Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 4 Jun 1900, Washington Township, Gravity, Taylor, IA
• Military Note: 1918

Notes:

Census:
1900 census at Washington Township, Gravity, Taylor, IA shows: Joseph J McElfish, b. Apr 1866, age 34, married 9 years, b. IA, parents b. MD/VA, occupation, Telegraph "illegible"; Mary G. b. July 1870, age 29, married 9 years, children born/living, 3/3; b. IL, parents b. IN/OH; Stella M. b. May 1891, 9, b. MO; Edith G., Feb 1893, age 7, b. IA; Nora M., Apr 1895, age 5, b. MO.

Military Note:
Joseph was a PFC in Co E, 32 Engrs. and died in France.

Died:
The Bedford Times Republican, December 12, 1918, reports, on page one the following. GIRLS INHERIT SMALL FORTUNE
The McElfish Girls Notified Their Father Left Them $10,000.
It was a number of years ago that Jas. McElfish left Bedford, and his four small children, and the first they have heard from him since was a notice from the war department that he had died in line of action in France, where he was serving in the engineer corps. He had left his insurance, amounting to $10,000 payable to his four daughters, all living here. Further investigation shows that he also left other property to them, the extent of which is not yet known. He enlisted from Pocatello, Idaho and names a friend of his out there the executor of the estate. The Enoch Arden cases are not all fiction and this is another of the sam (sic) kind.
The friends of the girls will be glad to learn that they have been so well provided for.

Notes:
The four daughters were aged 19, 23, 25, and 27 in 1919.

$10,000 in 1919 is about the equivilant of about $152,000. in 2019.

Enoch Arden was a poem (Tennyson) that lent its name to a principle in law that after being missing a certain number of years (typically seven), a person could be declared dead for purposes of remarriage and inheritance. Joseph is present, with Neva, in the 1900 census but not the 1910 census.

Joseph married Mary Geneva CRAWFORD on 1 Nov 1890 in Maryville, Nodaway, MO, and was divorced in Aug 1916. Mary (daughter of Francis Marion CRAWFORD and Nancy Rebecca DAILEY) was born on 13 Jul 1872 in Galesburg, Knox, IL; died on 18 Feb 1955 in St. Francis Hospital, Maryville, Nodaway, MO; was buried on 20 Feb 1955 in Fairview Cemetery, Bedford, Taylor, IA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1955, Bedford, Taylor, IA
• Obituary: 24 Jun 1982, Bedford, Taylor, IA

Notes:

Obituary:
Final Rites Held In Bedford For Stella M. Marley
Funeral services for Mrs. John E. (Stella) Marley, 91, of Bedford, held June 19 in Shum-Novinger Funeral Home, were conducted by Rev. Carl Cummings. Mrs. Marley died June 16, 1982 in Rosary Hospital, Corning, Iowa. Interment was at Fairview Cemetery, Bedford, Ia.
Stella M. Marley, eldest daughter of Joseph A. McElfish and Mary Geneva Crawford McElfish, was born in Worth County, Missouri, May 21, 1891.
Her father was killed in line of duty in World War I and is buried in France. Her mother then married Attorney R. [ichard] T. Burrell; both are deceased.
On April 10, 1922 Stella was united in marriage to John E. [arl] Marley of Bedford, Iowa. He served in World War I overseas. To this union, one son, John E. [arl] Marley, Jr. (Jack), was born.
In 1909 she went to work for the Payton Abstract Company and continued there until 1917 when she was secretary for World War I draft board. In July 1918 she went to work as an Abstracter of Titles for the firm of Crum & Dinges and she was private secretary for W. E. Crum, Jr., who was an attorney and president of the Bedford National Bank. She retired from public work in 1947 but in 1952-1953 she did some part time work for the Bedford Telephone Company.
Her husband drew a homestead in Wyoming, which the U. S. Government opened to World War I veterans, and she spent two summers there and learned much about homesteaders' life.
She was a member of the Bedford United Methodist Church since 1907; also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary; school and civic groups.
She was preceded in death by her husband July 25, 1965; her mother in February 1955; sister Edith Hamilton Ackley in early September 1955; and sister Helen Smith in late September 1955.
She will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Buried:
Find A Grave e-Memorial

Stella married John Earl MARLEY on 10 Apr 1922 in Cheyenne, Laramie, WY. John (son of Oren Lafayette MARLEY and Elizabeth RICHARDSON) was born on 22 Jul 1888 in Bedford, Taylor, IA; died on 25 Jul 1965; was buried on 30 Jul 1965 in Fairview Cemetery, Bedford, Taylor, IA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Obituary: 22 Sep 1955

Notes:

DNA:
MKM

Obituary:
Edith Geneva McElfish, second daughter of Joseph A. and Mary Geneva McElfish, died Sept. 11, 1955 at St. Francis Hospital, Maryville. She was born at Gravity, Iowa, Feb. 21, 1893 and died at the age of 62 years, six months, 18 days. Both parents preceded her in death. In May 1918 she was married to Claude Hamilton of Bedford. To them two children were born, one son, Harlan Hamilton of Palmer, Alaska, and one daughter, Helen Louise Dowis of Bedford. Four grandsons and three granddaughters also survive. Claude passed away in March 1943. In 1947 Edith was married to C. E. Ackley of Bedford, he also preceded her in death. She leaves to mourn her death three sisters, Mrs. Stella Marley of Bedford, Mrs. Nora Loy of Pittsburg, Kans., and Mrs Helen Smith of Lincoln, Nebraska. She was a life long member Bedford Methodist Church. Mrs. Ackley was well known in business circles here. She began her work at an early age and became skilled in her knowledge of Lands and Titles of Taylor county. She served this county as Deputy Treasurer, Deputy Clerk and Deputy Auditor, as well as having worked for the firms of G. B. Haddock, Crum & Dinges Investment Bankers, and Jones Abstract company. In 1953 she retired from public life and assisted her sister Stella in the care of their mother for many months, until their mother passed away in February 1955. Funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home, Sept. 15, conducted by Rev. Fred H. Cowles. Burial in Fairview cemetery.

Buried:
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Edith married Claude Ernest HAMILTON on 4 May 1918 in Clarinda, Page, IA. Claude was born on 17 Jan 1889 in Taylor Co., IA; died on 8 Mar 1943 in Des Moines, Polk, IA; was buried on 10 Mar 1943 in Fairview Cemetery, Bedford, Taylor, IA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
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Nora married Wallace J LOY on 9 Dec 1916 in Maryville, Fayette, IA. Wallace was born on 27 Nov 1896 in Coin, Page, IA; died on 29 Aug 1962 in Pittsburg, Crawford, KS; was buried in Highland Park Cemetery, Pittsburg, Crawford, KS. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
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Family/Spouse: Howard SMITH. Howard was born in 1895 in IL; died on 5 Jan 1974 in Creighton, Knox, NE; was buried in Lincoln Memorial Park, Lincoln, Lancaster, NE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]