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Note: !Lucille Wimer sent me history: "Aunt Anna married at her parents home in Vermillion, South Dakota. Died on Sunday at the Wayne Hospital. (Her home wasat Wausa, Nebraska). Services were held at the Methodist Church. Cause of death was cancer. (If I remember it was breast cancer). !She was always called Aunt "Tillie" by her nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews, all of whom liked her as did most people. She was a friendly person. As I recall, she was taller than her sisters Christine and Mary, slender with brown hair. !Tillie attended country school and was graduated from the Vermillion High School in June of 1889. After being graduated, she clerked in her father's mercantile store until the fall of 1892. !Following their marriage Aunt Tillie and Uncle Bill lived in Wausa, Nebraska above the post office. (He had been appointed the first postmaster 24 November 1890). Four years later, they built a small home on Norris and Hampton Street, where they lived until Tillie's husband died after which she lived with her sister Mary (Peterson) and Gus Swanson. In the early days, Tillie helped her husband in the post office and in a little grocery store they ran. Bill was city marshall for a year and later was manager and grain buyer for the Farmers' Elevator for several years. He invested in various real estate in Wausa and at one time had a farm 2 1/2 or three miles South of Faulkton, South Dakota near his brother George Waterman but on the opposite side of the road. They rented it "out" but usually came up and spent the summer or part of it there. I do not know when the farm was sold but it belonged to Herman Bowwer in 1959. !Tillie was active in the First Methodist Aid Society, and was president at one time, although she was a Baptist from childhood and remained so. She belonged to the Dramatic Club and a Big Four Club. She also worked assisting in various fund raisers for community improvements. For twelve years, Tillie saved and propagated selected tomato seeds until she developed a plant that grew very tall up a pole or trellis. By 1935, some plants had been sold in Knox and adjoining counties and sent to points in South Dakota and to Omaha, Nebraska. !As far as I know, Tillie had a "harder life" than any of her sisters and had little to "get by on" in later years. I don't know if Bill was a "plunger" or just talked a lot more than he DID - a bit of a "blowhard". !Tillie and Bill had no children. !More history from Lucille: "Usually called Aunt Tillie by Christine's children and grandchildren. At one time, they were engaged in farming two-three miles south of Faulkton, South Dakota. Later they lived in Wausa, Nebraska. Anna died as a result of cancer." !From a newspaper article of Aunt Tillie's death dated 31 May 1942: "Mrs. W. H. Waterman, one of the early residents of Wausa, has gone to her reward. She passed away at the Wayne hospital on Sunday, May 31st. Funeral services were held on Wednesday of this week, at which time the following obituary was read: !"Tillie Anna Peterson, daughter of G. Jonas and Christine Peterson was born 28th February 1870 at Vermillion, Clay County, Dakota Territory. She graduated from Vermillion High School, June 1889. She then clerked in her father's general merchandise store until the fall of 1892. !On 3 October 1892 she was united in marriage to W. H. Waterman, next October marking their 50th anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Waterman began housekeeping in Wausa, Nebraska. During these early days of the village she helped her husband in the post office, also in their little grocery store. !In 1896 they built their home on Norris and Hampton streets where they lived until Mr. Waterman died 26 January 1942. She then made her home with her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Swanson. !Mrs. Waterman was taken to the Wayne hospital Wednesday, May 20th and passed away there at 7:45 a.m. Sunday May 31st, having reached the age of 72 years, 3 months, and 3 days. When a child, she was baptized in the Baptist church and clung to that faith till death. !Mrs. Waterman was of a jovial and happy disposition - counting her friends by her acquaintances. !Until recent years Mrs. Waterman was very active in public affairs, always working for the good of the community. !She was a member of the first Methodist Aid Society. She also served as its president working zealously. Through her leadership much money was made by the society. !She was a member of the Wausa Dramatic Club. This Club presented a home talent play netting $212 which was given to the Methodist Aid Society. Mrs. Waterman also belonged to the Big Four Club. During the winter the ladies crocheted caps the sale of which gave them $30 clear. This money was spent for improvements in Gladstone Park, consisting of four stationary tables and benches which are still in use in the park. The men of the town assisted in this project by donating the labor. The ladies also purchased four settes. !Mrs. Waterman was always a willing worker and always had a good word for Wausa. She will be missed by her large circle of friends. !She is survived by three sisters and two brothers: P. W. Peterson, Vermillion, South Dakota; Mrs. E. H. Maurer, Faulkton, South Dakota; Mrs. G. E. Swanson, Wausa, Nebraska; Mrs. M. E. Pivota, Beaumont, Texas; Frank H.Peterson, Mesa, Arizona, also many nieces, nephews and cousins and friends. !Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Methodist Church with the pastor Reverend Mertie E. Clute in charge. Mrs. H. J. Bornholdt and Mrs. B. F. John sang, "No Night There," and "Under His Wings Abiding." !Interment was in Woodlawn Cemetery. !Out of town folks who attended the funeral rites of the late Mrs. W. H. Waterman on Wednesday were Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Maurer, Mrs. Mae Sullivan and Donald, and Mrs. R. J. Ruhaak of Faulkton, South Dakota. Mrs. Maurer is a sister of Mrs. G. E. Swanson and of the late Mrs. W. H. Waterman. !Also from Lucille archives, a newspaper article: "Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Maurer, Mrs. P. J. Ruhaak, Mrs. Mae Sullivan and Donald left Tuesday for Wausa, Nebraska, to attend the funeral of Mrs. W. Waterman." !From a newspaper article, May 1942, Faulkton, South Dakota: Mrs. E. H. Maurer received word Sunday of the death that morning of her sister, Mrs. Tillie A. Waterman of Wausa, Nebraska. Mrs. Waterman had been in poor health for the past year. She was well known to Faulkton folks, having spent many summers here, while her husband cared for their farm interests here. !From a newspaper article from Bloomfield, Nebraska, 1935 - Special: The old adage about making a better mouse trap and the world treading a beaten path to the door of its maker applies to Mrs. W. H. Waterman of Wausa, Nebraska, who has discovered this spring that she is in the tomato business. A demand for a certain kind of a giant tomato plant which he has developed has greatly exceeded the supply. !For twelve years Mrs. Waterman has been saving and propagating selected tomato seeds until she has developed a plant which grows as tall as the proverbial bean stalk. Last year during the drouth when most good gardners were not producing tomatoes, Mrs. Waterman's plants produced profusely. In the adjoining yard of her sister, Mrs. Swanson, three plants grew as tall as a telephone pole and incidentally yielded tomatoes for a banquet of 200 persons. !Plants set out in Mrs. Waterman's yard a few weeks ago have already developed small tomatoes and are now about three feet tall. Lucille Wimer said: "got taller." !More than 200 of these large plants have been sold to people in Knox and adjoining counties, and many have been sent to Omaha points in Iowa and South Dakota. Many hundreds of smaller plants have also been sold." Mrs. Wimer gave me the above article and she marked it "1935". !From Mrs Wimer: "Really named Anna Mathilda.
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