Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-10-03
DEATH OF AUDUBON
COUNTY PIONEER
DEC BASED WAS ONE or EARLY
SETTLERS AND HELD IN
HIGH ESTEEM.

HIGH ESTEEM.
The death of Mrs. J. c. Bonwell
occurred Sept. q, at o'clock p. m,
at her home in Viola Center, sur
rounded by her sorrowing husband
, and children. The knowledge of her
demise was received by the COM
munity with great sadness While
it was known that she was very frail
. and weak her courage and hopeful
ness in her many past sicknesses had
been so great that her friends con-
fidenuy hoped she would be given
strength to withstand this attack
also, but her vitality was spent and
her spirit took its infinite flight to
Eternity.
Mary Ellen Miller was born
March Z. 1916, near Hilsboro, High
land county. Ohio, and died Sept. 81,
1918. at Viola Center. Audubon
county, Iowa. aged 70 years,
was spent in the state of her nativity
where she was educated, a student of
the Methodist Female Seminary.
She was married to John c. Bon
WELL Dec. 81, 1866. and in their
Ohio home a son was born and died
there.
In 1869 she, with her husband
came to Marion county. Iowa, from
there TO Monroe, Jasper county, and
in June 1875 to Extra. Ia. From
Extra Mrs. Bronwell with her fam
lily in 1876 removed to the Viola
home. where her loved body now lies
on the summit of the Great Divide
between the Mississippi and Missouri
rivers.
Here among the early settlers and
later friends she lived her life and
reared her family; and here among
me pioneers of Viola township she
wished to lay in the peaceful slum-
Der of death until the Resurrection
Morn.
She joined the Methodist church
early in life and was always a sim
cere and devout Christian. and ever
a devoted wife and mother, living
pure and beautiful life, an exempli-
fication of kindness and love for
family.
To Mr.. and Mrs Bonwell seven
children were born, three of whom
died in infancy and Lillian at the
age of fourteen.
The country was new and sparsely
settled in 1876, the nearest railway
stations being Glidden and Atlantic.
The years spent in building up and
improving the Viola home to its pres
ent state were happy ones: the trees
she helped to plant have grown from
young sprouts to stately monarchs
of the forest. living monuments to
the lives of Mr.. and Mrs. Bonwell.
While her children were in high
school the Bonwell family lived in
Audubon four years, where the old
est daughter was married. On their
return to the farm the second
daughters marriage was solemnized
on the anniversary of her parents
wedding day. Three days later Mrs.
Bonwell met with an accident which
left her permanently lame; this with
her failing health in later years
caused her to lead very retired life
which she was given grace to bear
with great resignation.
With husband and daughter, Mrs.
Bonwell spent the winters of 1907
and 1909 in Des Moines which i'm
proved her health to some extent.
With the hope of receiving benefit
from a warmer climate she spent the
winter of 1917 and 1918 in New
Orleans and Brownsville, Tex.
The husband. three daughters and
four grand children survive to mourn
the loss of wife and mother The
daughters are Mrs. Pauline Jewell
of Coop Rapids. Mrs. Gertrude Hoff-
man. Viola Center. and Mrs. Leora
Jewell. Magnolia ILL., One sister and
two brothers also survive Mrs. A.
NJ Lamm. Coon Rapids. Ia; Isiah
Miller. Coon Rapids. and N. F. Miller,
Knoxville, Ia, all of whom were pres
ent at the funeral, which was held
from the family home, where the de-
ceased had lived for many years. The
services were conducted by Rev.
Smith. pastor Mr.. G. A. TextOr of
Coon Rapids. formerly of Viola. had
charge of the music. The pallbear-
ers were long time residents of the
community.
"How strange it seems, with so much
OF life and love, to still live on
The dear home face that whereupon
The fitful freight paled and shone
Henceforward. listen as we will
One voice of that dear hearth is still.
Look where We may, the wide earth
DER
Her lighted face will smile no more
We tread the paths her feet have
worn
Well sit beneath her orchard trees
And hear like her the hum of bees
And rustic of the bladed corn;
Wen turn the pages she has read
Her written words We'll linger DER
But in the sun she'll cast no shade
No voice be heard, no sign be made,
No step be on the conscious floor.
Yet Love will dream and Faith will
trust
(Since He who knows our needs is
JUST
That somehow, somewhere meet we