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Susan was raised in and around East Liberty (Dickerson Run), Fayette County. On April 18, 1872, when she was 17 or 18 years of age, she was joined in the bonds of wedlock with Jesse Anderson Stoner (Jan. 1851-1929), by the hand of the Rev. T.P. Patterson. Jesse was born in East Liberty, the son of John and Martha Stoner. The Stoners together bore a brood of eight known children. The five living to adulthood were William Boyd Stoner, Laura Whitehead, Jesse Frank Stoner, Mattie Rousselo Duffield and Jessie Young. Three others died young, prior to 1900 -- Harry and twins Pearl and Earl. The United States Census for 1880 shows the family in Spring Hill, Johnson County. At that time, Jesse earned a living as a blacksmith. By 1900, the family was in Ottawa, Franklin County, KS. Jesse had changed occupations and now worked as a real estate agent. In 1899, Susan's sister and brother in law, Esther and Christian Freed, took a "long trip" from Pennsylvania to visit the Stoners in Ottawa. Upon returning, Christian wrote a lengthy report of the trip, published in the Connellsville (PA) Courier. Among other things, he wrote: "We arrived in Ottawa in time to see the windup of the Franklin County Fair and were surprised to see such a gathering of people, and such a large collection of fine stock and agricultural products. The farmers came in in their fine surrys and buggies, instead of wagons, which certainly is an indication that the Kansas farmers are prosperous." The Stoners pulled up stakes during the decade between 1900-1910 and relocated to Kansas City, KS. There, Jesse resumed his work in a blacksmith shop. He joined the Masons and retained his membership there the rest of his life. A year later, in 1910, when his son William was married in Ottawa, the local newspaper referred to Jesse as "Capt. J.A. Stoner, who was engaged in real estate business here about ten years ago." In 1911, the Stoners relocated to Colorado, settling in Palisade, Mesa County. They acquired a six-acre peach orchard, raising the Elberta variety. Jesse disclosed to a Grand Junction news reporter in July 1929 that the orchard "makes him a substantial meal-ticket. He owns several thouand dollars of other property and his property all told is worth perhaps $25,000. On his place are peach trees 33 years old that have never missed a crop. Some of these trees measure as much as 42 inches in circumference."
Despite the distance, Susan remained in contact with her Pennsylvania kin over the years. In 1906, the Connellsville Weekly Courier back in Pennsylvania reported that she was "in Vanderbilt for an extended visit with friends and relatives." In August 1923, the Stoners entertained a visit from her sister and brother-in-law Esther and Christian Freed from Connellsville, PA and sister Clara Huston of Lenexa, KS. During the time together, a number of the group went fishing. Reported the Daily Sentinel, Christian Freed was "a cousin of Mr. Stoner's, and has always lived in the east, this being his first trip west, and he is much pleased with the country." Jesse developed a reputation as "one of the most prominent and well known citizens of the upper valley" and was said by the Palisade Daily Sentinel to be:
When the federal census enumeration was made in 1920, the couple continued to dwell in East Palisade. All of their adult children had left the household by that time. Age 68, Jesse was listed as having the occupation of "farmer - fruit farm" and well known for his peaches. He is known to have authored a poem, "What Mesa County Needs," printed in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel edition of July 4, 1928. Susan outlived him by seven years. Her daughter Mattie Rousello joined her in the Vineland Street residence in October 1930. In 1932, she made news in the gossip columns of the Daily Sentinel when receiving a new radio as a gift from her son Frank, purchased in Kansas City. She is known to have enjoyed Christmas dinner in 1934 in the home of her daughter Laura Whitehead. She was felled by a stroke and passed
away at the age of 82 on Jan. 19, 1936 on Vineland Street in Palisade. Officiating at her funeral were Rev. Jack Stewart and Rev. H.E. Mammann, with an obituary printed in the Daily Sentinel. They are buried together at the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Cemetery. ~ Son William Boyd Stoner ~ Son William Boyd Stoner (1874- 1959) was born in July 1874 in Vanderbilt near Connellsville, Fayette County, PA. William at age 26 was a bachelor and lived at home. He earned a living as a laborer in a factory. After relocating in 1902 to Kansas City, KS, still unmarried, he worked as a house carpenter. On Nov. 3, 1910, when he was 31 years of age, Jesse entered into marriage with Teresa L. Wheeler (April 19, 1887- 1975), daughter of Alvah and Carrie Augusta (McAdow) Wheeler of Parker, KS. The nuptials were held in the parsonage of the First Methodist Church of Ottawa, by the hand of Dr. John Maclean. In announcing the union, the Ottawa Evening Herald said that it was a "quiet wedding" and that the bride "wore a dark blue tailor-made suit and carried a boquet of white carnations." The bride was 14 years younger than the groom. Their union endured just shy of 49 years. They became the parents of Pauline Augusta Newbold and Carol Louise Schenewerk. The newlyweds' first home was in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, KS. For two decades, until retirement in 1938, he earned a living as a carman with the Union Pacific Railroad. The federal census enumeration of 1920 shows the Stoners in Kansas City on North 18th Street. They dwelled next door to his brother Jesse and family. At that time, William was employed as a railroad carpenter. Then in 1922 they are believed to have spent part or most of their time occupying the farm of William's parents in Palisade, CO. They belonged to the London Heights Methodist Church, and he held a membership in the Modern Woodmen of America. William suffered a stroke in about 1945 and although surviving another 14 years, never fully recovered. Their final home together was at 1512 Walker in Kansas City. Death took him away at age 86 on Aug. 6, 1959. His remains were lowered into the sacred soil of Mount Hope Cemetery. An obituary was published in the Kansas City Star. He was survived by one grandchild and two great-grandchildren. Teresa survived for another 16 years and at the end maintained a home with her daughter Pauline at 12701 East 48th Terrace in Independence, KS. She died at age 87 on Feb. 2, 1975, in a local nursing home. Daughter Pauline Augusta Stoner (1911-1977) was born on Oct. 11, 1911 in Kansas City, KS. She wed Marion Francis Newbold (Sept. 14, 1907-1979), a native of Minden, NE. The couple did not reproduce. The Newbolds and her aged parents resided together in 1959 at 1512 Walker in Kansas City. Pauline was gathered away by the angel of death on Nov. 8, 1977. Burial was in Brooking Cemetery in Raytown, Jackson County, MO. Marion outlived his wife by two years. He passed in Oct. 1979 at the age of 72. Daughter Carol Louise Stoner (1913- 1992) was born on Aug. 14, 1913. She was joined in the bonds of holy wedlock with Clarence G. Schenewerk (1904-1982). The couple had one known son, William Schenewerk. Sadly, Clarence died in 1982. Carol lived for another decade as a widow. She passed into eternity on July 20, 1992. Interment was in Flag Spring Cemetery, California, Moniteau County, MO.
Daughter Laura Stoner (1876- ? ) was born on Feb. 9, 1876 in Connellsville, Fayette County, PA. She migrated to Kansas in girlhood. At the age of 23, on Dec. 20, 1899, she was joined in matrimony with James Thomas "J.T." Whitehead ( ? -1959). The pair's nuptials were held in Ottawa, KS. Their only known child was Loyette Stock. Laura made her residence in Rantoul, Franklin County, KS in 1910. They eventually moved to Colorado and made a home in Colorado Springs. In about 1927, the Whitehads migrated to Palisade, CO. They stayed for good. James died on June 1, 1959. In August 1961, the widowed Laura hosted a visit from her sister Mattie and husband Luther Duffield from Kansas City, as reported on the pages of the Ottawa (KS) Herald. Her final time was spent as a resident of Palisade Nursing Home. Death swept Laura away in Sept. 1965. Her funeral service, led by Rev. Don Gorham, was conducted in the Palisade Baptist Church. Interment followed in the IOOF Cemetery in Palisade. On obituary appearing in the Grand Junction (CO) Daily Sentinel said she had been a Palisade resident for 38 years. Daughter Loyette Whitehead (1902-1988) was born on Feb. 21, 1902. She appears to have been named for a beloved aunt, Loyette (O'Donnell) Stoner. She was a 1922 graduate of Wellsville (KS) High School. On Feb. 28, 1926, in El Paso County, CO, Loyette entered into marriage with John G. Stock (1899-1951). The three known offspring produced by this couple were Barbara Bradley, James Stock and Martin E. Stock. Sadly, John passed away in 1951 at the age of 52. The widowed Loyette dwelled in Colorado Springs for decades, with an address in 1968 of 309 South Tejon Street. She died in Colorado Springs on Oct. 11, 1988. Her remains were interred in the city's Evergreen Cemetery.
Son Jesse Frank Stoner (1879-1961) was born on Feb. 4, 1879 in Ocheltree, KS. Circa 1900, his occupation was as a clerk in a real estate office in Ottawa, KS, likely working for his father. Jesse entered into marriage with Loyette O'Donnell ( ? -1918). During their few years together, the pair bore two daughters, among them Elaine Bates and Frances Gamba. Jesse is known to have traveled to Wellsville, KS in January 1916 to attend the funeral of relative I.N. Stoner, a fact noted in the gossip columns of the Wellsville Globe. Grief cascaded over the young family when Loyette died in 1918. Jesse did not remarry. Widowed in 1920, U.S. Census records show that the family was located on North 18th Street in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, KS. He earned a living as a salesman for a furnace company, likely the Kansas City Furnace Company. Jesse appears to have spent the balance of his career with Kansas City Furnace. At some point Jesse may have dwelled in Colorado. At the age of 72, he relocated to Ottawa, KS and stayed for good. He held a membership in the Kansas City Methodist Church and the local lodge of the Masons. As Jesse's health failed, he was admitted to a nursing home in Crestview, near Ottawa. There he surrendered to death at age 82 on or about March 3, 1961. An obituary was published in the Ottawa Herald. Burial of the remains was in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Kansas City. Daughter Elaine Stoner (1907- ? ) was born in about 1907 in Kansas. She was joined in wedlock with (?) Bates ( ? - ? ) Circa 1961, the Bateses were in Glenwood Springs, CO. Daughter Frances Stoner (1909-1971) was born in 1909 in Kansas. Circa 1926, she was united in matrimony with Humbert John Peter Gamba (April 10, 1902-2000). Two children borne by this couple were Loyette Lucille Gamba and Jerome Francis Gamba. They first resided in Osage City, KS. Then in 1936, they moved to Glenwood Springs, CO. There, they owned a bath resort known as Iron Mountain Hot Springs, which include guest houses and a bathhouse. The facility later became known as Gamba Mineral Springs. Frances died in 1971. Her remains lie in repose in Rosebud Cemetery in Glenwood Springs. Humbert outlived his bride by three decades. He passed away on Sept. 28, 2000. Their grave marker erroneously gives the year of his death as 2001.
Daughter Mattie Stoner (1885-1972) was born in July 1885 in Kansas. She first was united in wedlock with Irvin C. Rousselo (1884-1924), occasionally mis-spelled "Russell" -- "Russelo" -- Roussell" -- and "Roeselo." He was the son of Justine A. and Melley N. Rousselo of Kansas City. One known daughter born to this marriage was Delene Kirk. The Rousselo residence was in Kansas City. Irvin made a living in 1920 as a car repairer for Wade Land Company. Sadly, Irvin died in Oct. 24, 1924. Word of his demise was telegraphed to Mattie's parents. His father-in-law is known to have traveled from Colorado to attend the funeral. From 1935 to 1940, the widowed Mattie shared a home in Oxford, Johnson County, KS with her widowed first cousin cousin Jesse S. Huston and his son Boyd. Age 54 in 1940, she had no occupation. Her home in 1941 was in Wellsville, Franklin County, KS. That year, she tied the knot with Kansas City resident Luther Irvine Duffield (Nov. 14, 1889-1967), said to have been the son of George Washington and Matilda Ann (Binley) Duffield. News of their marriage license was printed in the Kansas City Times. The couple lived in Wellsville circa 1961. That year, in August, they traveled with Luther's sister Letha Duffield to Colorado to visit relatives including Mattie's sister Laura Whitehead in Palisade, CO. Said the Ottawa Herald, "They returned bringing ripe peaches and report the Colorado peach crop good this year." They were together for 26 years until cleaved apart by Luther's passing at age 77, in Wellsville, in Feb. 1967. Mattie survived for another five years. At age 87, she succumbed to the spectre of death in the home of her daughter on Oct. 2, 1972. She rests for all time in Wellsville Cemetery. Daughter Delene Rousello (1910-1974) was born in about 1910. As a girl she attended the Franklin School in Kansas City. Delene was only age 14 when her father died. She was joined in wedlock with King Phillip Kirk (1895-1969). The Kirks dwelled in Kansas City, KS and were the parents of five sons -- Earl P. Kirk, Paul E. Kirk, Richard Kirk, Robert Irvin Kirk and Benton Bradley. Delene was active in the community as a member of the Sherman Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, Jayhawk Auxiliary of the Shrine, the Delaware Temple Lodge of the League of Scottish Rite Women and an honorary membeer of the Shrine Wheelettes. She also belonged to Maple Hill Presbyterian Church Sadly, King died in 1969. Burial of the remains was in Kansas City's Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Delene's address in 1972 was 230 North Early in the Kansas City neighborhood of Argentine. Delene died in St. Margaret Hospital at the age of 65 on May 18, 1974.
Daughter Jessie Stoner (1888- ? ) was born in Aug. 1888 in Kansas. She wed (?) Young ( ? - ? ). She dwelled in Kansas City, KS in 1961 when named in the Ottawa Herald obituary of her brother Jesse. Her address in 1961-1962 was 4405 Euclid, Kansas City.
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