May 1827-8 February 1913). He married Isabelle Greer 30 November 1856 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. They had Mary Belle Redlingshafer (married Daniel Myers I), my great-grandmother; John William Redlingshafer (married Emma Bondurant), who moved to Montana; Minnie D. Redlingshafer (married Aquilla Jones Davis) who ended up in California with her children after the unfortunate Aquilla killed himself while heading up the bank in Seymour; and Ernest Greer Redlingshafer (married Fannie Augusta Arnold), who farmed in Benton Township and left many descendants in Lucas County. John G., Isabelle and most of their family are buried in the Chariton Cemetery, too. John G.'s family also included Cora Jane (5 September 1856-24 September 1933) who married first Albert Asbury Maxwell (divorce) and second, John J. "Johnny Tapp" Jackson. Cora was Isabelle's daughter by an unknown father, appearing unexpectedly when John G. went back to Pennsylvania after a few years in Iowa to marry her (something he seems to have been quite open minded about). Both of Cora's husbands seem to have been major pieces of work and she had a hard life.
3. Mary Anna Redlingshafer (1830-27 January 1878) who married John Charles Ernest Dittmer and produced eight children before dying in northeast Iowa's Delaware County. The Dittmers are buried in Zion Cemetery, Colony Township, Delaware County.
4. George W. Redlingshafer, on whose Salem Cemetery lot Doratha is buried and whose family will become evident by reading this posting.
5. Margaret Anna Redlingshafer, who married Aaron Hupp. All of the Hupps save two are buried here at Salem and so all you might care to know about them will be posted here eventually.
6. Anna Mary Redlingshafer (31 August 1837-6 October 1931) who married Martin Banschbach and lived and died along with a majority of her family at DePue in Bureau County, Illinois.
7. John Lot Redlingshafer (14 February 1845-14 October 1931), the roamer, rambler and adventurer in the family --- at times with his nephew, Aaron Jacob Fisher. He lived his final years in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and is buried there.
8. Elizabeth Anna Redlingshafer (21 November 1848-9 April 1931) who married William Banschbach, Martin's brother, and had a family of five children, some quite exotic. She lived in Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois, and is buried there.
George W. Redlingshafer and his wife, Frances, share a tombstone. George's inscription is on the south face and his grave, immediately north of his mother's.
REDLINGSHAFER
BORN
Feb. 7, 1833
DIED
Sept. 1, 1905
George W. Redlingshafer was born in Bavaria, Germany, on February 7, 1833, and died of heart failure at his home in Benton township, Lucas County, Iowa, September 1, 1905, aged 72 years, 6 months and 24 days. He was the son of George and Dorothea Redlingshafer, and was the fourth in their family of eight children. In the year 1848, at the age of fifteen, he came with his parents to America, locating in Green(e) County, Pennsylvania, for a number of years, and subsequently removing to Illinois in 1855, residing at Pekin, where he was employed in a saw mill until the year 1859, when he came to Iowa to reside.
He traveled as far as Agency, Iowa, by rail, and from there he came on foot to Chariton, settling in Benton township, where he has since resided.
On November 18, 1860, he was married to Miss Frances Caroline Lewis, daughter of David and Lorilla Lewis of Benton township, Lucas County, Iowa. To this union were born twelve children, three sons and nine daughters, eleven of whom survive his demise. His wife died October 31, 1893. The greater part of the family of the deceased are residents of Iowa, and the most of these live in Lucas County. He was a successful farmer, and his large farm in Benton township is evidence of an industrious life, and a close attention to the details of farm work. He was privileged to give his children the benefits of good education, a number of them becoming teachers in the schools of the county for a time. He was a member of the Board of Supervisors of Lucas county for three years and filled various offices in the township for a long period of years. He was a good husband, a kind father, and a true neighbor and friend. During his residence in Pennsylvania, he was converted to God, and united with the Cumberland Presbyterian church. For over thirty years he has been a faithful and devoted member of the Mt. Carmel Evangelical church in Benton township, and was one of the charter members of the same. He will be missed greatly, and his place will be hard to fill. He loved the church and sought to co-operate in her work at home and abroad. A Father in Israel has fallen. May his mantle fall on his children. His work was well done, and he expressed himself as ready to depart this life.
The funeral services were held on Sunday, September 3, at 11 a.m. in the Salem M.E. church in Benton township, conducted by Rev Charles Pickford and were largely attended by the relatives and friends of the deceased. Interment was made in the cemetery at the above named place. (The Chariton Patriot, 7 September 1905)
An identical obituary was published in The Chariton Herald of 7 September 1905, but a list of survivors was added:
The surviving children are: Mrs. Nancy Wilson, Miss Mary Redlingshafer, George Redlingshafer, of Des Moines; Mrs. Alice Little (actually Pickett), Mrs. Irene Whiteside, Mrs. Elma Myers, Misses Lillie, Bell (actually this is one daughter, Lilly Belle), and Nellie, Chariton; Mrs. Lucy Norman, Lucas; Will Redlingshafer, South Dakota; Charles Redlingshafer, Clarinda. The daughters were all present at the funeral, but the sons were unavoidably absent.
Note: My dad, Daniel Myers, told old stories about the battles-of-my-superior-children conducted by family patriarchs and brothers-in-law, George W. Redlingshafer and Aaron Hupp. They would sit around for hours, according to Dad, bragging about the accomplishments of their kids. Both had 12 to brag about.
George probably won in the long run. His daughter, Nellie (Redlingshafer) McKee, a long-time educator in Montana, was national teacher of the year during the 1930s. His daughter, Mary (Redlingshafer) Bruning, had the most varied career. She began as a teacher, then became a nurse who practiced both in Iowa and California, then homesteaded in Idaho and finally became one of the few female licensed embalmers in the state of Washington, where she died. All of the Redlingshafer (save Adelia O., who died young) and Hupp daughters, however, were licensed to teach school at one time or another.
Wife of
G.W. REDLINGSHAFER
Sept. 18, 1843
Oct. 31, 1893
REDLINGSHAFER
1862-1931
George David Redlinshafer, son of George W. and Frances Caroline (Lewis) Redlingshafer, and Harriet Isabel "Hattie" Arnold, daughter of Edward and Sophia Arnold, were married in Lucas County on 6 April 1887. They divorced after 1910 while living in Des Moines.
Dau.
of
G.W. & F.C.
REDLINGSHAFER
Mar. 24, 1880
Jan. 28, 1894
Dearest child, thou hast left us,
And thy loss we deeply feel;
Tis the Lord that hath bereft us
Of one we loved so well.
NEWS REPORTS: ADELIA OTIS REDLINGSHAFER
The Patriot is sorry to chronicle the sad affliction which befell an old time friend, G.W. Redlingshafer of Benton township, in the death of his youngest daughter, which occurred at Des Moines, Monday. (The Chariton Patriot, 31 January 1894; Lilly Belle and Nellie Geneva actually were younger than Adelia.)
Miss Adelia O. Redlingshafer, daughter of G.W. Redlingshafer, died at the home of her sister in Des Moines, Iowa, January 28th, 1894. The deceased was born in Lucas county, Iowa, March 24th, 1880.
She leaves a father, three brothers, and eight sisters to mourn her departure, her mother having preceded her to the spirit world.
Funeral services were conducted by the writer, at the home of the father in Benton township January 30th, 1894. A large concourse of friends accompanied the remains to their last resting place in Salem Cemetery.
"The bereaved family have the sympathy of their many friends in this hour of affliction. (Written by) Rev. D.C. Busenburg. (The Chariton Patriot, 7 February 1894)
Note: The late Iva (Norman) Robinson of Santa Cruz, Calif., whose mother, Lucy (Redlingshafer) Norman, was Adelia's sister, compiled a brief family history for her family. She had the following to say about Adelia:
"Adelia Otis Redlingshafer born in 1880 and died at age 14. Just one year after her mother died. She went to Des Moines to help take care of her brother, George's, children. She died with diphtheria. Her grave is in Salem cemetery with her parents. Mother said Adelia had a nice disposition and a very sharp mind."
G.W. & FRANCES C.
REDLINGSHAFER
Feb. 9, 1869
Feb. 15, 1906
OBITUARY: CHAS. M. REDLINGSHAFER
Charles Martin Redlingshafer, son of George W. and Frances Redlingshafer, was born February 9, 1869, in Benton township, Lucas county, Iowa and died at Clarinda, Iowa, on February 16 (sic), 1906, aged 37 years and 7 days. The greater part of his life was spent on his father's farm in Benton township, especially up to the years of manhood. At the age of 18, he was given a diploma from the public school in the Gartin district. Later on he attended the Humeston College, taking a course in the Business Department. A number of years since, on account of failing health, he went to South Dakota and entered a Homestead claim near Gettysburg.
His health failing again, he sold his farm and returned to his father's home in Lucas county, Iowa. For the past two years his life has been spent in much suffering, which he bore very patiently. He was converted to God at the age of 17, and untied with the Mt. Carmel Evangelical church in Benton township.
"He leaves two brothers, George D. of Des Moines, and William L. of Chariton, and eight sisters, viz.: Nancy M., wife of S.T. Wilson, of Des Moines; Alice, wife of W.S. Pickett, of Chariton; Irene, wife of W.H. Whiteside, of Benton township; Elma T., wife of Ishmeal (sic) Myers, of Chariton; Lucy C., wife of J.W. Norman, of Lucas, Ia.; Mary A., Superintendent of a Hospital in Guthrie Center, Ia.; Lilly Belle, and Nellie, both of Benton township. His father died September 1, 1905. His mother and one sister passed away from earth twelve years since.
"He was of a cheerful disposition, a lover of home and friends, and kind and considerate as a brother. The funeral services were held on Feb. 18th, at the Salem church, conducted by Rev. Chas. Pickford, of Russell, and interment was made in the cemetery adjoining. (Chariton Herald Patriot, 22 February 1906)
Note: Well, it's probably impossible to determine after all these years what exactly was the matter with Charles M., and it's also probably best not to speculate. His niece, Iva (Norman) Robinson of Santa Cruz, Calif., in a family history written for her family, wrote: "Charles went to Dakota. He probably met with foul play and was brought home ill. He died in the sanitarium at Mt. Pleasant (actually Clarinda) in Mt. Pleasant in Iowa at age thirty-seven. He never married." Foul play seems unlikely; some form of mental illness more the ticket. But who knows?
REDLINGSHAFER
1877-1964
William L. Redlingshafer, 86, died Thursday evening at the Wayne County Memorial Hospital following a car accident Thursday morning northeast of Corydon. He was a retired farmer.
Services were held at the Miley Chapel at 2 p.m. Saturday with Elder W. R. Chandler officiating. Interment was at the Salem cemetery.
Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Nellie McKee of Vallejo, Calif., and Mrs. Lillie Belle Anderson of Ceres, Calif., a niece, Mrs. Reese Thomas of Chariton and a number of other nieces and nephews.
The car was being driven by Edward Holmes, 82, of near Melrose. He lost control of the machine while rounding a curve four miles east of Millerton on a gravel road. The car rolled over twice, crossing a ditch and going through a fence. Holmes was hospitalized at Corydon following the accident. (Clipping dated February 1964, courtesy of Ilene Church)
William Lot Redlingshafer was born in Lucas county, Iowa, Dec. 27, 1877, to George and Frances Redlingshafer.
Almost his entire life was spent in Lucas county.
He passed away at the Wayne County Memorial Hospital Feb. 6, 1964, at the age of 86 years, one month and ten days as a result of a car accident.
He was preceded in death by two brothers and seven sisters. Surviving sisters are Mrs. Nellie McKee of Vallejo, Calif., and Mrs. Lillybelle Anderson of Ceres, Calif.
He had been living at the home of a niece and husband, Reece and Hazel Thomas and is survived by many other nieces and nephews as well as many friends.
Services were held Saturday, February 8, at the Miley Chapel, with Elder W. R. Chandler officiating. Final resting place is Salem cemetery. (Undated clipping, Lucas County Genealogical Society collection)
Alice M.
1864-1922
Mrs. W.S. Pickett died at her home on North Main in this city (Chariton) Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 4, 1922, at the age of 57 years, 9 months and 6 days. She suffered ill health for several years, but was able to be about and attend to her usual duties until early in September this year, when she became very sick and suffered a great deal during the four weeks following, until death brought relief on Wednesday. Largely attended funeral services, conducted by Rev. Frank Bean of the M.E. church, were held at the family home on Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock, after which the remains were laid to rest in the Salem cemetery.
Alice M., daughter of G.W. and Frances Lewis Redlingshafer, was born in Benton township, Lucas county, Iowa (Alice's date of birth was not included. She was born 27 or 28 December 1864). She spent her early life there and attended high school at Princeton, Ill. Afterwards she spent two years of study at the Normal College, at Shenandoah, Iowa. She began the business of school teaching, and spent three years thus employed in her home neighborhood in Iowa. She went to Kansas and taught in one school for four consecutive years.
Here she became acquainted with William S. Pickett. They were married on November 30, 1922 (actually 1892). After five years in Kansas they returned to Iowa in 1897. One daughter, Gail Adelia, came in their home, on Sept. 30, 1900. Despite the love and joy of their welcome she remained with them only 20 months, going away on May 29, 1902.
Mrs. Pickett became a christian in early life. She was a member of the United Evangelical church for a long time. In 1904, she united with the Salem Methodist church, and when they moved to Chariton in 1912 they transferred their membership to the church here. She was greatly beloved by all who knew her for her many admirable qualities and kindly deeds, and her passing away has brought sadness to many hearts.
Her brother, G.D. Redlingshafer, and two sisters, Mrs. Irene Whiteside and Mrs. Lucy R. Norman, were able to be in attendance during her last Illness. Mrs. S.T. Wilson came from her home in Cheyenne, Wyo., but was forced to return two weeks ago. The other sisters, Mrs. Elma Myers of Forest Hill, La.; Mrs. Mary Bruning of Colfax, Wash.; Mrs. Lilly BelleAnderson of Ione, Wash.; and Miss Nellie Redlingshafer, of Kalispell, Mont., were unable to be present. The sincere sympathy of his many friends goes out to Mr. Pickett in his loneliness and loss. (Alice also was survived by a brother, William Lot Redlingshafer, who was not mentioned in the obituary.) (The Chariton Herald Patriot, 12 October 1921)
Wm. S.
1861-1939
William Samuel Pickett, son of Abraham and Hannah Ann Pickett, was born in Ottawa county, Ohio, December 9th, 1861. At the age of seven years he moved with his parents to Mercer County, Missouri, and when twelve years old, he moved to Lincoln county, Kansas,and was educated in the common schools of that county. Mr. Pickett taught school for three years, but made farming his life work. His home had been in this vicinity for many years.
"He was married on November 30, 1892, to Miss Alice Redlingshafer, who passed away in 1922. To this union, one daughter was born, who preceded him in death in 1901. Mr. Pickett was again united in marriage to Mrs. Etta Wilson on December 9, 1925, who passed away April 3, 1938.
"Mr. Pickett had been in failing health for about five years,but passed away suddenly May 31. He had been connected with the M.E. church for many years. He loved his Bible and his church, and was faithful when his health permitted him to attend services.
"He was the eldest of four brothers and three sisters, two sisters having preceded him in death, Nancy Jane Divelly and Harriett Ann Pickett.
"He leaves to mourn his passing three brothers, Reuben Ely Pickett, of Hunter, Kansas; Joseph and Roy Pickett, of Paradise, Kansas; and one sister, Mrs. Lotta Rebecca Peck, of Sylvan Grove,Kansas; and a number of other relatives and friends.
"Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Dunshee funeral home, conducted by the Rev. Paul H. Hicks of the Methodist church, and burial was in the Salem cemetery. {The Chariton Leader, 6 June 1939)
PICKETT
Sept. 30, 1900
May 29, 1902
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