In last Thursday’s issue of the Waverly (Iowa) Democrat is announced the death of Mason Eveland, who was born in Fulton county seventy-six years ago — when Illinois was yet only a territory. Some of his relatives continue to reside in this section. The Iowa paper quotes from the “History of Bremer County” as follows:
“Mason Eveland, the oldest living settler in LaFayette Tp., and son of John and Elizabeth (Jones) Eveland, was born in Fulton Co., Illinois, and was the second white settler in that county. His father died in 1832 and his mother followed in 1851. As his father was constantly in advance of civilization, young Mason had but very few advantages of education. In September 1851, soon after the death of his mother, he came to Bremer Co., arriving here October 3. He located in Jackson township on land now owned by J. K. L. Maynard, where he entered a farm, but in 1852 sold it and took a claim of 320 acres in Lafayette Tp., and in Jan. 1853, located on this farm 237 acres of which he still owns. Mr. Eveland was the first white child born on the military tract in Illinois, between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Feb. 5, 1836, he was married to Miss Lucinda Stufflebeam, a native of Kentucky.”
“Mr. Eveland had hardly known a day’s illness in his life,” adds the Democrat, “until a couple of years ago, when he suffered a severe attack of lagrippe. This undermined his rugged constitution and his health has since gradually declined. The end came at 4:30 o’clock yesterday morning. Besides his aged wife, six children survive him, viz: John, Austin, Robert Boone and Lucinda, now Mrs. John Ferguson, of this county; Henry, of Sanger, Oregon and Chas., of Denver, Colo. The funeral will be held at the homestead this afternoon at 2:30 o’clock.” — Cantonian.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus