Yuma County, Colorado Photographs

Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:

John Hiser, Gus E. and Lucy (Smith) Hiser,   Wray

JOHN

In 1880 Montgomery County, Iowa, John Hiser is a farm laborer, 25 born in Sweden, working for John and Lollie Finley.

John Hiser, born in Sweden to Olof Olson and Elizabeth Nelson, married Lucy Smith on April 24, 1884 in Red Oak, Montgomery County, Iowa.

In 1885 Montgomery County, John is 30, married to Lucy, 22.
His brother Gust E. 25 is with them.

John is buried in Wray, 1854-1889 # 59067616.

GUS

"Mr. Hiser is a native of Sweden, where he was born in 1858. In 1880, when twenty-two years of age, he came to America to seek a new home. He went to Iowa first, and there he worked on a farm for three years, after which he farmed for himself for two years. He became dissatisfied in the Hawkeye State and came to Colorado to better his condition. He located on a pre-emption claim of 160 acres five and one-half miles south-west of Wray, the land being fine soil and well situated. At that time the gentleman owned only one team of horses and a wagon, with very little money, but he faced his responsibilities with a stout arm and a courageous heart. The gentleman prospered from the beginning, and since then he purchased 480 acres more of land, making 160 acres that he now owns. In addition to this he has the benefit of a large area of free range. Mr. Hiser grows bountiful crops of wheat, corn, cane, etc. He has harvested as high as 3,500 bushels of wheat and 3,000 bushels of corn in one season, the wheat yielding twenty bushels an acre and the corn as high as fifty-five bushels an acre. Last year he harvested 100 tons of cane for his stock, besides large crops of wheat and corn. He owns ten horses, thirty cattle and a large herd of hogs.
Recently Mr. Hiser erected one of the most beautiful homes in the county and it is generously furnished with the luxuries as well as the comforts of life. It is situated on a gentle elevation and commands an attractive view of a wide expanse of fertile prairie dotted with the pretty homes of the early settlers. He has fine barns, sheds, stables, etc., and everything requisite in the line of agricultural implements. He has owned and operated a threshing machine for many years.
In the spring of 1890 Mr. Hiser married Miss Lucy Smith, an estimable lady who makes her pretty home a charming attraction to her friends. "

In 1900 Yuma County, Gust Hiser is farming, 42 born in Sweden and Lucy V. 37 born in Illinois.
Maud Hiser, daughter of John Hiser and Lucy, born Feb 1886 in Iowa, is with them.

June 1901 "Alexis Peterson of Red Oak, Iowa, arrived yesterday for a months visit with his uncle, G. E. Hiser. He is a practical typographer and his presence cheers the fraternity."
(Alexis Peterson was in Red Oak in 1885, 2, with P. E. 38 and Anna 40. Albert is 15, Axel 8, and Elrick 5.
In 1900 Peter is 53, Sophia 55, Axel S. 23, Alivis A. 20, Alexis A. 17, and Edgar A. 13.)

1911 Red Oak "There was an early morning wedding at the home of Mrs. Carrie Peterson, 1202 Eighth st., Wednesday, Sept, 20, when her daughter, Miss Lillie P. Peterson, was united in marriage to Mr. Russell Stephenson, of Red Oak. The ceremony, which was witnessed by a company of about 40 relatives and intimate friends, was by Rev. W. B. Thompson, of the M. E. Church, at 6:30 o'clock. A wedding breakfast of three courses followed the ceremony, and the bride and groom departed the same forenoon for Chicago to visit relatives, after which they go to Winona, Minn., for a visit with other relatives. They will be away two weeks. Proceeding the ceremony Mrs. Clarence Stephenson sang a solo, and she played a selection during the ceremony. There were many wedding presents. Among the out-of-town guests in attendance at the wedding were Alex Peterson, a brother of the bride, and his family, from Kansas City, Mo., Oral Stephenson, a brother of the groom, and his son, Burey, from Winona, Minn., Mrs. Mary King a sister of the bride, and little son, from Garfield, Wash., Miss Irene Larmon, of Omaha and Miss Flora Carmichael , of Corning. On their return to Red Oak Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson will make their home with Mrs. Peterson. Mr. Stephenson is a collector for the Iowa Telephone Co., and Mrs. Stephenson has been an employee of the Murphy calendar company for several years. Both are popular in M. E. church and social circles. Their many friends, including The Sun, extend best wishes."


July 1902 "G. E. Hiser received a brand new thresher this week. It is a Rameley with self feeding attachment , a blow stacker and a weigher. Mr. Hiser is an old threshing machine man, having run a machine in this community for years. With this fine new machine he will be better able than ever to do first class work. He expects to start about Aug. 1st. Gene Houch will run the engine."

May 1910 "Gus Hiser returned from his trip to Red Oak, Iowa, Wednesday. He went to that place to visit his sister, whom he had not seen for a number of years."

Gust Edward Hiser proved up a quarter in section 22, 1N 44W in 1894, about five miles southwest of Wray. Lucy V. Hiser proved up on in section 28 in 1892.

In 1870 Moultrie County, Illinois, Lucy V. Smith is 9, with John 58 and Ruanna 43. Mary L. is 23, William H. 22, Rosanna 20, Lewis 15, Navada 13, James A. and Leonard D. both 12, Lucy V. 9, and Albert F. 3.


Lucy V. Smith, 23, born in Coles County, Illinois, to John Smith and Ruanna Hamilton, married John Hiser on April 24, 1884 in Montgomery County, Iowa.

Lucy V. Hiser, 28, married Gustaf V. Hiser on April 4, 1890 in Yuma.

Lucy is actually Maud's mother, John Hiser 1854-1889 her first husband, and Edward gustav Hiser 1858-1924 her second.

In 1920 John is farming in Yuma County, 40, with Maude 34 and Marvin Crewson 13.

February 1, 1924 "Gus Hiser, well known and highly respected pioneer citizen of this community, died suddenly Saturday afternoon about 2:30 while seated in a chair in the Peoples State bank. A few minutes prior to his death Mr. Hiser had a fainting spell while standing at the Lambert corner in conversation with George Akey. Mr. Hiser fell to the sidewalk, but revived and was able to walk to the Peoples State bank, where he sat down to rest, believing that he would be all right in a short time. He passed away without leaving any farewell message whatever.
August Gustave Hiser was born in Sweden on May 22, 1858. He was 65 years, 8 months and 24 days old at the time of his death. The passing of Mr. Hiser removes another of the pioneers from this community. He came to Yuma county in 1886, locating on a homestead southwest of Wray a few miles. Old-timers recall the Hiser brothers, Gus and John, operated the first threshing machine in this section of the country. John Hiser was killed by lightning near the Bar 11 ranch in the late eighties, and several years later Gus Hiser was united in marriage to his brother's widow by whom he is survived. Mr. and Mrs. Hiser and a daughter by Mrs. Hiser's first husband, who is now Mrs. John Lippert, continued to reside on the farm for many years. They had one of the best improved places in the country. By their zeal, industry, good judgment and frugality Mr. and Mrs. Hiser amassed a comfortable competence, and as old age began to bear down on them they moved to Wray some years ago to take life easy. Several years ago Mr. suffered an attack of the ?? from which he never fully recovered. Of late years the deceased had traveled considerable, having arranged business aftairs so as to give him little worry. Mr. Hiser operated a threshing machine in the vicinity of Wray for a quarter of a century, and he was one of the few who made that business pay. He was a man who attended strictly to his own affairs, and at the time of death he probably did not have an enemy in the world. Honest and upright in his dealings with his fellow man, he commanded the respect of all. He was a lifetime member of the Lutheran church.
Funeral services were held at the family home in west Wray Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Greenway of the Presbyterian church of this city. He was laid to rest beside his brother in Grandview cemetery. He is survived by his wife, step-daughter Mrs. John Lippert, nephew E. Larson of North Park, and by a host of friends. The sincere sympathy of the entire community is extended the bereaved wife and other relatives in their hour of grief."

November 1924 "Marvin Crewson writes to the Rattler from Portland, Ore., asking for a change of address on his paper. Marvin is spending the winter there with his grandmother, Mrs. Lucy Hiser. He says they like it there and think that Oregon is a great country. Marvin is attending an electrical school and is getting along fine."

December 1924 "Mrs. Gus Hiser arrived home from Portland, Ore., last Saturday. Mrs. Hiser had planned to spend the winter on the western coast, but she was not very favorably impressed with the climate there, and decided that there is no place like Colorado, after all. Marvin Crewson, Mrs. Hiser's grandson, who accompanied her to Portland, remained in that city to attend school."

In 1930 Wray, Nevada Smith is 73, with sister Lucy V. Hiser 68.

August 1944 "Mrs. Lucy Hiser is accompanying her niece, Mrs. Mary Westfall, to Eugene, Oregon, on the latter's return from a visit in this community, and plans to make her home there for the present. The two ladies left on the train early this morning for the trip to Eugene."

Lucy Viola Smith Hiser 1861-1946 is buried in Wray # 58199297.
"Mrs. Lucy Hiser, pioneer resident of Yuma county, passed away Tuesday, April 2. News of Mrs. Hiser's death was received in Wray by Homer Smith, nephew of the deceased, and was contained in a telegram from her son-in-law, John Lippert, who has been spending the winter at Glendale, Arizona.
Mrs. Hiser has been a resident of this community since about 1886 and made her residence here for all of the intervening years until last summer when she moved to Monrovia, Calif., where she had been making her home.
The remains will be brought to Wray for funeral services and burial but the time of services has not been set as we go to press.
Mrs. Hiser is survived by one daughter, Mrs. John Lippert, one brother, James E. Smith, of this city and many other less near relatives and friends."


MAUD

Maud Hiser was in Wray in 1900, born Feb 1886 in Iowa, with uncle Gust Hiser 42 born in Sweden and Lucy V. 37 born in Illinois.

September 15, 1905 "On last Tuesday evening, at the home of the bride's parents, Miss Maude Hiser and Mr. Tom Crewson were united in marriage. These young people need no introduction, as they are well known in this community, and their many friends wish them a long and happy wedded life. Mr. and Mrs. Crewson departed Wednesday for an extended tour in the west."

"Thomas J. Cruson was born August 30, 1880, in the state of Missouri. He moved to Wray about eleven years ago. On September 11, 1905, he was married to Maude Hiser. He departed this life Wednesday morning, May 4, 1910. He leaves a wife and little son to mourn his early death. The funeral services occurred at the Christian church Thursday morning, May 5th, at 11 oclock conducted by the Rev. W. C. German and interment made at Grandview cemetery. The sincere sympathy of the friends are with the bereaved ones."
Thomas is buried in Wray , # 17097704.


J. V. Lippert, 32, married Maud Crewson on May 8, 1911 in Wray.
"John V. Lippett and Maud Crowson, southwest of town, obtained a license to wed, from the county clerk Monday."

"Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Crewson departed Wednesday for their home in Monrovia, Calif. Mr. and Mrs. Crewson came to Wray to attend the final rites for Mr. Crewson's grandmother Mrs. Lucy Hiser. "

In 1940 Wray, Homer D. Smith is 45, Ethel C. 42, Evelyn M. 18, James E. 81 and Nevada 83.

(Marvin J. 3, Thomas J. Crewson 28, and Maud V. Crewson 25 are farming on the Vernon road in 1910.)

Marvin John Crwson married Helen Marie Koerner in Multnomah County, Oregon on May 19, 1928.

1940 San Bernardino "HELEN K. CREWSON. as the Administratrix of the Estate of LOUIS G. KOERNER, deceased, "

Marvin J. Crewson 1906-1997 is buried in Bishop, California, with Helen M. 1906-1997.

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