Yuma County, Colorado
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Yuma County Pioneers:
Stephen D. Karns, brother Elijah S. Karns
STEPHEN
Stephen cash-claimed a quarter in 20, 1N 43W in 1890 - about a mile southeast of Wray.
In 1895 S.D. was a member of the Wray G.A.R. post "Corp E, 99th Indiana"
March 1897 "Milton Briggs arrived from Republic county, Kansas, Tuesday, with a carload of stock and implements, and will go onto his homestead three miles southeast of town. This homestead was taken three years ago by Mr. Karns, guardian for Mr. Briggs, under the law which allows a minor orphan of a soldier to take, a homestead and is not required to live on the land until of age, although the land must be cultivated, and the homestead law must be complied with as to residence when the party in whoso name it was taken becomes of age. Through the foresight of his guardian Mr. Briggs at the age of 21 is in possession of a fine piece of land in a well settled community. "
Steven Karns is in the 1900 photo of the Wray G.A.R. members.
August 1906 "Uncle Steve Karns and E. B. Case will leave tomorrow for Minneapolis to attend the national reunion of tne G. A. R."
March 1917 "Mr. and Mrs. Max Newell who have been residing on the Steve Karns farm six miles southeast of Wray for the
past several years, this week sold their lease on the place to Ed Renzelman and will dispose of their farm
and household goods.
They expect to leave the first of April for Routt county and locate near Craig."
November 29, 1917 "Steve Karns was given a jolly surprise this morning when all of children walked in
with the announcement that they were going to help him celebrate his birthday anniversary, as this is also Thanksgliving day, they each brought a goodly supply
of delicious things to grace the feast and of course the turkey was not forgotten, but held the central place.
Uncle Steve, as he is generally addressed, is eighty years old today, and from the effort of his children,
we surmise that the day will be one long to be remembered by him with pleasure. Those who participated in the surprise were their two sons,
Charles Briggs and family and James Karns and family and Mrs. Mattie Briggs and children."
January 1923 "Monday was a day of fires. The fire alarm was turned in about 11 : 30 Monday morning, when the Steve Karns barn was discovered to be on fire. The Wray firemen
responded to the call and succeeded in extinguishing the flames before the fire had gotten under great headway. This fire was the result of burning trash in the yaid. One of the Briggs boys had been burning trash, and,
thinking he had put the fire out, began washing windows at the Karns home. Sparks from the fire in the yard must have blown
into the barn. Considerable damage was done to the interior of the structure, but the outside appears to be uninjured. "
February 1923 "The editor of the Rattler has been pleased to learn during the past week, when large numbers have called at this office to pay their subscriptions, that some of our subscribers are charter members. That is, they have been taking the Rattler ever since it was started nearly 38 years ago.
Among those who have taken the paper from the beginning are Wm. Grigsby, Byron Groves and Glen Bolander. Steve Karns has been a subscriber to the Rattlers 37 years. "
Mary A. Karns 1845-1928 and Stephen 1837-1929 are buried in Wray.
Mary Anna Prince was born Feb 16, 1845 in Wurtemberg, Germany, and ame to Ameica with her parents at the age of seven years. She married Halsey Briggs in 1862 at Rochester, New York, and had four children. Milton died at Jaqua, Kansas in 1913. Halsey died in 1876, and in 1880 she married S.D. Karns of Hubbell, Nebraska. They adopted James Karns of Wray and Mrs. R.A. Price of Wray.
April 1929 
The two spaces between them and the Hissong family are not listed in the cemetery records.
Lula Margaret (Goodwin) Karns 1881-1959 is buried in Wray # 19553450, dying in Morgan County, Colorado. James Arthur Karnes 1881-1959 is also buried in Wray.
"Married 23 Nov 1907 Wray, Yuma.CO - Lula Margaret Goodwin"
"James Karns, south of town, and Miss Lulu Goodwin of the city,
were united in marriage at Akron last Sunday, Rev. Froegel,
pastor of the Catholic church of this district, officiating.
By this marriage is consumated in holy bonds of wedlock two of the most
deserving young people of this vicinity. Jim, as he is known to a host of friends,
is the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. S. . Karns, and is a persevering and
prosperous farmer. By sturdy character, stick-to-it-iveness and geniality he
has won for himself a prominent position in the front ranks of our well-to-do
agriculturalists. Mrs. Karns, nee Miss Goodwin, is the eldest daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. C. Goodwinof this city, and has been for the past four years one
of Yuma county's successful teachers. She is a charming lady of a large
circle of friends. This happy couple have gone to housekeeping on the
Karns home farm, and where the earnest congratulations of their many
friends follow them. Monday evening a large crowd of their friends,
old and young, surrounded their home, and, after giving them
a tin pan serenade, these friends took possession of the house
and proceeded to give them a house warming by getting
an oyster supper feast, the ingredients of which they had taken the
precaution to bring with them. It is reported that a most
enjoyable evening followed this outburst of good fellowship ."
In 1910 Yuma County, James H. Karnes 27 born in Kansas and Lula M. 27 born in Illinois are farming.
March 10, 1911 "A girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Karns south of town, last Friday evening.
This is the first born for this popular young married couple, and they are justly proud of the little one. "
May 17, 1917 "A baby girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. James Karns of two miles south of Wray Sunday."
In 1920 Yuma County, James and Lula have Mary 8, Leora 2, and Roy 1.
In 1930 Yuma County, J.A. and Lula have Mary 18, Leora 12, and Donald J. 11.
May 21, 1909 "Mrs. C. Goodwin arrived from Clarksville, Minn., last Sunday to visit her daughter, Mrs. Lula Karns, who has been very ill. "
July 23, 1909 "Mrs. Clarence Goodwin, accompanied by her daughters, Bessie Goodwin and Mrs. James Karns, left Tuesday night for her home in Clarksville, Minnesota."
October 31, 1940 
ELIJAH
August 1917 "E. S. Karns of Crab Orchard, Nebraska, accompanied by his wife, is visiting his brother, Uncle Steve Karns, and wife, they arriving in Wray the first of the week. Mr. Karns has visited Wray many times during the past years, and has many friends hero who are always pleased to greet him. "
May 11, 1922
"Elijah S. Karns, aged citizen of Wray, and an honored soldier of tho civil war, passed away at the home
of his daughter, Mrs. Dick Coston, on Monday, May 8, following a lingering illness that lasted over a period of more
than six months. He was born in Ohio on August 26, 1842. Mr. Karns had been in failing health for some time before his
death and hia demise wns the result of the ravages of old ago. He was 70 years, ? months and 12 days old.
The body, accompanied by bis daughter, Mrs. Dick Coston, was taken back to Crab Orchard, Nebraska, for burial.
Mr. Karns had been a citizen of this city much of
the time during the past ten years. He was a member of the Baptist church, likewise of tho Modern Woodmen lodge.
His going marks the passing of another of the brave boys who wore the blue.
Mr. Karns served his country with credit to himself and honor to his land during the struggle between the north and the south.
He took part in some of the biggest battles of the war and was twice wounded in a single day.
Mr. Karns is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Dick Coston of this city and Mrs. Russia Rothell of Vesta, Nebraska.
He is also survived by a brother, Steve Karns, of this city, and by many less near relatives and friends.
The Rattler extends sincere sympathy to the bereaved relatives."
"
ROTHELL, GEORGE DOWNING: Retired; b Oskaloosa, Ia Mar 15, 1858; s of Charles George Rothell-Ann Maria Gilspa; ed Oskaloosa Ia; m Russia Florence Karns Nov 15, 1892 Crab Orchard (dec); s Charles Elijah (dec), Frank Steven; 1879 came to Johnson Co, farmed with three brothers & father until 1883; 1883-90 farmed with father; 1890-owner of home farm on which he has lived 60 years; past Johnson Co commr; mbr sch bd dist 44, 2 terms; mbr dist 8 sch bd 2 terms; only living mbr of 5 on bldg com of U B ch, Rosehill; hobby, livestock; res Tecumseh.
April 18, 1918 "Announcements were received in Wray this morning of the marriage of Mr. R. H. Coston and Miss Georgana Karns, that occurred at the home of the bride s father at Crab Orchard, Nebraska, Tuesday the l5th.
However the happy couple had returned to Wray and made their marriage known before the announcements were received. The groom is one of Yuma county s progressive young men, and he has spent his entire life here with the exception of two or three years in Wyoming.
The bride is the niece of Uncle Steve Karns and has visited here a number of times, and last summer was in Wray nearly the entire time. She is daughter of Mr. E. S. Karns of Crab Orchard. Each of the contracting parties to this wedding has a large circle of warm friends in Wray, who join in extending congratulations. They will be at Home in Wray after May 15. "
Georgia Karns Coston 1877-1960 is buried in Vesta, Nebraska, with Rihard Hayes Coston 1875-1952.
MILTON BRIGGS
January 8, 1914
"Rev. Francis Gerrett Delivers Address to Largest Crowd Ever Assembled on a Like Occasion In Wray.
The funeral of Milton C. Briggs, whose death we announced last week, was held at the Christian church in Wray last Saturday afternoon. The burial was in charge of the Woodmen of the World lodge, and the funeral address was made by Rev. Francis Gerrett, pastor of the Christian church, who, in well chosen words, called attention to the
mortality of man and the purpose of him being placed here by his Creator,
and of the hope of eternal life, through the Redeemer. The body was laid to rest in Grandview
cemetery with the impressive burial service of the W. O. W. lodge. Mr. Briggs was one of the
early settlers of this part of the county, moving here at the age of twenty-one,
with his young wife. They filed on a homestead southeast of Wray and lived in that locality until
two years ago, when they moved to Jaqua, Kansas, where they kept a general merchandise store
until Mr. Brigg's death. Milton C. Briggs was born August 12, 1868, at Des Moines, Iowa.
He moved to the state of Kansas in 1870 and was married to Matilda Graham of Hubble, Nebraska,
January 13, 1889, when the young couple moved to Colorado. He died at his home in Jaqua,
Kansas, December 31, 1913. He leaves to mourn his departure, his wife,
five children and four grandchildren, and his mother and stepfather,
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Karns, of Wray. Mr. Briggs. Because of his freehearted, jovial nature, numbered his friends by the circle of his acquaintance, which was shown by the gathering of the largest crowd ever assembled in Wray on a like occasion, to pay their last respects before he was laid to rest. The Rattler unites with this host of friends in extending their sympathy to the bereaved relatives."
"
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