Elzaidee - Thanks to the Mort familyClyde Ruben and Elzaidee Belle (Gilbert) Mort
Elzaidee Belle Gilbert, daughter of Mary Etta (VanOrsdol) and Wesley Lyman Gilbert.
In 1895 Washington County, Iowa, Lyman H. Gilbert and Mary A. have Ella M., 15, Olie 13, Katie V. 9, Frank L. 5,a nd Ora D. 1. Ella married Chester Philip Fish and they're in Muscatine Iowa in 1925. Her parents were Mary Ann DeGroff and Lyman H. Gilbert.
In 1900 Washington County, Iowa, Lyman born May 1852 and Mary Oct 1857 have Olie Dec 1881, Katie Sep 1885, Frankie Apr 1890, son Dee May 1893, Reuben Feb 1895, and Ferne March 1898.
Clyde Mort is in Lincoln Nebraska in 1900, a teamster lodging with the Adams family - they told the census taker he was born March 1880 in Nebraska.
The
Morts begin to leave Corning, Iowa as early as 1880. In January of 1881 James,
Jonathan II and Reuben took 3 wagons and seventy-five head of cattle, crossed
the river on ice at Rulo Nebraska, and made their way to Burchard Nebraska.
During the crossing the Mort brothers went through a blizzard during which a
number of the horses were lost. James cleared a piece of land and built the
first house in Burchard. The railroad was underway in southeastern Nebraska, and
so James found work laying rails for the Kansas City Northwestern Railroad.
Three years after settling in Burchard James died at the age of 36 in 1883 of
what was thought to be typhus. He is buried at Mt. Pleasant cemetery near
Jonathan and Mary.
There are many poignant stories told of how Laura Mort and her family survived
the great blizzard of 1888, of her finding work as a cook in Beatrice to keep
her large family together. As a teenager her son Ed lived with my great
grandfather Tom Mort. Of all the Morts I think Ed Mort best epitomized the
pioneering spirit of the Morts. In a letter he wrote to his granddaughter
sometime before he died he describes in colorful language the life and perils of
the Nebraska frontier. He talks about the sod houses of the pioneers, of meeting
up with Indians who wore washers as earrings, and of that extraordinary event of
the Cherokee Land Strip race when Ed Mort lined up with some 10,000 other men in
buggies and on horseback to race for land in order to stake a claim.
On
June 16,1909 Ed Mort married Cora Wilson and for many years worked as a railroad
foreman with the Burlington Railroad until he retired. Of the three children of
Ed Mort, Beth Springer lives in Edgar Nebraska. Very little is known about the
descendants of the two oldest daughters of James and Laura Mort, Mary Liana and
Effa Jane. But about the Reuben Clyde Mort family who settled in Springfield
Colorado we know a great deal due to the large size of this family, and also due
to the efforts of Hazel Jones, Zelma Current and Grace Stagner who organize big
family reunions.
James' stone is in Mount Pleasant, Pawnee County 32866163.
Laura A. Mort, born about 1854 in Missouri, married Isaac T. Marsh, born about 1851 in Kentucky, in Beatrice Nebraska January 15, 1890.
Laura Marsh 1851-1920 has a stone in Edgar, Nebraska -61839755 same cemetery as Edward J. Mort 1874-1973 and Cora L. 1889-1965.
One tree said Clyde married "Martha", then Clyde Mort married Elzaidee Jan 26, 1910, recorded in Boulder County.
Elzaidee - Thanks to the Mort family
standing Gilbert, Wayne, Zelma
seated Hazel Grace Clyde
Clyde Mort family - thanks to their 'net postings
In 1910 Rockland precinct, Clyde R. , 29, born in Iowa, and Elzaidee 23, Kansas, have been married 1/4 year.
Clyde was a witness for the claim of John A. Paxton in 1913 - both of Bryant, Colorado.
Clyde proved up a quarter in 13, 6N 48W in 1914.
He registered in Las Animas County, born May 2, 1880, with wife Elzaidee Belle Mort.
1920 census -
In 1930 Las Animas County, Clyde and Elzaidee are farming, with Gilbert 17 Kansas, Darrel 15 Colorado, Zilma 10 Colorado, and Wayne 8, Colorado. Elza's mother Mrs. Mary Gilbert, 71 is with them.
In 1920 Mary A. Gilbert, 62, born in Illinois, and Lyman H. Gilbert, 67, Ohio, are in Weld County, Colorado.
Zelma R. Mort married William Riley Masegee May 15, 1937, recorded in Rio Grande County.
Gilbert O. Mort married Bernice Clark Jun 9, 1935, recorded in Costilla County.
Clyde Ruben Mort - May 2, 1880 - Oct 4, 1951 and Elzaidee (Gilbert) Mort - Dec 10, 1886-Feb 23, 1936 are buried in Springfield, Colorado.
Darrell R. Mort- Sep 22, 1914 - April 15, 1995
Wayne L. Mort - May 7 1921 - Aug 11, 2002 are listed in the Baca County deaths.
Clyde R. Mort married Thelma F. Ethridge Feb 19, 1938, in Branson, (Las Animas County) recorded in Baca County.
Thelma Fay Ethridge Mort was a teacher in 1937 in Las Animas County.
It listed Hazel Virginia born at "Haxtum" Nov 20, 1911, marrying Tom Frost, 1881-1961, then Walter Alan Jones, and dying in Dallas Aug 8, 2003.
| CHEYENNE, Wyo. July 1989 (UPI)--Champion rodeo cowboy Lane Frost,
who was born in Kim, was killed in a bull riding accident Sunday during
the finals of the 93rd annual Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Frost, of Quanah, Tex., was killed immediately after he completed a bull ride that placed him second in the final performance and third overall during the nine-day-long rodeo. Witnesses said Frost, 25, had finished his eight-second ride and just dismounted from the bull nicknamed "K. Walsh." As the 5-foot-11, 145-pound cowboy laid on the ground, the bull turned and rammed Frost before being distracted by the rodeo clowns, witnesses said. Frost then rose from the ground, raised his right hand to signal he needed help, took two steps and collapsed, witnesses said. Laramie County Coroner Rodger Radomsky said Frost died from broken ribs which punctured a major blood vessel. Frost's death was the first fatality connected with the Frontier Days rodeo since a man was killed two years ago in an accident during the chuckwagon races held after each rodeo, Frontier Days officials said. Frost was the 1987 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world champion in bull riding, and had career earnings in his sport of nearly $500,000. The biopic "8 Seconds" was based on his life.
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Zelma Ruth born July 26, 1919 in Springfield, marrying Riley Massagee, then Ray Clayton Current, and dying Nov 8, 2005
March 1994 letter from Zelma Current, 789 W. 4th Avenue, Springfield, CO
81073
William Riley Massegee, my first husband of 48-1/2 years, died January 16, 1986.
On August 22, 1987, I married Ray Clayton Current born Nov. 27, 1915; he was
among my 1st boy friends. Back when I was sixteen he took me to my first
show in Springfield, Colorado where my dad Clyde Reuben Mort was a farmer until
the terrible dust storms of the 30's which ended his farming and we moved to
Branson, Colorado where Dad raised hogs for Heniretze & Safeway grocery stores
in Denver, Colorado for several years. Where I met and married William Riley
Massegee. We had 3 girls. Riley had very poor health, so I moved him to Tucson
Arizona, where 2 of our daughters lived. Doctors though it would be better for
Riley's health, he had emphysema and a bad heart. He lived 13 years there and on
January 16, 1986, he passed away from emphysema, pneumonia and a bad heart. We
had a very good life of 48-1/2 years.
My youngest sister Grace Stagner lived at Springfield, CO and she invited me to
come and visit her and husband Andrew Stagner. She mentioned Ray Current and I
told her, I had dated Ray Current fifty some years ago, she was too young to
remember him. When we went to church that evening, she brought Ray and
introduced him to me. We couldn't remember ever hearing of each other since our
date to the Springfield Theatre some 50 years ago. My folks moved to Monte
Vista, Colorado. I don't think I ever thought of Ray and he can't remember me.
He was married 45 years and I was married 48-1/2 years. His wife died 2 years
before in 1985. We dated all summer and married August 22, 1987.
Ray has 2 daughters, the oldest Shirley Close had moved in with her dad and she
still lives with us, the other daughter Virginia Basham lives in Springfield,
Co. They both call me Mom.
I have 3 daughters, all married. We enjoy our 5 daughters. Our 7 years of our
marriage is coming up August 22, 1994. I am so thankful for having two wonderful
Christian husbands. Friends and relatives tell us this is a great story.
Wayne Lyman born May 7, 1921 in Springfield, marrying Leah Carter in 1943, dying Aug 11, 2002.
and Grace Marilyn born Sep 17, 1930 in Springfield, marrying George A. Stagner in Taos in 1947.
| The Rev.
Gilbert O. Mort, 88, died at his
home near Wasilla on Tuesday, May
15, 2001.
A memorial service will be held
Thursday, May 31, at 2 p.m. at the
Wasilla Assembly of God Church on
Riley Avenue in Wasilla.
The Revs. Larry Griswold, Kevin Shumway, Gene Markle and Ted Boatsman will officiate. Rev. Mort was born Feb. 22, 1913, near Topeka, Kan. He attended Rocky Mountain Bible College in Denver from 1932-34. He also attended the Works Progress Administration and taught woodworking classes for the Civil Conservation Corps. He was preceded in death by his son, Kenneth Dwayne Mort, and brother, Darrell Mort. The Rev. and Mrs. Mort moved to Anchorage from Minnesota in 1959. They were pastors of Fairview Assembly of God Church until 1973, supply-pastors at Barrow, and worked in the Graehl Assembly (now called Jubilee Worship Center) in Fairbanks. In 1978 they moved to the Wasilla area. The Rev. Mort was a union painter, and held the office of treasurer for the Anchorage International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades for several years. In addition to being a pastor and painter, he was always involved in prison ministry. The Rev. Mort never really fully retired, but continued to be a chaplain for the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility in Palmer, and Palmer Correctional Center near Sutton. The Rev. Mort was ordained with the Assemblies of God in 1937. He always had a heart for missions and had made several trips to Russia, Central America, Africa, and Europe, where he participated in giving out the Book of Hope. He had been a member of the Wasilla Area Seniors since the early 1980s and was a faithful volunteer for many years. The Rev. Mort is survived by his wife of 66 years, Bernice; daughters and sons-in-law, Marlene and Levi Ratzlaff of Wasilla, Glenda and Jim McKim of Melrose Park, Ill., and Coleen and Larry Griswold of Carlinville, Ill.; grandchildren, Gary Ratzlaf and his wife, Monique, of Wasilla, Greg Ratzlaf of Nome, Rochelle Markle and husband, Gene, of Homer, Scott McKim of Melrose Park, Ill., Maxine Mrock and her husband, Gary, of Necedah, Wis., Brad McKim of Melrose Park, Ill., Todd Griswold of East St. Louis, Ill., and Terri Griswold of Vilnius, Lithuania; great-grandchildren, Rebekah Ratzlaff of Oregon, Rachel and Zachaery Rtzlaff of Wasilla; Kirstin, Sean and Alicia Markle of Homer, Mickey Masella of Melrose Park, Ill., Tyler Griswold of Joliet, Ill., and Zachery McKim of Calif.; brother, Wayne Mort of Springfield, Colo.; sisters, Hazel Jones of Texas, Zelma Current of Colo., and Grace Stager of Oklahoma, and numerous nieces and nephews.
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