The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-06
MOTHER OF PIONEERS.
heath of Mrs. ellison, a PEN
sioner Of the War OF 1912.
sEs EXPERIENCE IN CHICAGO.
.he ed From Indians Where 1t
slaDds-Mrs. Deiiiah Thomas Life
story-AIany Descendants.

Mrs Harriet Walker Gibson, one 90 the
,ssezt women in the city. a pensioner Of
.hs Evar OF 1912 and pioneer OF Illinois,
gso in her youth had to fee from Indians
ar the present site Of Chicago, died ia
~ cts yesterday. not OF old age. but OF
lancer Of the stomach, at the age OF IS
vaars. she passed away al the home OF
hsr son, John W. ellison. 1z9s I.akeyiew
greet, where she has made her home for
SIX years
agrs. Gibson was born at Lynchburg,
"a. MAY !, is07. and was the sister OF
George Walker, one OF the founders Of
giIwaukee and Of Isaac r. Walker. one
~ the early senator's from Wisconsin.
Wbile yet In her teens she became a pio-
nssr in VIII county. H., and during the
sank Indian war was obliged TO seek
nrotecfion In Fort Dearborn. Chicago.
she married James ellison in IsZs and
as the mother OF eight children. five OF
uhom are now living-Mrs. r. Lowe. Salt
lake: Nrs T.. Hicks. Kansas City. MIR.
II ellison. Salt Lake Mrs. Il. Boom,
houston. Idaho, and Mr.. John ". ellison,
~ Seattle. Her husband was a veteran
II the war OF 1872 and for many years she
has drawn a pension on account of his
services in that struggle. He died in 1853
and IN 1862. accompanied by three Of her
children, she crossed the plains and set
tied in Nevada. She remained there and
a Utah for more than twenty years. and
81 years ago came 10 this city. where
saa has resided with her son, John ". Gil
s0n, ever since.
Mrs ellison was a woman OF great force
~ character and performed her part
faithfully and well in every relation OF a
laur and useful life. She retained her
phvsical powers and mental faculties in
an unusual degree 10 the last, and while
she has been failing for some weeks. was
only confined to her bed for few days,
ard finally passed away without strug-
gle. The funeral will be al ] O'Clock to-
day from 1905 Lakeview street.
The funeral OF Mrs. DeIllah Thomas, who
died on Monday. took place from the resi-
asnce OF her daughter. Mrs. McAIanus. at
. o'clock yesterday afternoon. The SER
vices were conducted by Rev. w. 5. john
son. OF Ballard, assisted by Rev. ". a
Major. of the Second Presbyterian
church. About twenty neighbors and
friends followed the remains 10 their rest
Ing place in Mount Pleasant cemetery
and the numerous floral tributes were in
TERED with the body.
Mrs Thomas. al the close OF a long ana
useful career, died peacefully of Old age
Her maiden name was Deltlah ~ Grover
and she was born April Y. 1916, IN Yer
mont When she was but chila' heF
narents moved to Cleveland. ohio. ana
.hera sha attended school until I6 years
81 age. In 1885 she was wooed ana won
bv John Thomas. young farmer or a
nalzbbor!ng county. and IN 100 the coupe
moved to Eigin county, Iowa, whefe iAey
farmed for five or six years. Al TIE emu
~ that time John Thomas sold ms farm
and moved to Chickasaw county. Iowa. Al
tbst early day Chickasaw county was one
~ rho outposts OF civilization, ana Mrs.
Thomas had to go eighty miles by wagon
10 Az her marketing and shopping FOR
scrt,, wears these sturdy pioneers remain
al on their farm while the region anout
them became populous and cultivated,
In November. 1ss9. Mr.. Ihothas' VIZ
had always suffered from ASTHMA otli,'
sinrosed OF his farm and the couple
came 20 Washington, where seNeia OF
.hetr children resided. In August or the
fouovInr year. Mr Thomas died IN ran
f.ftv wash, OF cholera morbus. ar lis
advanced age Of 81 years. ShoruY ai'eI
.he funeral she came 10 Seattle TO pas
~ accliulng years with her daughter'
NJ AfcNanus who resides At interbay
yTera the beauty OF her character enoeaI
"a her 10 all with whom she came IN
contact. and her death is sincerely hiou' IL
"a bv All her acquaintanoes. -,
che vas the mother of fourteen chil-
dren ten Of whom are living ana nus
Forty grandchildren and twenty -,
,rs,,s+bildren. David Thomas, or ran
-. - one Of her sons. lie has been q
-. "a tbia state for twenty years,
go a. veil known among the pioneers.
Ms Helen Eustis, who died iast us,
a. her residence. 2iS Wall street 81 "'i'
failure. has been resident OF It's Cl's
- th, mast twentyfour wears. SRe VS.
horn .Iuiv + 1872 In eoston, and was there
married 10 Edward Eustis carpenter
Tune 4 1861. who d!cd fourteen years aso.
az the three surviving children the eldest
daughter, widow OF the late capt. Non
-, fs "a ,,vcaauf IN, A+aska