MRS. SEMIRA STAPLETON DIES IN 95TH YEAR

Pioneer Settler. Reared In Pioneer Times In Cuming City Twp.

TELLS HISTORY OF OWN LIFE

Semira Warrick Stapleton, wife of the late James Stapleton, passed away at her home at 200 West Colfax Street, Blair, Nebraska Monday, December 31, 1945 at the age of 94 years, 11 months and 16 days. She lived a beautiful life amidst the rigors of a pioneer experience. This can best be told in her own words in a letter dictated by her to the Baptist Church on September 24, 1944 when the church celebrated its seventy fifth anniversary. The title of this message was the “Recollections of a Pioneer Baptist”.

“It would be thrilling and with much pride if I were able to be present on this memorial day to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of this church. For the sake of the newer members, I will tell of my early associations and history up to the present time.

“I came from Hendricks County, Indiana to Cuming City in October, 1856, just 88 years ago next month with my parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Warrick. Our first home was four miles north of what is now known as Blair, and was called Cuming City, Nebraska.

“At that time I was six years of age and my earliest recollections of the Baptist church were the meetings we attended in the homes of the community and in our home. My father carried his Bible in his knapsack when he hitchhiked from Indiana. He later returned for his family and we came in a covered wagon.

“I recall vividly the day my parents were taken into the church, the weather was cold and the ice had to be broken in Fish Creek before they could be immersed. Such courageous faith was an inspiration to me. This was March 7, 1858 . . . In 1862 I was taken into the church at the age of twelve. It was there I received my early religious training and laid the foundation for the religion that has ever been a strength and guide to me down through the years. Eighty two years it has helped to fortify me to meet the problems and trials and has been a comfort and blessing to me in my declining years.

“In the year of 1881 my parents passed away and when the new church (this one) was built, my brothers and sisters and I placed the memorial window in it in honor of our beloved parents. Now I am the only one living of the family.

“In 1870 I was married to James Stapleton. In 1879 we moved to Burt County and lived there for some time. We moved back to Blair in May, 1919 to make our home and again returned to membership of this church. I would like to say in closing ALL PILGRIMS have a definite destination ahead of them and I still consider myself a pilgrim until I reach my Eternal Home. I hope the members of this church will be faithful and loyal to this church. May God’s blessing rest upon this church and its members.”

To Mr. and Mrs. Stapleton ten children were born. Mrs. Stapleton was preceded in death by her husband and three children.

She leaves to mourn her passing seven children, E. E. Stapleton and Mrs. Grace Simon of Omaha; Mrs. June Lee Titus and A. M. Stapleton of Craig; Harry C. Stapleton of Ponca, Nebraska; Mrs. Gayle Bennett of Fortuna, California and Mrs. Dayle Tornblad, Blair, Nebraska. There are twenty grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and three great, great grandchildren, besides a host of other relatives and friends also surviving.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday afternoon from the Baptist church with Rev. D. D. Kennedy of Blair and Rev. Reese, formerly of Blair, officiating. Interment was made in the Craig cemetery.

This closes the life chapter of another pioneer. But what a life! A life devoted to her conscientious duties, a life made dear to those who knew her for her kindly, cheerful outlook on life. What a wealth of pioneer knowledge she gathered during that long life of usefulness. Her memory will linger as a pleasant dream to her relatives and friends.

FRIENDS AND RELATIVES ATTEND MRS. STAPLETON RITES

Members of the immediate family of Mrs. Semira Stapleton in attendance at her funeral were Mesdames Grace Simon and E. E. Stapleton of Omaha; Mrs. June Lee Titus and A. M. Stapleton of Craig; and Mrs. Dayle Tornblad of Blair.

Relatives from out of town were Mrs. and Mrs. S. L. Gardner and Mrs. Leonard Ericksen of Omaha; Mrs. Betty MeHarry of San Francisco, California; Messrs. and Mesdames Stanley Titus, Omer Titus and John Bowland of Craig; Kenneth Stapleton of Ponca, Nebraska; Major and Mrs. Everett Swanson of Omaha; and Mr. and Mrs. Leland Swanson and Douglas of Hooper, Nebraska.

Out of town friends present were Mr. and Mrs. Harry Whitaker of Omaha; Mesdames Archie Corbin and Herbert Bennett of Tekamah; Mrs. Frank Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Jess Freeman, Clyde Freeman and Charles Clark, all of Craig; and Mrs. Kate O’Dell of Council buffs, Iowa.

The pallbearers were Messrs H. J. Cooke, Clifford Krause and Mark Beaty of Blair; Stanley Titus and Omer Titus of Craig; and Kenneth Stapleton of Ponca, Nebraska.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #53451870