Welcome and happy hunting. This is the ammendment for JOHN FREEMONT STILLSON and wife Mary Caroline Stroh; children are Simon Foster; Lila 'Lyla" Mae & Harold Rose; Hazel LaPearl & Jack Tobin; Eva & Alt Ludvickson; Naomi and Dann Coutts; James Moore Coutts; Mary Jane Coutts & William Pendergast; Lucille & William Wagner; John McKinley Stillson & Edna Thompson; Dean Henry Stillson & Vannie Landess; Melvin Marion Stillson & Goldie M. Benser: Goldie is the one who provided this information for book, Christie Stilson did the addendum for the book, brought to you by Margaret Lee. Happy Hunting.

THIRD GENERATION --STILSON/STILLSON

(Jacob 1; Simon Franklin 2,. John F. 3,.)

III. JOHN FREMONT STILLSON, b. September 11,1857, d. September 1927ofpernicious anemia. He is buried at the Graceland Cemetery in Madison, S.D. He was the son of Simon and Nancy (Henson) Stilson. He m. Mary Caroline Stroh in 1889. Mary came from Gennany at the age of 12 and was born December 16, 1870 in Bergenhusen, Gennany. She d. July 22, 1966 in Madison, S.D. Burial at Graceland Cemetery. They had nine children. A photograph of John Fremont appears at in the last section of this book. Another photo shows John with his three brothers. Also pictured is Mary Caroline Stroh, the wife of John Fremont. The daughters of John and Mary appear on the cover of this family history. The photo, taken about 1902, shows his young daughters Hazel, Naomi, Lila, Lucille, Eva and their young brother John. Another photo of the sisters when they had become young women appears in the Family Photo Album.

Several obituaries carried thefollowing history ofhis life -September 1927- Madison Leader: John F. Stilson dies at home here -Anemia takes man who had watched Madison grow into a city: John F. Stilson, 69 years old, pioneer local resident who had watched Madison grow from a meager village to a thriving little city, died at his home on Second Street, NW, about 11 :45 o'clock this morning, the victim ofpernicious anemia, with which he had suffered for almost two years. He became seriously ill early today, about 3 o'clock.

Mr. Stilson, born in Fillmore county, Minnesota, in 1858, came herefrom that state in an early day, taking up a claim about 10 miles northwest of Madison. He had lived in Madisonfor 48 years (at age 21), since it was a village located at the lake. (11ze Sentinel adds: and he moved to the present site of Madison before the town was located here. Mr. Stilson has always been a builder and contractor, being a plasterer and mason by trade, and always giving the most perfect service possible so that his work was always greatly in demand. After he came to Lake County he was married to Miss Mary Stroh (his widow, who survives him.) He was married in this city in 1889. Mr. Stilson is survived by his wife, three sons, five daughters, five grandchildren, three sisters and one brother. The sons are John Stilson and Melvin Stilson, both ofwhom live at home, and Dean Stilson, also of this city. His daughters are Mrs. Harold Rose, of this city,. Mrs. Jack Tobin, of Mitchell,. Mrs. Alton Ludvickson, of Los Angeles, Calif.,. Mrs. Dan Coutts of Grand Rapids, Mich. , former local residents, and Miss Lucille Stilson, who teaches in Sioux City , la. There are two sisters living in Los Angeles and one who resides in Chewelah, Wa. The brother lives at Plaza, N.D Mr. Stilson was a splendid type of good citizen, industrious, friendly, a good husband and father, an honorable worker, a builder, he typifies the best of the pioneer spirit which came to South Dakota and made it what it is today. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him

1. Simon Foster b. August 28, 1890, died September 18, 1891

2. Lila (Lyla) Mae b. March 2, 1892 at Madison, S.D., d. January 3, 1985 at age 92 years in Mitchell. Burial at Graceland Cemetery. She m. in 1927 to Harold Rose who d. 1936, 2) m. August 21, 1937 to Abe Mitchell, her high school sweetheart, who d. August 16, 1951. Lila taught in rural schools around Madison, S.D. before her marriage.

3. Hazel LaPearl b. May 29, 1893, d. October 24, 1985 at age 92 years in Mitchell, S.D. She m., Jack Tobin. Jack preceded Hazel in death. Hazel is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Mitchell, S.D. Hazel designed hatsfor a millinery store before her marriage.

4. Eva b. October 28, 1894, d. July 1972, m. Alt Ludvickson. Eva was an elementary school teacher.

Gordon Ludvickson b. February 6, 1922, d. June 1991. Gordon had a daughter Sandi and a son by his first wife Florence. After her death he married a second time to Ellie _.

Dale Ludvickson b. February 14, 1924, d. about age 18).

Naomi b. March 4, 1896, d. May 6, 1988, m. November 23, 1915 to Dan Coutts, b. March 24, 1892, d. March 1934 m. 2) Orvis LaBounty who was b. September 16, 1872 and d. June 11, 1958. Naomi became a special chef She was cremated and buried in Newaygo, MI.

James Moore Coutts b. Sept. 3, 1917 in Madison, S.D. d. August 20, 1944, a second lieutenant in World War II, lost "over the hump " in a B 29. His body was returned to the U.S. for burial. He wrote a number of letters to his Aunt Lucille while he was in the service. His last one was dated August 14, 1944 and she did not receive it until after he was "lost. II Excerpt of his letters follow: May 26, 1942 from Army Air Corps, Scottsfield, IL: My training here consists ofradio operations, code, theory in aeronautics. They sure are rushing us through for the need for radio operators in flying fortresses and in our foreign possessions is great. " "There is ajob that has to be done so we can all return home and resume where we left off. " - -December 30, 1942 from Langley Field, VA: "I have been here since November 27. Just came back Christmas Day from a mission to Trinidad just off the shore of s. America. We flew some radar and radio supplies down to our base there. Stopped in Florida and the Virgin Islands for a day each. I can't tell you any more. You know "Military Secrets. " We are supposed to keep our traps shut but "Life" and "Look" magazines can publish anything they wish. Very peculiar indeed!!" --February 20, 1943: "Tried to see Uncle John while on a two day pass at his camp twenty miles from here, but he was in detention, no visitors. " --August 14, 1944: " We are giving the yellow rats the "kick in the pants " which they have had coming for a long time. Our climate is very damp in India and is the same over in China. "

Mary Jane Coutts b. August 1, 1920 in Madison, S.D., married William Pendergast, b. August 28, 19/5, a second Lieutenant in the Navy, in World War II and later a Captain in the 675th Tank Destroy Battalion. They m. October 26, 1943 at Camp Hood, Texas. Mary Jane was a second lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corp. in World War II. Her unit and husband William's were shipped out to different places. Mary Jane was flown out from Lea, New Guinea to Australia to have her baby.

James William b. July 13, 1944 in Brisbane, Australia, m. I) Mary Shue and had daughter Vicki Lynn b. November 30, 1963 and Julie Ann b. December 15, 1967, m. 2) Cecile Ribich Clark and had daughter Megan Rae b. December 4, 1982 and son Ryan William b. November 9, 1985. Jim retired from the Navy and continued his education.

Patricia Lynn b. October 25, 1946, m. 1) Bert Pickell and had daughter Shannon Lee b. March 17, 1966, m 2) Walter Baker and had twins Shawn Patrick and Jamie Ryan b. May 19, 197/. Shannan Lee Pickerell b. March 17, 1966. She took 6th place in Heptathlon in the Jr. Olympics in High School She attended the Western Michigan University at Kalamazoo, MI where she excelled in basketball. She played basketball on a professional team in Luxenburg, Germanyand twice in Trinidad.

Kathleen Ann "Mickey " b. April 7, 1949, m. Gerald Boss and had child Chenoa Ann b. September 26, 1978. They are both employed by the U.S. Postal Service.

Maureen Michele b. June 12, 1960, m. Jaime Madrid and had children Daniel Joseph b. Apri116, 1987, Kelly Erin b. February 16, 1989 and Kyle James b. July 25, 1991. Maureen went to Central Michigan University at Mt. Pleasant, MI and taught in CA.

6. Lucille b. November 9, 1898 in Madison, S.D., d. April 9, 1992 in Pasadena, California. Burial at Forest Lawn in Glendale. m. June 20, 1933 to William Wagner of South Dakota who died October 28, 1956. Lucille attended high school and the state normal school (now Dakota State) in Madison and taught school in Flandreau, S.D., Sioux City, IA and in the PasadenaIL.A. area of California. Attended University of s. California and received a BA at Pasadena/Point Loma College. Through New York University, School of Education, at the University of London she studied religion, education and government in England, Belgium, Germany, Italy and France for graduate credit. She also studied art, took a Caribbean cruise and visited the Hawaiian islands and Alaska. Many of Luci8lle 's letters to Goldie Stillson about the Stillson family history are quoted in this book.

Nancy Lucinda b. June 14, 1934, d. June 8, 1958 in a freeway automobile accident in Los Angeles.

7. John McKinley b. November 6, 1900 at Madison S.D. He married Edna Thompson at Madison on Sept. 14, 1966. He died March 5, 1988 at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Hospital In Sioux Falls at age 87. He served as CPO in the Nary during WW 1/ and also in the Merchant Marine. He worked for Hulde Construction Co. in Madison and moved to Sioux Falls in 1974. Goldie Stillson recalls that John was a Chief Petty Officer in the C.B. 's of the Nary. Two ships he was on were torpedoed and he was hours and hours on a life raft each time before being rescued. He fell from the third floor, when a scaffold broke, onto concrete and broke his neck and shoulder, but survived and had months of therapy. He was gassed twice in his home, unconscious, but he and his wife survived, but not his dog. He was a charter member of the Masons in Madison, S.D. and a charter member of the Elks Lodge. He worked as a plasterer. Burial at Graceland Cemetery in Madison, S.D. A photograph of John appears in the Family Photo Album section at the end of this history.

8. Dean Henry b. March 18, 1903, d. September 28, 1991, m. December 22, 1924 to Vannie Landess b. December 1, 1900 at Huntsville, Alabama. The daughter of John and Polly (Calloway) Landess. She moved with her parents to Kennebec, S.D. in 1917 where she attended Eastern Normal College in Madison and Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell. She taught schoolfor a few years. Vannie T. Stillson d. July 14, 1989 in Madison, S.D. Dean Henry followed in his father's footsteps and became an ornamental plasterer. He worked in Florida during "the boom." Both Dean and Vannie are buried at Graceland Cemetery, Madison, S.D.

Dean William Stillson b. January 29, 1927, in Madison, S.D. and d. November 22, 1987 in Minneapolis, MN., burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. He m. I) Maxine Welsh, m. 2) Mary Wallenstein.

Dean and Maxine had children:

Steven b. March 30, 1952 in Madison, S.D., d. February 3, 1972 in a car crash near Malstrom Airforce Base, Montana, while serving in the Air Force.

Reed

Robert Landess Stillson b. February 2, 1929 in Madison, S.D. married on February 7, 1956 to Roberta Doris Beard b. March 19, 1939. Bob is a plasterer contractor.

David Robert b. August 30, 1956, m. September 11, 1981 to Arlene Elaine Howell in Charleston, S. C. David is serving in the Nary and is interested in genealogy. He is stationed at the submarine base, Kings Bay, GA.

Jeremiah Lee Stillson (stepson) b. December 12, 1980 Tiffany Rochelle Stillson b. November 11, 1982 Elijah Elliot Stillson b. March 12, 1984

Brian Lance b. June 4, 1958 m. Teresa Hofer b. October 7, 1954 in Strandburg, S.D. April2, 1982. He became a lather.

Heather (stepdaughter) b. November 16, 1975

Janet Lanae b. May 13, 1961

Penny Lynn b. June 22, 1965 m. John Patrick Clausen b. June 21, 1962 in Henry, S. Dakota on September 23, 1989.

Alexa Nicole b. October 2, 1990

Maxwell Robert b. January 11, 1992

Jack Burdell Stillson b. October 11, 1930 m. Betty McMiller. He is a plasterer.

9. Melvin Marion Stillson b. February 6, 1905 m. July 5, 1928 to Goldie M. Benser b. June 13, 1909 in Volin, South Dakota, the daughter of Reinhardt Frederick "Fred" Benser and Clara Josephine (Hanson) Benser. See Generation ]V.

Research provided by Goldie Marie (Benser) Stillson

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LAST UPDATED: Oct. 15, 2000
Jan. 28, 2001  ©  by Margaret Lee