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Note: Esther (Ackley) Conklin, m.2) Ira Green, on 23 Sept. 1857, Dubuque, IA. Ira died within four months of the marriage. Her personal trials were not yet over. She had been appointed Administratrix of William's estate, with J.C. Webb., Manville Edwards, and J.E. Hildreth, sureties. During special term 11 Aug. 1857 J.C. Webb and M. Edwards applied to the court to have Easter appear to show cause why she should not be discharged from said trust. At the November term it was reported that Easter had left the state, during the December term, Esther provided a full account and requested that she be discharged as Administratrix. J.C. Webb was then appointed the administrator of the estate. Easter was Guardian of the infant heirs of William Conklin. In January, 1858, she petitioned the court and was granted a dollar per day for keeping, clothing and schooling the children; the administrator of the estate was ordered the pay the sum monthly. Esther Conklin, married (3) William Gideon, 21 Jan. 1858, in Dubuque Co. IA. William was a veteran of the War of 1812, more than 15 years her senior. Once more Easter was forced in court, this time to fight for her children. In Apr. of 1858, her son-in-law, Thomas Sade, filed a petition for the removal of Easter as the guardian of her minor children. While we don't know the outcome of the court case, we do know that, in 1860, the children were living with William and Easter Gideon in Otter Creek Township. Jackson Co. mortuary records said Elijah Conkling's mother maiden name was Gideon.
10 July 1860, Otter Creek, Jackson Co. IA William Gideon, 63, 1797, NY; Esther Gideon, 46, 1814, OH; Moses Conklin, 18, 1842, OH; Easter Conklin, 16, 1844, OH; John Conklin, 14, 1846, IA; Thomas Conklin, 11, 1849, IA; Julia Conklin, 06, 1854, IA; Nancy Conklin, 04, 1856, IA;
The outbreak of the Civil War brought changes in the Conklin brothers: Elijah Conklin left KY., crossed the river into OH. enlisted at Camp Morrow, OH, on 24 Aug. 1861; Moses Conklin, enrolled 24 Sept. 1861, Davenport, IA; John B. Conklin, enlisted, 7 Mar. 1864, Columbus, OH; All three survived and returned to Jackson Co. IA., when their service ended.
Elijah Conklin, m. 18 Nov. 1864, Corintha Baty, dau of George W. and Mary A. (Mann) Baty Moses Conklin, m. 27 Dec. 1866, Mary Jane Heath, dau of Matthew and Emily (Edwards) Heath. Matthew Heath died 21 Mar. 1863, St. Louis, MO., which serving to Co. F of the 31th Regiment of the Iowa Vol. Inf. during the War of the Rebellion.
1866, Mary Bourne provided a Power of Attorney to Easter , authorizing her to act in Mary's behalf relating to the estate of William Conklin Sr.,
17 Dec. 1867, Esther Conklin, dau of William and Esther m. Samuel Beaver.
August of 1870, William and Easter Gideon were back in Farmers Creek , with John, Thomas, Julia and Nancy at home, probably on the land that Easter purchased from Henry Romanop in 1867. Julia spent at least part of June with Easter and Sam in Fairfield Twpship.
Nancy, the youngest child of William and Easter Conklin married 22 Feb 1871, George Fields in the home Easter Gideon. .
Thomas Conklin and Mary Edwards obtained marriage license on 21 Feb. 1871, the same day of Nancy and George, however there is no record of the license recorded.
Four and half years later, he married on 20 Sept. 1875 to Melvina Dalrymple, dau of Mr. and Sylvia (Johns) Dalrymple.
1870 Farmers Creek, P.O. Farmers Creek, Jackson Co. IA, PO: Gery Owen, HH#849 William Gedeon, 66, farm laborer, 1805, OH, 600/400; Esther Gedeon, 50, keep house, 1820, OH; John Conkling, 23, 1847, OH, Thomas Conkling, 20, 1850,, OH Julia Conkling, 17, 1853, OH, Nancy Conkling, 04, 1856, OH,
Easter and William Gideon left Jackson County for Edgar, Clay Co. NE., circa 1872. William Gideon died 1 Nov. 1875, Springfield, IA. (Jones or Linn Co. IA) Easter remained in Clay Co. for at least six years, however she was alone.
Elijah, Moses, Thomas, Julia, Nancy and John all arrived with their families to take up resident with their mother. By 1880 Thomas and his wife, Melvina had moved to Custer Co. NE. approximately 120 miles northwest of Edgar.
The last record found of Nancy's husband, George Fields, is in 1872, where he was listed as 43 years of age in the record of men between the ages of 18 and 45 subject to military duty in Farmers Creek.
Nancy, using her maiden name, married Amas J. Haskins in Clay Co. on 7 Nov. 1876, A special kinship formed between Easter and her new son-in-law.
16 June 1880, Election Pct. #8, Custer Co. NE, HH#123/124 E.D. # 3/13,171/11 Thomas Conklin, wm, age 31, b. IA, parents NY NY; Melvina Conklin, wife, age 22, b. WI, parents NY VT; Viola Conklin, dau, age. 03, b. NE, at home; Thomas Conklin, son, age 02, b. NE; Household # 135 Esther Gideon, widow, age. 65, b. NY, parents NY NY, keeping house Marietta Stalder, grd dau, age. 08, b. IA, parents IA, IA; Jason Haskins, son-in-law, age 28, b. IA, parents OH,OH;
1880 Edgar, Clay Co. NE. page 114A E. Gidun, head, wf, age 65, widowed, b.NY, NY, NY, keeping house Jason Haskins, wm, age 29, married, b. WI, NY, NY, laborer, Nancy Haskins, age 25,maried, b. IA, NY, NY, at home, C.B. Haskins, age 01,single, b. NE, WI, IA Henry E Haskins, age 18,single, b. KS, NY, NY, laborer,
By June 1885, Easter arrived in Frontier Co. NE., less than 90 miles east of the Colorado-Nebraska border, settling in Curtis Precinct with dau. Nancy and family. Elijah and Moses and Julia along with their families, had also continued their journey west, all settling in Curtis Precinct.
1885 Census, Curtis Precinct, Frontier Co. NE (note spelling of Gideson and Haskins) 08 73 89 Ester Sideson,, wf. age 68, mother, House keeper. b. NY, NY, NY, 09 73 89 Nancy Hawkins, wf, age 29, mother, Housekeeper, b. IA, NY, NY, 10 73 89 Etta M. Hawkins, wf, age 04, b.dau, at home, b. NE, WI, IA, 11 73 89 Flora Hawkins, wf, 02, dau, at home, b.NE, WI, IA, 12 73 89 Lucy Hawkins, wf, 11 mos, dau, at home, b. NE, WI, IA,
Land records indicate that Elijah homesteaded 12 Jul. 1886. Moses purchased 128 acres of U.S. Land on 27 July of the same year. By Sept. Easter had made her home in Stockville, the county seat. On 1st Aug. 1887, she purchased 40 acres of US Government land, George Stalder's purchase of approximately 120 acres occurred on 29 September.
Moses tells us, in a letter dated 16 July 1885, that Nancy and Jason separated five months ago and Nancy moved in with Easter. From the same letter, we learn that Tom and Melvina's dau. was bitten by a rattlesnake and her leg had to be amputated above the knee. Elijah and Easter left Stockville that day for Tom's home, a 160 mile trip.
Nancy married Henry Otis 30 May 1888. 22 Nov. 1888, Easter was very ill. Moses wrote to William that she had been ill for about two weeks and that he and their good neighbors were taking turns staying up with her and that "mam" wished that Bill and Mariah were there to see her. Easter did recover and soon as her health permitted, she sent a letter to her son Bill, as recorded by Moses. "Stockville, Frontier Co. Neb. 1 Dec. 1888 - Dear Son and Daughter it is with pleasure I seat my Self -- ? to pen you a few lines to let you know how I am quite sick but a little better than I was when Moses wrote to you but I still hold my bed yet this is 22 days that I been in my bed but I know I will get better again well Bill I must tell you that Mary sent me fifty dollars from California to come out there when and if I get better I think I will go out there for my health and if I get better will return in the Spring again you and Mariah had better come out and see me yours truly your mother Easter Gideon write soon"
While Frontier Co. remained Esther's home until her death, it was not the end of the journey west. In the spring of 1889 she traveled to California with her son-in-law, Jason Haskins. While she was gone, there was an attempt to foreclose on her property in Frontier County. In December of the same year, Easter visited South Dakota and she wanted to return to California. Apparently Bill wrote to Mahala in California, telling her of Easter's wishes. Mahala responded 16 July 1890, telling that she believed that Easter was better off in Nebraska than she would have been in Lassen County, not only became of her health and the absence of Physicians in the mountains. Mahala was concerned about Easter's mental well-being, as well, because Easter needed her children around her.
We know from a letter from Thomas Sade that Easter died about 25 Oct. 1890. On 12 Nov. 1890, Thomas wrote from Iron Hill, Iowa, "To W.J. Conklin & Friends. Your letter bearing date of Oct. 25 came to hand to day - But did not rejoice when you said Mother Gideon was dead..." It is likely that Easter is buried in the Stockville Cem. in the lot which she owned. There is no stone. In fact, the other marker on her lot is that of Sanford Conklin, Chucky's son, who died 17 Jan. 1903.
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