Willis - Pioneer Photos Yuma Co, CO

Yuma County, Colorado
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Yuma County Pioneers

Ralph H. and Marian 'Mamie' (Avery)(Gibbs) Willis

MAMIE'S FAMILY
Samuel Avery was born in 1826 and died in 1910 on his farm at Huntley, Nebraska. He was buried as a Civil War Veteran in Huntley. He served as a sharp- shooter in the 34th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Was a member of the G.A.R. He owned a farm near Wilcox, Nebraska many years before moving to the smaller farm near Huntley. Married Rachel Dunbur in 1890. His ancestors came from France to Canada and .were hunters and trappers for the fur companies there. Later many of them migrated to the United States. Married his first wife, Marion E. Frost, February 19, 1863 . She was born in 1846 and died in 1876 when the last child was a baby. Her ancestors came to Canada from Hollan, and from there to the United States. Afte her death the children were all scattered among relatives and friends. Their father spent many years trying to located all of them again.
Julia Ann Jemima Avery was born May 26, 1867 in covered wagon in Illinois.

In 1870 they're in Chickasaw County, Iowa, Samuel 42, Marion 24, William 6, Henry 4, Julia 3, and Florence 1.

(Samuel L. Avery 1827-1910 is buried in Harlan County, Nebraska. # 16784201.)

(Florence May Thorpe, born Dec 27, 1869 in Steamboat Rock, Iowa, died March 14, 1927 in Plymouth County, Iowa, to be buried in Riverside Cemetery.)

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Henry E. Avery 1862-1935 is buried in Brush, Colorado # 52262077.

In 1880 Julia Avery, 13, is a servant for Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Fowler in Hardin County, Iowa.

EUGENE AND MAMIE

Ruth Marion Gibbs was born July 21, 1897 in Mason City, Iowa to E.D. Gibbs and Marion Avery.

In 1900 Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Marian is 26, with Eugene D. Gibbs, 49. She has Ruth 2 and Eugene three months.

Eugene D. Gibbs 1852-1903 is buried in Mason City # 46983082.

In 1906 Fort Dodge, Iowa, Marion (wid Eugene D.) lives at 1813 Central Avenue.

In 1880 Grant County, Wisconsin, Ralph Willis is 4, with "Platt" 49, farming, and Harriet 45. Adelalaide is teaching school , 21, Frank 13.

(Frank O. Willis, 22, married Bell Nowell on January 31, 1888 in Hardin County, Iowa. Frank P. Willis, 28, born in Wisconsin, was charged with forgery, admitted to Anamosa, Jones County, Iowa on October 27, 1894._

Jabez Platt Willis 1831-1906 is buried in La Crosse, Wisconsin # 107302179, with Harriet A. (Thomas) Willis 1835-1902.

R.H. Willis, 31, son of J.D. Willis and Harriet Thomas, married Marian Avery Gibbs, daughter of Samuel Avery and Marian Fronst in Mason City, Iowa Sept 13, 1906.

In 1910 Dundy County, Nebraska Ralph is farming, 35 born in Wisconsin, married four years to Mariam 26, Illinois. Her kids Ruth Gibbs 12 and Dale Gibbs 10 were born in Iowa, and step-mother-in-law Rachel Avery 48 is with them, who says she's never had kids.

August 1912 "Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Lynch of Evanston, Wyoming, were in Wray Tuesday and went to the Ralph Willis home several miles north where they in company with Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Hazelbaker have a claim near the Willises farm and Mr. Lynch who is a son of Mrs. Hazelbaker was looking around for one also. They have not decided whether they will locate or not."
1912 "Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Hazelbaker of Haigler came up to Wray Saturday and were met by Mrs. Ralph Willis of northwest of town. Mr. Hazelbaker is the proprietor of one of the Haigler hotels. They will visit a few days in the Willis home."

1912 Wray

June 1913 "Mrs. Ralph Willis, son and daughter, Dale and Ruth, of north of town were guests of the Lew Watson and Fred Washburn families at Sanborn over Sunday. " (Sanborn is south of Haigler, Nebraska.)

October 1913 "A new district was organized in the neighborhood about six miles north of town with James Funk as president, Phillip Haun , treasurer, and Ralph Willis secretary. James Thomas was chosen as the instructor and as such, opened the school Monday morning. Mr. Thomas moved his family Saturday from their farm northwest of town to the Glen Bolander ranch for the winter so as to be nearer."

March 1914 "T. J. Smith arrived in Wray the latter part of last week and will settle in the hills north of Wray and take a homestead as soon as that territory is again opened for entry. Mr. Smith is an old time printer and has been on eleven different papers in Colorado and Nebraska. He is an old acquaintance of the Ralph Willis family and will locate near them."
September 17, 1914 "On last Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Ralph H. Willis celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary at their home several miles north of Wray. About fifteen neighbors and friends came in to assist in properly observing the occasion and a most enjoyable and memorable day passed all too quickly. The guests were reluctant to depart, but did so with best wishes that they might enjoy many such occasions with Mr. and Mrs. Willis."

February 1915 "Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Willis of north of town are enjoying a visit from the former's brother, Frank Willis of Minburn, Iowa."

July 1915 "A birthday dinner was given to about twenty friends at the Ralph Willis home on Wednesday of last week. The occasion was in celebration of the eighteenth birthday of Miss Ruth Gibbs, daughter of Mrs. Willis, and the 70th birthday of T. J. Smith."

1915 "A brother of Ralph Willis has taken up a farm in the hills and is putting up a house."

December 1915 " Ralph H. Willis and family departed the first of the week for Arizona, where they will probably make their home, Mr. Willis having sold much of his property here. They have lived on a homestead north of Wray for several years."

Ralph proved up two quarters in 17, 2N 44W in 1916. Witnesses were Percy R. Byers, Philip Hahn, James N. Funk, and David W. Hahn.

Ralph Hayward Willis registered for WWI with a Wray address, born Nov 11, 1874, nearest relative Marion, farming.
Eugene Dale Gibbs registered for WWI with a Wray address, born Feb 20, 1900, farming, nearest relative Marion G. Willis of Wray.

MRS. WILLIS WRITES OF NEW MEXICO

Silver City, N. M. April 10, 1916.
Elmer Graham, Wray, Colo.:
Dear Sir: Please send the Rattler to us. We miss it very much and like to hear how home folks are getting along.
Ruth seems to be doing well, although she doesn't hold her weight, but time will improve that.
We are rather near the Mexican trouble. A year ago they came to Silver and stole all the ammunition from the armory. The armory is well guarded now and I guess there is not much danger of them getting this far for a while, anyway, on account of the troops between here and there. The trouble at Columbus, N. M. was much more serious than the account the newspapers gave of it. People at home do not realize how serious the Mexican situation is becoming. There have been several race riots near here and the people here came almost having one. There are a great many negroes and Chinese here as well as Mexicans.
In January potatoes, etc., were planted in the Chinese gardens at the edge of town. In February the fruit trees at Fort Bayard were in blossom. Lilacs and everything like that are in blossom, though somewhat blighted by a light snow.
Ralph and the kids can hardly wait until the season is out so they can go hunting. Ruth is missing a great many interesting pictures because she doesn't seem to feel like taking them. We gave her a kodak for Xmas.
Hoping that we will soon receive the paper, I will close.
Respectfully Yours,
Mrs. Ralph H. Willis, 104 Pinos Altos St., Silver City, New Mexico"

February 1919 "Mrs. Ralph Willis, formerly of Wray but who now makes her home in Brush, was in Wray the latter part of last week to visit friends."

July 1919 "Miss Ruth Gibbs of Brush, Colo., left Saturday for a few days visit with Mrs. Carl Lynch at Haigler. Miss Gibbs had been visiting at the Hahn family home north of Wray."

Ralph H. Willis and Marion A. Willis divorced in Adams County, Colorado in 1925.

Possibly the Ralph Willis dying 1935, buried May 29, 1935 in Florence, Colorado is the same one # 79509086.

One family researcher wrote:
Julia Ann Jemima Avery; born May 26, 1867 in covered wagon in Illinois. Dropped her name and took her mother's name of Marion Avery. Married Eugene Dale Gibbs, Sr.
Marion Avery at birth was named Julia Ann Jemima Avery, but so disliked the name she adopted her mother's name of 'Marion'. In later life she used the name Julia Marion, but was known most of her life by the nickname "Mamie."
She married Ralph Hayward Willis September 13, 1906 at Mason City, Iowa, with her children, nine year old Ruth, and six year old Dale present. He was born November 11, 1875 in La Crosse, Wisconsin and was a freight brakeman on the Chicago Great Western Railway. They resided in Mahnomen and Hawley, Minn., also Bloomington, Nebraska. Later they went farming near Haigler, Nebraska, and in 1911 he filed on a homestead six miles north of Wray, Colorado. Rented the homestead and eventually sold it. Moved to Silver City, New Mexico and operated a Confectionary store, later moved the business to Deming, New Mexico. After WW I returned to Colorado, living in Brush, and later on a farm 20 miles from Delta owned by the daughter. She disposed of it and the family moved to Delta, Colorado, and later to Brighton, Colorado where they were divorced in 1925. No children of this marriage. Court granted permission to drop the name of Willis and resume the name of Gibbs. She moved to Los Angeles, California with her daughter in October 1925-

Julia Marion Avery Gibbs, born May 26, 1867 in Illinois mother's maiden name Frost, died in Los Angeles County January 17, 1943.

Ruth Marion Wiley born in Iowa July 21, 1897, dying June 30, 1976, buried in Whittier California, per # 113856645, might be the Yuma County one.

Eugene Gibbs 1900-1965 is buried in Solvang, California, per # 140496458.
So is Lorraine Gibbs, 1903-1989 # 140496486.
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1903 Wray "Bert Willis sold his furniture on the street last Saturday at auction sale. He left Sunday night for Alma Nebraska where he will make his future home."

1914 Wray " Miss Eva Gibbs came in from Denver Monday, for a week's visit with her father, W. J. Gibbs."

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