Yuma County, Colorado
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Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:
Jess A. and Viretta (Bales) Mitchem , 1 South 42 West
In 1885 Johnson County, Nebraska, Daniel Mitchem is 24, Rebeca 30, Jessie (Daughter) 11, Luella 10, Alonzo 8, Laura 6, Catherine 4, Elmer 2, and Roy newborn.
1900 McCook "Harry R. Desmond and Viretta Bales , both of McCook. They were married by Squire H H. Berry , Saturday evening , at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bales"
In 1904 Viretta Desmond filed suit for divorce against Harry R. Desmond, in McCook, asking for custody of minro son Harry Desmont.
Jess proved up 160 acres in sections 22 and 23, 1S 42W in 1915. His land was on the Kansas state line.
Dale Jess Mitchem was born March 6, 1912 at Haigler to Jess A Mitchem and Viretta M. Bales.
A 2005 Nebraska article about three brothers serving in WWII - Robert, Vernon, and Gale Mitchem "Viretta nd Jesse Mitchem moved their family of 11 children to McCOok from Haigler in 1919."
In 1920 Simla, Colorado, Jesse A. Mitchem is a well driller, 45, born in Illinois. Viretta M. is 37 Nebraska, Sylvia 14 Kansas, Eva 12 Kansas, a son 11, Colorado, Alva C. 9 Nebraska, Dale J. 7
P. Gale - a son- 5, Vernon J. 3, and Alvin newborn, the last four born in Colorado.
In 1930 McCook, Nebraska, Jesse is a well driller, 55, Viretta 47, Eva M.23, Elva E. 19, Dale J.18, Gale P. 15, Vernon 14, Alvin R. 10, and Marjorie H.8.
In 1940 McCook, Jess, 65 has no occupation - born in Ohio - Viretta 58 Nebraska, with Gale 25 and Vernon 23, Robert A. 20, all three are laborers born Colorado, and Marjorie 18, Nebraska,
Jesse Albert Mitchem 1874-1942 is buried in McCook, Nebraska # 11235209, with Viretta Matilda (Bales) Mitchem 1882-1959.
Harry Francis Desmond 1901-1986 is buried in McCook # 11235193.
Eva Maybell (Mitchem) Foster 1907-1993 is buried in McCook
Sylvia Annabelle Mitchem Rogers (1905 - 1991) is buried in McCook, with Clarence Harry Rogers 1901-1991.
Glen Kenneth Mitchem (1908 - 1959) is buried in McCook.
Elva I Mitchem Drake (1910 - 1992) is buried in McCook, with Victor C. Drake 1902-1980.
Dale Jesse Mitchem (1912 - 1996) is buried in McCook, with Fern Elizabeth (Worske) Mitchem 1918-1996.
Vivian Lavonne Mitchem (1918 - 1919) is buried in Simla.
VERNON
Vernon Thomas Mitchem of McCook, died on Friday, February 29, 2008, at Heritage Nursing Home of Wauneta. He was 92 years old.
Vernon was born on February 22, 1916, at Simla, Colorado, to Jess Albert and Viretta (Bales) Mitchem. He attended McCook Public Schools.
Vernon entered the US Army in August of 1945. He was honorably discharged after serving five months and five days when World War II came to a close.
On February 11, 1940, he married Catherine Worske at Oberlin, Kansas. To this union four children were born. Vernon was a truck driver for over 29 years for Burlington Truck Line and later for Consolidated Trucking, retiring in August of 1974.
Vernon enjoyed music and playing the guitar and harmonica.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Jess and Viretta Mitchem; his wife, Catherine on September 25, 2004; grandson, Jeffrey Brown; four brothers, Harry Desmond, Glenn, Dale and Robert Mitchem; and four sisters, Vivian in infancy, Sylvia Rogers, Eva Foster, and Elva Drake.
Survivors include his two sons, Gerald Mitchem and wife, Pat and James Mitchem, all of McCook; two daughters, Carolyn and husband, Bill McNabb of Denver, Colo., and Gloria Brown of McCook; one brother, Gale Mitchem and wife, Lee of Yuma, Ariz.; one sister, Marjorie and husband, Rod Brown of McCook; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and family.
ROBERT
Robert Alvin "Toots" Mitchem, 85, died Monday (Aug. 15, 2005) at his home in McCook. He was born Dec. 9, 1919, at Simla, Colo., the son of the late Jesse and Viretta (Bales) Mitchem. He grew up in McCook where he attended McCook Schools. On Nov. 9, 1942, he entered the United States Army and served in the 735 and the 743 Tank Battalions. He received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his actions at Omaha Beach during World War II. Following his discharge on Oct. 30, 1945, he moved to Denver, Colo., where he married Lillian Bryant on Aug. 22, 1953. They resided in Denver, Colo., where he was a truck driver for Consolidated Freight Lines retiring in 1966. He moved to McCook in 2001.
Vernon returned to McCook after the war, Robert moved back five
years ago. Gale lives in Yuma, Ariz.
Robert trained on tanks at Fort Knox, served at Camp Campbell at
Yuma, Ariz., and was then shipped to New York. From there, he
boarded the British troop ship, the Aquitania, bound for Glasgow,
Scotland.
From Glasgow, the troops went south to Wales and to South
Hampton, England, "where we waited for the war to come up," Robert
said. "We all hit the beaches ( Omaha Beach ) on June 6, 1944, 10
minutes before 'H-hour'," said Robert said, referring to the hour
in which a combat operations was to begin.
Robert and fellow soldiers marched through northern France,
across Belgium and within 44 miles of Berlin. At that time, Hitler
died, Robert said. Later, the Americans dropped the bomb on
Hiroshima.
Robert earned a Purple Heart for mortar shell wounds on his arm,
chest and stomach.
Gale served as a "handyman," he said, aboard the USS
Bougainvillea.
"Most of our job was loading planes and pilots in San Diego and
taking them out to sea," he said.
Vernon said his story is the easiest to tell.
"I trained for five months and five days in 1945, at Camp
Roberts, Calif., and then they dropped the bomb," Vernon said.
"Then they let me loose. … I had it pretty easy."
The brothers' grandfather, Tom Bales of McCook, served in the
Civil War and a couple of uncles served in World War I. Cousins and
classmates answered the call to service in World War II and
Korea.
In WWII, their cousin, Dean Clapp of McCook, was shipped from
South Africa to Italy, where he was killed at Anzio Beach.
More Mitchem and Bales cousins, nieces and nephews and Vernon's
son, Jim, served in Vietnam.
GALE
Gale Perry Mitchem, 96, of Yuma, Arizona died April 7, 2011, in Yuma.
He was born June 26, 1914, in Simla, Colo., was a utilityman for the Bureau of Reclamation and a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
A visitation will be noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at Sunset Vista Funeral Home Chapel, with funeral services at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at Sunset Vista Cemetery. American Legion Post 19 will conduct military honors.
MARJORIE
1952 "WHITEHALL, Wisconsin--Miss Edna Lindblad, evangelist from Cambridge, Mian., assisted by Miss Marjorie Mitchem, McCook, Neb., are conducting a series of evangelistic meetings at the Gospel Tabernacle here and will continue each evening at 8 through Nov. 23. The evangelists were to bring their messages both by music and the spoken word."
Silas R. Brown died Monday, July 28, 2008, at Community Hospital in McCook at the age of 75.
He was born July 26, 1933, at Maywood, Neb., the son of the late Hiram and Myrtle (Cox) Brown. Silas grew up at Maywood where he received his education.
He married Betty Wilson who preceded him in death in March of 1964.
On Aug. 15, 1964, Silas married Marjorie Mitchem in McCook and they spent their married lives in McCook. His early working life was with the Holostone Company in McCook and for more than 20 years he was a janitor in the McCook Public School System, retiring in 1990.
He was a member of the Assembly of God Church in McCook.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Dick Brown.
Silas is survived by his wife, Marjorie Brown of McCook; two sons, Rick Brown and wife, Connie of Oberlin, Kan., and Mickel Brown of McCook; one daughter, Wanda Mockry and husband, Randy of McCook; four grandchildren, Michelle, Rodney, Angela and Elizabeth; seven great-grandchildren; two brothers, Herb Brown and Robert Brown and wife, Marg, all of North Platte, Neb.; three sisters, Mary Schiltz and husband, Everett of North Platte, Neb., Virginia Campbell and husband, Melvin of Stratton, Neb., and Joyce Barlow and husband, Glen of Liberal, Kan.; and relatives and friends.
PARENTS - Daniel and Rebecca Mitchem
In 1900 Norton County, Kansas, Daniel W. Mitchem born May 1853 in Ohio, married 27 years to Rebecca J. Sept 1856, Cliyde Feb 1885, Nebraska, Gurney D. Mar 1887 Kansas, Milo Mar 1889 Kansas, Bufert April 1891 Kansas, Wilber G. Sept 1893 Kansas, Floyd May 1895 Kansas, Vestal - son July 1898 Kansas, and a son not named May 1900.
In 1905 Clayton Kansas, D.W .Mitchem is 52, R.J. 49, Clyde 20, Gernia 18, Milo 16, Robert 14, Wilber 12, Floyd 8, Vessie 6, and Earnest 4.
Rebecca Jane (Buskill) Mitchem is buried in Simla 1856-1929 # 26402295.
So is Daniel Wesley Mitchem 1853-1930.
BROTHER - ALONZO
1902 McCook - Lon M. Mitchem, age 30, Clayton, Kansas -Florence E. Bales, age 21, McCook - married April 25 by county judge.
Lon Manual Mitchem registered for WWI in Simla, Elbert County, Colorado, born March 2, 1877, a laborer, wife Florence.
2013 - The family of Elsie Ruth Mitchem Detragiacke Bishop of McCook, Nebraska, is hosting an open house in honor of her 100th birthday. She was born May 3, 1913, in McCook. She is the daughter of Florence (Bales)and Alonzo Mitchem and granddaughter of Tom and Delsina Bales and Daniel and Rebecca Mitchem. The open house is Saturday, May 4, from 2-4 p.m. at the Hillcrest Nursing Home activities room, 309 W. Seventh Street in McCook. Her family includes her son, the late Stanley Detra.
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Anna Hartzmann wrote about her grandmother Leota "My grandmother was born in 1920. She married Verl "Buck" Mitchem in March, 1938 against the wishes of her father. Grandpa was born in 1914 and came from Kansas when he was four years old. In his early twenties he worked for Jake Hasart for awhile, then for John. This was how he met my grandmother. They lived on a farm north of Stratton. Their first daughter Drusilla was born in September, 1938. Their second daughter Cathy, my mother, was born in August, 1940. That same year they moved to Florence, Colorado. Grandpa worked for the steel mill. Later, they moved to Canyon City where he worked in the prison. They then moved to Simla where he worked in a filling station, then to Agate where he worked on a ranch. In 1947, they came back to live on a farm north of Stratton where Grandpa helped great-Grandpa. In 1952, they had another daughter named Bunnie. Grandma died in 1967 of a massive heart attack. Grandpa was remarried to Hazel Fisher. They both live in Burlington. "
---------------------------------------------------
Milo Frank Mitchem of 614 S. Ninth St., farmer and resident of Canon City 34 years, died Saturday September 13, 1969 in a local hospital at the age of 80 years.
He is survived by his widow Ethyle Berdie Wyscover Mitchem. They were married Aug. 22,1911 in Hill City, Kan.
He was born March 12, 1889 in Norton, Kan., son of Wesley Mitchem and Rebecca Buskell Mitchem. He moved to Canon City in 1935 from Stratton, and had been resident of Colorado since 1917, coming from Hill City, Kan.
Surviving in addition to his widow is a son Veryle Leroy Mitchem, of Stratton and three granddaughters.
Brothers and sisters, Mrs. Gernie Madden of Lenora, Kan., Bob Mitchem of Ogallala, Neb., Wilbur Mitchem of Grant, Neb., Ernie Mitchem of Denver and Floyd Mitchem of Limon, also survive.
He was preceded in death by five brothers and sisters.
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