Laura Ellen Stewart Tyler

(Wife to John C. Tyler, my great-great-great uncle)

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Mrs. L. E. Tyler Settled here 55 Years Ago

Was Last Charter Member of Methodist Church

Funeral services held yesterday for Mrs. Laura E. Tyler, on of Cheney’s oldest pioneers, who died at her home on June 25, 1935 at the age of 81.  She is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Echo Quinn of Monroeville, Ohio.  A son, Marcus is now deceased and one daughter, Mrs. Grace Briner, died last November. Mr. Tyler died about 20 years ago.  Services were held from the Methodist church with Jerue Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.  The Rev John H. Secor officiated and burial was in Cheney cemetery.  Pallbearers were Lynn Peck, Ruby Kelly, Fred Osborne, Richard Roos, Bert Bowdell and F. R. Peairs

Mrs. Tyler left Montgomery County, Indiana at the age of 10 months, journeying to Minnesota.  She was married there in 1875 to John Tyler, leaving soon afterward for San Francisco.  They moved to north to Eugene, Ore. where they lived two years before journeying to Cheney by way of Sprague and Medical Lake, arriving here Oct 1, 1880. 

Mrs. Tyler was the last surviving charter member of the Methodist Church here.  She attended the first prayer meeting in Cheney which was held in what is now the Nazarene parsonage.  She also taught the first Sunday school class in Cheney, remaining in charge for about six years.  She was a member of the Cheney W. C.T.U. organization.

Read about:

Her journey to Cheney over the Cascades

The first religious services in Cheney

Her trip back east at the age of 77