Obit: Creed, Amy #2 (1849 - 1941)

Contact:  stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Creed, Lee, Noyes, Cendt, Derby, Korntved, Britton, Messer, Landry, Harvey, Cutts, Vogt, Salter, Evenson, Hebert, Altenberg, Calkins, Goult, Hansen, Langjahr, Lee

----Source: Spencer Record, Spencer, Wis.) 02/27/1941

Creed, Amy (2 FEB 1849 - FEB 1941)

AGED PIONEER OF UNITY DEAD

Mrs. Amy Creed is dead.  The gallant pioneer who accompanied her husband to this community on horseback when western Marathon county was almost inaccessible wilderness, died at the family home last Friday morning at 8 o’clock at the age of 92.  Death was due to a stroke she suffered Tuesday.  News that the first white woman in this community, mother of the first white child born in Western Marathon county and originator of the name of "Unity" for the village, had died spread rapidly throughout this section and brought sorrow to the entire area.

Legendary Character

For Mrs. Creed, affable and gregarious, was a legendary character in the history of the village and its immediately adjoining territory.  She celebrated her ninety-second birthday anniversary Feb. 2 by holding "open house" when persons from all sections of central Wisconsin came to pay tribute to her.

Mrs. Creed for years was a source of most of the early history of the community and, in spite of advancing years took delight in telling of early-day events of the vicinity.  She was fond of telling how she and her husband, Edmund Creed, had come to Marathon county from Plover, Portage county, by team as far as Mosinee and by horseback the rest of the way to what is now Unity.  The railroad was only a dream at the time and supplies had to be carried on the backs of men or on horseback.

Soon afterward, construction crews of the old Wisconsin Central railroad started track-laying in the community and it was not uncommon during those construction days for the Creeds to find members of the crew and nearby Indians taking possession of their home and partaking freely of the supplies so laboriously carried from distant points.  As the area opened to settlers, it became necessary to select a name for the community and it was Mrs. Creed who said, "We are all living here in unity, why not call it "Unity?"  The suggested name was adopted.  Up until the time of her last illness, Mrs. Creed took an interested part in the social and economic life of the community and was an active member of the Rebekah lodge.  During July, 1939, Mrs. Creed attended the Centennial celebration in Wausau, despite her 90 years, and delighted in telling the changes taking place since early in 1872 when she passed through the then lumber village by team.

Mrs. Creed was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Noyes and was born in Marion, Iowa, February 2, 1849.  Her father was stricken with the gold fever during the California rush of the same year and he joined the trek to the gold fields.  He was successful in his quest, but was murdered on his return and the family, in 1867, moved to Portage county.  There she met Edmund Creed, an English emigrant, and they were married in Portage county April 23, 1867.  Four years later Mr. Creed came to Unity and built a cabin for her.  A year later, in April, 1872, she made the long trip to Unity to become the first white woman in that section of the state. 

A year after the arrival of the Creeds, the first white male child of the community, Homer Creed, now a retired business man of Unity and a Spanish-American war veteran, was born to them.  Other children were born to the couple and surviving Mrs. Creed are two other sons, William and Charles Creed, both of Unity.  Her husband died many years ago.  There are also eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren living.

The funeral services were held Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. at the Methodist church with the Rev. Harry Lee, pastor of the church officiating.  After his sermon he read the following poem by Mrs. Pearl Langjahr, which was written especially for Mrs. Creed:

"You and I were talking

One bright and sunny day,

You asked me to write a verse for you

When you were laid away.

And now the day has come—

The Master has called you

To lay aside all earthly cares,

Life’s journey here is through.

But somehow words seem empty,

And useless the things I’d say,

Your life was an open book to read,

As you lived it day by day.

You were always kind and gentle,

As you trod the highway of life,

You lived as the Master would have you

In this world of care and strife.

And now you are sleeping sweetly,

Amid the flowers you loved so well,

Sleep on—till the Master awakens you,

In His mansion for ever to dwell.

Those from out of town who were here to attend the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Lester Cendt, Wisconsin Rapids; Miss Ramona creed, Duluth, Minn.; Charles Derby, Marshfield; Mr. and Mrs. George Korntved, Abbotsford; D. F. Britton, Owen; Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Messer, Spencer; County Agent Landry, Neillsville.  The pall bearers were Wells Harvey, Arthur Cutts, Herman Vogt, T. R. Salter, M. E. Evenson and Dave Hebert.  After the services her remains were taken to Plover where they were laid beside her husband in the family lot.  The funeral cortege was met at Plover by the following relatives:  Mr. and Mrs. Frank Altenberg and son, Plover; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Calkins, Stevens Point; Mr. and Mrs. Ottis Goult, Plainfield, and Mrs. Cora Hansen and son, Dancy.  The Rebekahs of which she had been a member for [remain text cut off from copy]