McCabe and Heise from Ireland, Germany and the Mid-West:Information about Zilpha Sylvia Ann Watson
Zilpha Sylvia Ann Watson (b. March 04, 1839, d. December 31, 1938)
Notes for Zilpha Sylvia Ann Watson:1870 Census:Washington Township, Buchanan County, Missouri: September 3, 1870:McElroy, George W. head of household, age 39; Ann, wife, age 28; Mary H., daughter, age 10; and William, son, age 5.
1880 Census: Sycamore, Montgomery County, Kansas: June 19,20,21, 1880:George, head of household, age 42; Zilpha, wife, age 46; William, G., son, age 15; Sallie A., daughter, age 11; Maggie L., daughter, age 6; and Rosy, daughter, age 3.
When she and George were married by W. Blair with surety provided by Stephen Watson. Census 1840-1860: Adair County, Kentucky.
Census 1880-1900-1910 Sycamore Township, Montgomery County, Kansas.
Census 1920: Neodesha City, Wilson County, Kansas.
In the 1900, 1910 and 1920 census she lives with her daughter Monty Anderson.
OLDEST MOTHER A FORMER NEODESHAN----------
Mrs. Zilpha Bush, a former resident of Neodesha, recently was declared the winner in the "oldest mother in Minnehaha County, South Dakota."The contest conducted by the Argus-Leader of Sioux Falls in conjunction with Mothers Day.Mrs. Bush was 98years of age the 4th of last March. She was born in Lexington County, Kentucky, March 4, 1839, and is the mother of Mrs. Sarah A. Hurst of Neodesha and Mrs. John Anderson and Mrs. O. Simcox, both of Sioux Falls. She makes her home with her daughters. Mrs. Bush resided in Neodesha many years ago and at one time owned a home on the lots where Mayberry's grocery store is now located. She also owned the former Wilse Johnson house on South Fourth Street. Congratulations, Mrs. Bush, on your success in the oldest mother contest and we believe you would take first prize in 98 per cent of the counties of this country.
.Zilpha Ann Watson McElroy Bush was the youngest child of 10 children to Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Watson. She and her husband George went to Kansas in 1871 and located on a homestead 10 miles west and south of Neodesha, in what is known as the Farm Ridge neighborhood.When married to George Washington McElroy she had seven children. Her husband and 4 children proceeded her in death. In about 1920 she moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where she made her home with her daughters until her death.When she and George were married by W. Blair with surety provided by Stephen Watson.In 1900, 1910 and 1920 census she lives with her daughter Monty Anderson.The following is a copy of Zilpha's obituary in the Neodesha Register, Thursday, January 12, 1938.
OBITUARY---MRS. ZILPHAMcELROY- BUSH
Zilpha Watson was born near Lexington, Kentucky, March 4, 1839. She was the youngest child of ten children of Mrs. and Mrs. Stephen Watson, being the last one to survive.She grew to womanhood in Lexington and on July 31, 1858, was married to George Washington McElroy.To this union seven children were born. Mr. and Mrs. McElroy came to Kansas in 1871 and located on a homestead 10 miles west and south of Neodesha, in what is known as the Farm Ridge neighborhood, where she reared her family.The husband and four children preceded her in death. Her husband passed from this life November 25, 1884. The surviving children are Mrs. Sarah Hurst of Neodesha and Mrs. Maggie Simcox, Mrs. Monty Anderson, of Sioux Falls South Dakota.Other surviving relatives are:Twenty grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, 10 great-great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-great grandchild.In October, 1885, she was married to Henry Bush, who died in Mary, 1886.Zilpha McElroy Bush made her home in Neodesha for a number of years with her daughter, Mrs. Anderson. While here she joined the Methodist church. In about 1920 she moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she made her home with her daughters until her death, December 31, 1938. She was 99 years, 9 months, and 27 days of age. If her life had been spared until March 4, 1939, she would have been 100 years of age.
Funeral services for Mrs. Bush were held in Neodesha last Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Methodist church. The pastor, the Rev. Geo. M. Boicourt, conducted the services, assisted by Rev. E.C. Bush of Girard. The hymnal numbers, "Rock of Ages" and "Face to Face" were sung by C.A. Basore, C.M. Stangle, Mrs. Dora Hardman and Belle J. Landis, accompanied by Miss Betty Haile, and Rev. Bush sang "In the Garden," with Mrs. Bush as accompanist.
Internment was made in the family lot in Farm Ridge Cemetery, southwest of Neodesha, and casket bearers were John Anderson, James F. Anderson, Delva Anderson, Frank Sellers, Aaron Dillman and E.E. Graham.
Out of town relatives attending the services included: Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Mr. and Mrs. Lee Brown, Peoria, Illinois; Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Bush, Girard, Kansas; Mrs. Ella Buffington, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Mrs. Myrtle Stonemaker, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Mrs. and Mrs. Wilford Hall, Mrs. Mary Kisor, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Earl McElroy and son, Beaumont, Kansas; Mr. and Mrs. Homer Ringle, Independence; Mrs. Theda Anderson and Mr. and Mrs. Linell Anderson, also of Independence.
E.C. Bush, evangelist of Girard, Kansas paid a beautiful and touching tribute to his grandmother, Mrs. Bush, during the funeral service. In part Mr. Bush said:"We have come here today in memory of this wonderful mother and grandmother. As I knew her in my early life, she was not only a mother and grandmother to her immediate family, but a "mother" to all who knew her and especially in and around Farm Ridge neighborhood where she reared her family. She not only reared them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, as a Christian mother, but she carried with her everywhere the love of her Savior to everyone. Her principles and character and motherly love were based on the purest sentiment to her family and her friends and all who knew her. And after she became an immediate relative of mine and I became more acquainted with her life and her family I knew and realized that Grandma Bush was a women willing to sacrifice if need be her all for her family and those around her. So today we are paying tribute to a mother, whose love lives in the fair isles of Paradise and must sweep back to us, for Grandma Bush had a "motherly pride" and all who knew her will remember she was a plain educated country woman. So this life thathas departed reminds us of a candle which has been burning brightly for years and years and has now "gone out." As we look into the fact of this loved one we see a picture of a calm face of a mother and grandmother, a softened glow, half twilight, half moonlight;then there is something, almost crown-like in her hair, as the shadows soften."
OBIT; ARGUS LEADER, SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
Funeral rites for Mrs. Zilpha Ann Bush, Minnehaha County's oldest resident, were held at 10:30 A.M. today at Miller Chapel. Dr. Irving E. Putnam, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal church, conducted the funeral service. The body is being taken to Neodesha Kansas for burial. Mrs. Bush died Saturday at the home of her daughter Mrs. John Anderson, 737 South First Avenue. She was nearly 100 years old.
More About Zilpha Sylvia Ann Watson:
Burial: Unknown, Farm Ridge Cemetery, Neodesha, Kansas.
More About Zilpha Sylvia Ann Watson and George Washington McElroy:
Marriage: July 31, 1858, Adair County,Kentucky.
Children of Zilpha Sylvia Ann Watson and George Washington McElroy are:
- +Montaine Defiance McElroy, b. May 14, 1881, Independence, Montgomery County, Kansas, d. November 19, 1963, Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota.