Mrs. Elizabeth Woods, of Harrisburg Township, Van Buren county, Iowa, departed this life on Tuesday, May 14, 1901 at 1 o'clock a.m. in her 89th year.
She was the consort of the late Alexander H. Woods, who preceded her to the better land some years ago, leaving her alone in the old homestead which they together had reclaimed from nature almost a half century ago and which is situated one and one-half miles north of Bentonsport, on which she continued to reside until the time of her death.
Mrs. Woods was the daughter of the late judge William Meek of Bonaparte, the progenitor of the Meek family of this state and county and the founder of the Meek Mills and factories in Bonaparte. She was the oldest daughter and second child of a family of nine children and the last of her family to depart this life.
She was born in Wayne county, Ohio April 8, 1813 and was therefore 88 years old, 1 month and 6 days when the summons came. When a maiden of 16, she moved with the family from Ohio to St. Joseph county, Mich. and there she met Alexander H. Woods, to whom she was wedded in 1834, being 21 years old.
Three years later the young people disposed of their possessions in Michigan and with the Meek family came to Iowa and settled in Van Buren county. Iowa was then a territory and the new country was sparsely settled.
The pioneer life was one of hard labor, privation and danger. They preempted 160 acres and purchased 80 acres more and building thereon a log hut, began life on a pioneer farm. To this many more acres were added until many hundreds of acres were included in the homestead.
By diligence and economy they were enabled to dispense with the log hut after a few years and then a roomy farm house was built which in time gave place to the commodious brick which became their home. She was the equal of her husband in building up and reclaiming the rude, stubborn land and in converting it into a well cultivated farm of so many broad acres, where comfort and luxury came to replace privation and want.
To this union were born eleven children, two of whom died in infancy and nine grew to the estate of manhood and womanhood. Of these two were boys and the remainder girls. Five of the number reside in this county, three within a few miles of the old homestead. They are Robt. M. Woods, and Mrs. Henrietta Leffler who reside in Vernon township; Mrs. Ellen Glascock, Sarah L. Edmundson and Mrs. Jessie T. Davis who reside near the old home. Mrs. Elizabeth DeHart resides in St. Louis county, Mo., and William V. Woods, who has been managing the largta county, Calif. All of the above children survive the parent and sorrow for her. The oldest daughter, Nancy A. Johnson died in 1872, leaving six children and Mary V. Woods died in 1883. Thirty-two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, the most of whom were present, also survive.
Mrs. Woods had been an invalid for many years, being quite poorly before the demise of her husband and since his death she has been very ill many times, on two occasions being confined to her bed for many weeks. But, having a remarkable strong constitution, each time she was enabled to rally and recover her usual health. In March of this year the beginning of the end came, at first shadowy and ill-defined, but as the days ended into weeks, became more marked until after about two months of illness, the end came. She was ever patient and always kind to those around her, and solicitous for the comfort of those who nursed her and would not permit anyone to sit up with her during the night, until it became imperatively necessary.
Only a few hours before her death was her mind beclouded, and with this exception her mind was clear and her judgment exceptionally good.
After a life full of usefulness and industry she has been called unto her reward. A faithful wife, a tender and loving mother, a kind and benevolent neighbor, a true and noble woman. Her life was full and complete. Thus passes into eternal rest one of our earliest pioneers.