Yuma County, Colorado
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Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:

Reuben A. and Harry P. Wiley, Jaqua

  Reuben proved up a quarter in 31, 4S 42W in 1907, next to Harry's in 1906. Reuben's witnesses were William Thompson, Harry P. Wiley, Clinton Browning, and Eugene V. Sparks, all of Jaqua, Kansas. Harry's witnesses were Clinton Browning, Melvin H. Thompson, Eugene V. Sparks, and Wiliam Thompson, all of Jaqua, Kansas.

From 1880 Twin Mound, Norton, KS census. Martin W. Wylie 43 farmer b. NY of parents b. NY, Sylvia E. 28 b. PA of parents b. PA, John E. 9 b. IN, Harry P 8 b. IN, Flora B. 6 b. IN, William P. 3 b. IN, Reuben 1b. KS.

From 1885 Noble, Norton, KS census. M. W. Wylie 47 farmer, Sylvia 30, John E. 13, Harry P. 10, Flora B. 8, W. T. (m) 7, Reuben 6, Addie M. 5, E.B. (f) 2, infant (m) 2/12.

From 1895 Leota, Norton, KS census. M. W. Wylie 58 b. NY, S.E. 42 b. PA, Flora 19 b. IN, William 18 b. IN, R.A. (m), Ada May 14, Stella B. 12, Nellie 10, Earl 8, Cora 6, Ida M. 4, Bruice 1 all b. KS.

From 1900 Sherlock, Finney, KS census. Rubin Wiley boarder 21 s. farm laborer b. Jan 1879 KS of parents b. NY & PA living with Lee Miles 69 and wife Martha.

From 1910 Orange, Norton, KS census. Martin W. Wiley 72 40 farmer b. NY of parents b. NY, Sylvia E. 57 m1 40 14/13 b. PA of parents b. PA, Reuben A. 31 d., Cora L. 20 s, Ida F. 18 s, Jessie (f) 16 s. , Charles B. 13, Paul 9 all b. KS.

From WWI Draft Reg. Reuben Allan Wiley, RFD3, Norton, Norton, KS b. 10 Jan 1879, farmer, NR Addie B. Wiley same address, reg. 12 Sep 1918.

From 1920 Belle Plain, Norton, KS census. Ruben A. Wiley 40 farmer b. KS of parents b. NY & PA, Addie 35 b. KS of parents b. IL, Mary E. 4 9/12 b. KS, Harry A. 1 11/12 b. KS, boarder Arthur Blake 65 wd b. IL of parents b. MA & VT.

From 1925 Orange, Norton, KS census. Rub A. Wiley 46 married farmer, Mary E. 9, Harry A. 7, Frances E. 1, all b. KS, no relation Minnie M. Merclin 46 housekeeper b. IA, uncle Arther Blake 69 b. IL.

From 1930 Orange, Norton KS census. Reuben A. Wiley 51 wd farmer b. KS of parents b. NY & PA, Mary E. 15, Harry A. 12 both b. KS of parents b. KS.

 

"Without warning, death came early last Saturday morning (February 22, 1931) to claim Harry Wiley, old time resident of the St. Francis vicinity. Friday afternoon, Mr. Wiley was up on the streets of St. Francis in his usual health, and that evening some of his children came in to visit with him and Mrs. Wiley, who have been making their home at the Frank Baxter residence in St. Francis for some weeks. Mr. Wiley seemed to be in his usual good spirits and the visitors remained here until quite late that night. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley had retired for the night when Mrs. Wiley noticed that Mr. Wiley was breathing with difficulty. She immediately summoned others in the house and called a doctor but the end of life was too near. Mr. Wiley raised up in bed, spoke a few words and then passed away. Harry Wiley came to this part of the country when a young man possibly not yet of age. He secured land just over the line into Colorado, near the little town of Hale and there he has lived the greater part of the time since that day almost forty years ago. He first came to Kansas in 1878, when just a boy and lived for a time in Norton county and from there he came to the Colorado home. He is survived by the widow and five children, four sons and one daughter. The sons are Ernest, Walter, Kenneth and Robert and the daughter is Maxine. All live in this vicinity. Funeral services were held at the Methodist church at Armel last Sunday and were conducted by Rev. Johnson, pastor of that church. Everyone in the community sympathizes with the relatives in their time of sorrow."

Malinda Browning Wiley, a resident of Yuma county for the past 80 years, died June 5, 1968, at the Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis, Kan., at the age of 89 years, 4 months, and 2 days. Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon from the Armel Methodist Church and burial was in the Armel Cemetery. Mrs. Wiley was born February 3, 1879 near Sparks in Doniphan County, Kan., and was the youngest of six children born to Lewis D. and Lucy A. Browning. When she was nine years old, the family moved to what is now Yuma county and her school days were spent in the sod schoolhouse known as the "Browning School." She was married December 28, 1897 to Harry Payne Wiley near Jaqua, Kan. They were the parents of six children, Maxine Brase, now of Lamar, Kenneth of Fort Morgan, Ernest, Walter and Robert, all of Hale, and Everett who died in 1924. Mr. Wiley died in 1931. Mrs. Wiley endured many of the hardships of the pioneer wife and mother but also experienced the closeness shared by the early settlers in joy and need. She united with the Methodist Church at an early age. She enjoyed teaching her Sunday school class and choir singing in the country schoolhouse where church services were held. Circuit ministers, driving from Burlington with their horse and buggy, often enjoyed the overnight hospitality of the Wiley home. She is survived by the four sons and their wives, her daughter and her husband, 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, one brother, Edward Browning of Fort Collins, and many less near relatives and friends.

Ernest Martin Wiley, son of Harry and Malinda Wiley, was born October 8, 1898, on a farm northeast of Hale, Colo., and died March 6, 1991, at the Good Samaritan Home in St. Francis, Kan., at the age of 92 years. He married Agnes Klie on April 16, 1922, and to this union were born three sons, Ward, Ray and Royce. Agnes preceded him in death January 16, 1964. He married Lois Dee, April 9, 1978. He spent his life at the family farm near Hale until 1987 when they moved into St. Francis. His early years he worked at the Jaqua store. He attended high school in Colorado Springs. His farming career started in 1922 when he purchased the family farm where he resided for 65 years. He took great pride in his farm, especially raising potatoes and melons, which he shared with his family and friends, thus making a host of friends. He was a member of the Armel Methodist Church and was interested in community affairs, having served on the Yuma County School Board for a number of years, the Armel Cemetery Board and helping in any way he could for the betterment of the community. He was a devoted father and enjoyed taking the grandchildren with him fishing. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife Agnes; sister, Maxine Brase; brothers, Everett, Walter and Kenneth.

1935 "The body of J. F. Harding, Hale farmer who was washed away with his wife and a son in the Decoration Day flood on the South Fork, was found a few miles west of St. Francis, Tuesday afternoon, according to reports from that section. It is stated that the body had been covered by sand and it is believed the high waters of last week partially uncovered it. The body was identified by Ernest Wiley, on whose place the Hardings resided. Funeral services and burial were held at Armel Wednesday afternoon. Mrs. Harding and the son were recovered just after the flood, the son near Hale and Mrs. Harding near Benkelman."

1923

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