Obituaries
Note:
Drusilla Throckmorton Crabtree
I took a picture of her headstone Oct. 1997 at Bethesda Cemetery, Scioto Twp., Ohio. Stone is down and had to be chalked, very hard to read:
Drusilla, Wife of James L. Crabtree died Feb. 19, 1875, Aged 62 Yrs, 9Mth & 22 ds. the last 4 lines unreadable. Her death record has her as being 61y 9 m 23 days. In Nov. of 2001 I had Drusilla's headstone repaired & a new foundation installed by Jackson Monument Company of Jackson, Ohio.
Obituary #1.- PIONEER WOMAN DIED THURSDAY: Granada, COLO. Aug. 22,
Mrs. Domizilla (should be Drusilla) Keairns died at her home in Granada, Colorado on Thursday August 21, 1824. age 76 years.
Mrs. Keairns was born in Jackson County, Ohio, August 21, 1848. She grew to womanhood in Jacksonville and married James S. Keairns October 31, 1869. Seven children were born to this union of which four are living. They are
Frank Keairns of LaMar, Walter S. Keairns of Kendall, Kansas, Mrs. Carrie Hutchins of Lamar and Claire Keairns of Granda.
Mr. and Mrs. Keairns with their family moved from Ohio to Glencoe, Minnesota in 1889. In 1892 they moved to Colorado locating near Towner where they resided for two years, coming to Granada in 1894. Mr. Keairns died January 5, 1909.
Mrs. Keairns During her long residence in the west lived the life to the common to the pioneer woman, enduring many of the hardships and privations which were the lot of all. Assisting in caring for the sick, administering to the comfort and welfare of the unfortunate, doing many acts of kindness daily as a mother of course without thought of reward. to these women the west owes a debt of gratitude which is not always recognized or appreciated. In Granada Mrs. Keairns had many friends, especially among the older residents, who will be sorry to hear of her death.
Besides immediate relatives mentioned above, Mrs. Keairns is survived by two brothers, J. M. Crabtree of Troy Kansas, Dock Crabtree of Waldick, Minnesota, twelve grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Funeral services will be held at the residence at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon and interment made in the Granada cemetery. H. B. Hoggatt, funeral director is in charge of arrangements.
Obituary #2 Another Pioneer Passes Away.
Word was received from Granada last Thursday of the death at that place of Mrs. James S. Keairns, one of the old time and most highly respected citizens of the Granada territory. Mrs. Keairns came to Granada in the early days of the town's history with her husband and family. She has resided there continuously since. Mr. Keairns died in 1909.
This couple will always be remembered by many old time residents of the section now scattered throughout the west for their many kindly and neighborly acts. During the trails of days when living in this county was mostly a serious affair, they were ever known for their readiness to help any who were in trouble or afflicted. Both are gone now but their good deeds will be kindly remembered by many for years to come. Several children are left to mourn a mother's loss, two of whom, Mr. J. Frank Keairns and Mrs. L. J. Hutchins, are residents of Lamar.
State of Colorado-Certificate of Death-Certified copy in my files: #8051, place of death, County, Prowers. town, Granada. Registration district no. 187. Registered no. 28. Full name, Druzilla Keairns. Residence Granada Colo. Length of residence in city or town where death occurred, 30 yrs. Personal and statistical particulars. Sex, female. Color or race, white. Date of birth, Aug. 21, 1848. Age 74 years. Trade, Housekeeper. Birthplace, Jackson, Ohio. Name of father, James Crabtree. Birthplace of father, England. (this is in error, hdbm) maiden name of mother, Throgmorton, birthplace of mother England (this is in error, hbbm). Informant, Mrs. Ray Grimsley, Lamar, Colo.(her granddaughter, d/o Caroline, hdbm) Filed Aug. 30, 1924. Daisy M. F(T?)ells. Date of death 8/21/1924. I hereby certify That I attended the deceased 8/20/1924 to 08/21/1924 and that death occurred as the date stated above at 12AM. The cause of death, Cerebral hemorrhage 74a (what is 74a? hdbm) duration 2 days. Signed L. N. Thompson M. D. Granada Colo.
Place of burial, Granada, Colo.
Date of burial Aug. 23, 1924. Undertaker H. B. Hoggatt, Lamar. Note: Death cert. issued to me on Sept. 13, 2000. # lower left corner in red. SL 01281346. NOTE. death cert says 74 years old, obit says 76.
Certification of Vital Record, State of Colorado, certificate of death.
Place of death, Oterva. City, La Junta. Reg. # 166. file # 3909. Reg. #31. Ward, Valley _____.
Full name, Minnie M. Smeltz. Female, white, married. Date of birth, Nov. 1879. Age 38yrs 4 mos 26 ds. Birthplace, Ohio. Name of father, James Keairns. Birth place of father, Ohio. Maiden name of mother Druzilla Crabtree. Birthplace of mother, Ohio.
Informant, C. G. Smeltz. Address Granada, Colo.. Filed April 29, 1917. Date of death, April 26, 1917. I attended the deceased from April 22, 1917 to April 26, 1917. I last saw her alive on April 26, 1917, death occurred at 6:30a. The cause of death, hilatation of the stomach, duration 2 ds. Contributory, Laparatomy, duration 3 1/2 months.
Signed E. W. Ragsdale M. D. April 26, 1917, La Junta, Colo. Place of burial Lamar, Colo. date of removal (did say date of burial, burial crossed out & removal inserted) April 27, 1917. Undertaker Harlow H. King, La Junta. # at bottom left of cert. SL 01281345. Date of issue of this cert. copy to me Sept. 13, 2000. C. G. Smeltz, my grandfather, did sign this death cert. I recognize his hand writing. (hdbm).
Obituary for Minnie M. Keairns Smeltz:
The Lamar Sparks,Lamar, Prowers County, Colorado Thursday, April 26, 1917.
Died at La Junta Mrs. C. G. Smeltz, sister of Mrs. L. J. Hutchins of this city, died at La Junta early this morning. Mrs. Smeltz underwent and operation at the La Junta hospital last Sunday and was unable to rally from the shock. Mr. Smeltz and Mrs. Hutchins went to La Junta last night when word was received of the serious condition of Mrs. Smeltz. Mrs. Smeltz was 38 years of age and belonged to one of the pioneer families of Granada.
For the past six years she has resided at Bristol, where Mr. Smeltz, who formerly county superintendent, was engaged in school work.
Five sons ranging in age from 5 to 20 years and a daughter aged 14 are left to mourn the untimely loss of their loving mother.
Besides her husband she also leaves a mother, a brother and a sister. The funeral services will be held in Granada, but the time has not yet been announced.
Source: Copy of newspaper clipping of the obituary sent to me by Donna Keairns
Funeral for Mrs. Smeltz
The funeral services of the late Mrs. Smeltz, who died at La Junta last week were held at the Methodist Church in Lamar on Sunday afternoon. Many friends and family from the East end of the county were in attendance, and the floral tributes were numerous. The services were conducted by Revs White of Granada, Scarffe of Bristol and Lee of Lamar. Interment was made in Riverside Cemetery.
Source: Copy of the newspaper clipping sent to me by Donna Keairns.
SMELTZ, Minnie M. (Lot 14, blk 27), age 38 yr, death 4/26/17, interred 4/29/17. Riverside Cemtery. Lamar, Prowers CO., CO.
Standard Cerf. of Birth for Robert Dean Smeltz:
State of Colorado, Registrars No. 38, District 190, Powers County, Lamar, CO.. Dr. Spicer's, no hospital named. Mother's stay 12 days before delivery.
Lists Charles Grant Smeltz Ae as 41(correct), list Minnie Marie as 39 (incorrect) Minnie was 35 at the time of Robert Dean's birth.
Death Cerf. lists Minnie, his mother as being born Ohio, should be Portsmouth, Ohio.
SMELTZ ROBERT DEAN 04/03/1913 KERNS M COLORADO VENTURA 08/01/1988 559-10-0390 75 yrs
Robert "Bob" Smeltz, 75, Ventura, died Monday in a Ventura hospital after a brief illness.
Mr. Smeltz was born April 3, 1913, in Lamar, (Prowers County) Colo., and was a 44-year county resident, coming from Long Beach. Mr. Smeltz was retired, having worked as a steamfitter for Plumber & Steamfitters Union Local 484 for 30 years. He is survived by his wife Peggy; daughters, Hallie Birdsong-Martinson of Ventura and April Griggs of San Diego; brother Walter Smeltz of Avenal; grandchildren Jason Griggs of San Diego and Rebecca Jensen of Ventura.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura. Memorial contributions may be made to the Arthritis Foundation of Ventura County.
Source: Ventura County Star Free Press.
Note: Robert "Bob" Smeltz worked in the ship yards in Long Beach during WW 11 as a steamfitter, after the war he & his family moved to Ventura where he was a fireman for the City of Ventura. He was the s/o Charles Grant & Minnie Keairns Smeltz.
Sunday, Dec. 18, 1988-Ventura Star Free Press: Father's generous spirit made a lasting impression
Hallie Martinson of Ventura says she acquired the spirit of giving from her father when she was growing up in Ventura, across the street from the railroad tracks.(Vista Del Mar) Her father, Robert D. Smeltz, used to hand out his old clothes to men riding the rails, but only after talking with them about who they were, where they had been and where they were headed. His dream was to see the places they told him about. He traveled briefly, but a 12-year bout with arthritis limited him. He died Aug. 1. He did not leave behind as many tales of adventure as he would have liked, but his generosity set an example that his daughter has chosen to carry on. Martinson said that her father's example inspired her to donate to this year's Star-Free Press/Salvation Army Bellringer Campaign in his memory.
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