Obit: Staves, Ellen (1836 - 1911)
Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: STAVES STALLARD FOWLER RAETHER WOOKEY TRACY

----Source: HUMBIRD ENTERPRISE (Humbird, Clark County, Wis.) 06/10/1911

Staves, Ellen (1 MAY 1836 - 1 JUN 1911)

On Thursday morning, June 1st, 1911, God called Mrs. Ellen Staves to dwell with Him and her loved ones in the heavenly home, where pain and parting are unknown. She had lingered for a considerable time, patiently enduring the sufferings of her last illness, when her call to rest came. Mrs. Staves, who had lived in the community (Humbird, Clark County, Wis.) forty-four years, has ever counted her friends by the scope of her acquaintance, and the universal sorrow over her departure is only alleviated by the trust that it is better for her.

Ellen Stallard was born in Somersetshire, England, May 1st, 1836. She was therefore 75 years and 1 month old at the time of her demise. She came with her parents, one brother and eight sisters, to Rochester, N.Y., in 1840, residing near there until 1855, when she came to Kingston, Wis. to visit her sister. She was united in marriage Aug. 31st, 1856, to William Staves of Kingston. During there stay there, the civil war broke out and Mr. Staves, true to the call of the nation, left his wife with two little children at home and joined the union army. Mrs. Staves heroically bore the tremendous sorrow of losing her children by diphtheria. She then went south to her husband and remained with him during the closing year of his service in war.

They then removed to the town of Cleveland, three and a half miles from Humbird, and took up a farm in a then almost unknown region. By many a trial and persistent toil they succeeded in making a comfortable home for themselves and three children who were born after the war. On June 12th, 1895 her husband died. In 1896 she came to Humbird to reside, and remained in the village until the time of her death.

Three children, Mrs. C. D. Fowler, Mr. George Staves, and Mrs. Ella Raether, five sisters, one brother, and eleven grandchildren live to mourn her death. Mr. John Stallard, her brother, lives in this village; one sister, Mrs. Wookey, lives in Oakfield, Wis. Another sister, Mrs. Tracy, lives in Watertown, S. D.; the other three sisters live in the east.

Mrs. Staves, while a girl of sixteen was converted and joined the Baptist Church in New York State. She had a firm faith in God and especially in her last illness spoke of the happiness with which she approached her haven of rest. She was a most kind and loving mother no sacrifice over being too great for her to offer unto her children. In Mrs. Staves abode faith, hope, and charity, but the greatest of these was charity.

The funeral services were held at the M. E. Church Sunday afternoon, Rev. A. A. Marcy officiating, with an impressive sermon from the text found in Psalms 84:11. The three hymns, "One Sweetly Solemn Thought," "Abide with Me," and "Rock of Ages," were very beautifully rendered by the choir. The body was laid at rest beside that of her husband in the Garden Valley Cemetery.

Relatives and friends from out of town present were: Mr. and Mrs. F. A. Shute of Altoona; Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Stallard of Fairchild; Mr. and Mrs. H. N. Carter of Eau Claire; Mrs. Wookey of Oakfield; Mrs. A. S. Huyck of Duluth, Minn.; Mrs. J. A. Axt of Le Sueur, Minn.