Yuma County, Colorado
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Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:

John Starnes , 1 South 43 West


Eldridge and Emily (Jenkins) Starnes were married in Illinois,
John was born Dec 10 1871 at Carthage Illinois, and came to Yuma County in a covered wagon with his brother George.
In 1880 Hancock County, Illinois, Eldridge "Staarnes" is 56, Emeline 48, Pleasant M. 16, Orlena 14, Samuel 12, George W. 11, John 9, WIlliam F. 6, and Sarah E. 4.
In 1885 Union County, Iowa, Eldredg H. Starnes is 59, Emaline 43, Orlena 18, Samuel 17, George 14, John 13, William F. 9, and Sarah E. 8.
Eldridge H. Starnes 1828-1914 and Emeline 1840-1914 are buried in Union County, Iowa # 10846897.

After his homestead, he went to Phoenix, Arizona and worked on the streets. After about a year, he came back to sign up on the homestead.

John Starnes married Alfretta Sample April 27, 1898, recorded in Yuma County.
In 1900 John Starnes, born Dec 1871 in Illinois, married two years to Alfretta Aug 1870 Iowa, have Mary E. June 1899 and John E. March 1900, both Colorado.
1901 Laird items "Jno. Starns is suffering from rheumatism."
Wray, May 8, 1903 "Dr. Johnston reports a big baby boy at the home of John Starnes southesast of town ."

John proved up 120 acres in sections 25 and 26, 1S 43W in 1922.
1914 "John Starnes is putting in 70 acres of wheat and will plant 100 acres of corn."
1923 "John Starns and sister Nellie motored to the home of their parents south of Laird last Sunday and spent the day. Other guests at the Starns home were Mr. and Mrs. Sample and Dson Dewey."
January 28, 1915 "Mrs. Geo Starnes is seriously ill at their home south of Laird, following the birth of a child which died at the time of birth."
1915 Laird - Fred Sample and family 'Sundayed' at John Starnes.
Alfretta died Nov 6, 1941 and John Nov 14, 1947.


Mary married Ross Cuney June 2, 1930, who died in 1954, then married Jack Hutt in 1958.
John worked on elevators in Kansas and then to St. Louis where he died in 1956.
Nell married George Blacker (Colorado records show a George J. Blocker - marriage recorded in Kit Carson County March 2, 1931) and they ran a cleaning establishment. She died in 1944.
Ernest lived all his life in Yuma County, marrying Ina Briggs - April 22, 1930 - and lived ten miles south of Wray, dying in 1966.


Donald Ray Starnes was born on November 25, 1930, the first child of Ernest Ray and Ina G. Briggs Starnes on a farm six miles south of Wray, CO at his grandparent Briggs' homestead. Dr. Kitzmiller had to come from Wray by sleigh and horses over snowdrifts higher than fences to make the delivery. He was born on his mother's 21st birthday. He died on December 30, 2011 after fighting cancer for twenty years. He was listed on the Cradle Roll at the Wray Christian Church in 1933, and was baptized as a teenager in 1946 by emersion, joining the church that day. He later transferred to the Akron Methodist Church in 1960 and upon moving to Yuma transferred his membership there. Don became a 50-year member in 2010 of the Yuma United Methodist Church. He had a deep and loving relationship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that helped him through many trials and sorrows. He attended Glendale School, District No. 46, through the sixth grade and junior high and high school at Wray. He graduated from Wray High School in 1949. Don was very proud to serve in the United States Marine Corps from August 1949 to December 1952 during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged at that time with the rank of Sergeant. Semper Fi was his motto throughout his life.
Joe married Emma Prentice, moved to Lamoni Iowa, where they farmed and then worked for Graceland College.

Emma Idella Starnes, age 92 of Lamoni, Iowa, daughter of Jay Roy and Bessie Alice [Jordan] Prentice, was born July 3, 1918 in Wray, Colorado and died September 15, 2010 at the Lamoni Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Emma grew up in Colorado and graduated from Wray High school. She then attended business school in Chicago. After returning to Wray, she was a health aide for the Starnes Family, where she met Joe Starnes.

Emma and Joe Sample Starnes were married September 17, 1941 and began their married life on a farm in Laird, Colorado. In 1948, they moved to their farm north of Lamoni. Four children were born to Emma and Joe: Ardyce Idella, Ronald Joe, Mary Joyce, and Kenny Ray.

Emma worked side-by-side with Joe on the farm. She helped with the milking operation, raised chickens, helped with the cattle and hogs, worked in the fields, and kept meticulous books. Emma also spent 20 years at the Swarm Inn Snack Shop at Graceland College, retiring in 1980.

Emma and Joe moved from the farm into their house in Lamoni in 1965. She enjoyed playing the piano, doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles, watching game shows, playing cards and watching her family play softball and baseball. Emma was a lifetime diary journalist and wrote long letters to her family and friends.

She was baptized into and a member of the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Preceding Emma in death were her parents; husband Joe Starnes in 1991; daughter Ardyce Judson; grandson Jon Ryan Lighthill; and brothers Keith, Gerald, and Ronald Prentice.

She is survived by her children: Ron Starnes of Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania, Joyce Lighthill and husband Duane of Hatfield, Missouri, and Kenny Starnes and wife Dianna of Littleton, Colorado; son in law Duane Judson of Dallas, Texas; 6 grandchildren: Scott Judson and wife Misty, Shelly Allen and husband Kevin, Danielle Gebert and husband Jim, Jay Starnes, Lyndsay Bellinger and husband Terry, and Dylan Starnes; 9 great grandchildren: Shelby, Jordan, Joshua, Rebekah, Taber, Emma, Hunter, Elizabeth, and Dakota; sister Carolyn Hubbard and husband Max of Reasoner, Iowa; brothers Deane Prentice of Sacramento, California and Elmo Prentice and wife Barbara of Lake Havasu, Arizona; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.


GEORGE
George was in Fairbault County Minnesota in 1900, farming, born January 1871 in Illinois.

In 1910 George is living alone in Yuma County - next to the Nelson H. Rife family..
George proved up a quarter in 33, 2N 42W in 1911, across the road northwest of the Hansahaw Cemetery.

1913 "Miss Lona Armstrong of Scotts Bluff Nebraska, who is spending the summer with her sister, Mrs. Arthur Rice, and family of southeast of town..."
In October 1913 Miss Lona Armstrong had been assisting in the Fliesbaugh sale since its beginning.
1913
1916 "Born to Mr. and Mrs. George Starns of twelve miles southeast of Wray, Thursday, September 21, an girl baby."
1919 - the George Starnes family of near Laird were planning to leave soon for the mountains in search of a new location.
July 1919 - George Starnes family purchased a fruit farm near Boulder and will take possession about September first..
In 1920 Boulder County George is 50, farming, with Lona B. 45 Iowa and Edna M. 3.

1899 "Messrs. A.C. Iles and Samuel Starnes, from Union County, Iowa, the latter a brother of John Starnes, of Laird precinct, arrived Tuesday and expect to make their home in this section.

In 1930 Denver, George is a real estate salesman, with Lona and Edna, 13 - they have two boarders.
When Edna May applied for social security, she said she was born Sept 20, 1916 to George W. Starnes and Lana B. Armstrong. She was listed at Jeffries in 1964, Belec in 1980, and Squires in 2005.
Edna Mae Starnes married Thomas T. Jeffreys - 9 May 1939 registered in Denver County. Edna M. Belec married Harold Clifford Squires of Colorado in Las Vegas June 24, 1980.
One son of Edna was Jerry Jeffreys.

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