Rebecca Levonia Olmstead

16th of January 1917

I am seventy and one half years old, and I live at 613 St. Louis Street, Rapid City, South Dakota. I am the widow of Harmon Camp Olmstead, a Civil War Veteran. My husband died on December 5th, 1916. I am a reputable person and entitled to credibility, and declare as follows:

I was born in Montgomery County, Indiana (near Waintown) on the 24th day of June 1846. When I was three months of age my mother died, and I was given to an aunt named Mrs. Rebecca Suitor, who was then living in the said Montgomery County, Indiana, and of whose family I remained a member thereafter. I was never a member of my father's family afterward, and knew but little of their affairs.

I have no knowledge of any church or family record (if any ever existed) and that I know only that the members of my father's family were as follows:

Father's name - Andrew P. Lee

Mother's name - Anna Lee

Children by his first wife, Anna Lee were as follows:

Albert Lee

Asa Lee

Louvina Rebecca Lee (the claimant here in)

Those by his second wife were:

William Lee

Robert Lee

Elizabeth Lee

Amanda Lee

Lucrecia Lee

Alice Lee

Dora Lee

When I was eleven years old I, with my foster parents, moved to Illinois in 1857 (Ford County (?) was the name at that time), where I lived until a number of years later. By this change in places of living, I lost track in a large measure of particulars in relation to my father's family, and I do not know of any church or family record as indicated.

From Illinois I came to Iowa and on the 26th day of July, 1866 I was married to Harmon C. Olmstead in Butler County, Iowa by the Rev. Nathan Olmstead, an uncle of my husband, in the presence of Asa Lee, my brother, and Alonzo Olmstead, one of my husband's relatives with whom my husband was on a visit. (both are dead some years ago.) I never heard of any previous marrige of Harmon C. Olmstead, and believe he swore to the truth in his statement in relation to his life and marriage furnished the department some time last year. I only had three months acquaintance with him prior to our marriage. During the years previous to his enlistment he was interested in prospecting for minerals, and was on the move much of the time in the western states, and the history of the 2nd Colorado Cavalry during the Civil War is his history at that time. I do not know of anyone now living who could by any means be cognizant of his life and wanderings previous to our marriage.

After our marriage, I was with him almost constantly, during which we were on the move most of the time trying to find an "Eldorado," much of the time in a 'prairie schooner,' or 'sheep wagon,' until in our later years we settled in Pennington County, South Dakota. I dropped my first name after my marriage.

Signed,

Rebecca L. Olmstead

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Aged Pioneer Woman Joins Great Majority

Saturday, December 16, 1924 , Rapid City, South Dakota

 I have acquired a poor photocopy of an obituary for Rebecca L. Lee. I assume it is from the Rapid City Journal (in South Dakota). I also assume that it is in 1924. However, neither the date nor the newspaper are identified in the story. 

From the Rapid City Journal, Saturday December 16, 1924

The headline reads "Aged Pioneer Woman Joins Great Majority"

   At ten minutes after nine o'clock last evening occurred the death of a pioneer woman of Rapid City, one who has known many of the vicissitudes of life. Rebecca L. Lee was born in Iowa on June 24, 1846 and was married in Butler, Iowa July 26, 1866 to Harmon C. Olmstead, who passed away October 5, 1916, in this city.

    Mr. and Mrs. Olmstead came to Rapid City in 1886 and with the exception of a short time spent in Hill City have lived here ever since. Sixteen children were born to this worthy couple, twelve of whom are living. There were two pairs of twins and also triplets among the number.

    The children are Willis, of Rapid City, and Wilber, Gillette Grove, Iowa, twins; Mrs. Will Bowmer, Plummer, Idaho; Elmer H., Rapid, City, Bernice, Bertha, and Bertie, triplets, who died in infancy; Mrs. Sam Carson, Hermiston, Ore; Elisha L., Rapid City; Rubia, who died in Rapid City in 1893; Shelby L. Eugene, Ore; Lora L., Plummer, Ida; Gilbert, and Mrs. Gertrude Rose, twins, Rapid City; Mrs. V.T.Redding, Mona, Wyo., and Henry C. of Rapid City. She leaves thirty-one grandchildren and eleven great granchildren. At the time of her deth she was seventy-eight years, four months and eleven days old. 

    Deceased had known what it was to live as a pioneer and raise a large family of children on a small amount of this world's goods, but with the help of her worthy husband their family have all been an honor to them. Three sons, Wilbur, Elmer and Elisha, served their country in the Spanish American War, and all are doing their part in the world's activities. She has known what it was to work and also suffer, but she has also known some of the greatest pleasures of life. A member of the Methodist Church, she has been a good, Christian woman, and as a member of the W.R.C. she took great pleausre in its activities. Her death was caused by pneumonia, but she had been ill in former years with other troubles from which she made heroic recoveries.

    Funeral service can not be announced until word has been received from her absent children.

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FUNERAL SERVICES

    Funeral services for Rebecca L. Olmstead were held at the Methodist church, Monday afternoon at two o'clock attended by a large number of old time friends. The W.R.C. were out in a body. Rev. C. J. Semans preached a very appropriate sermon and members of the church choir, furnished music. There were many beautiful flowers, the central piece being from "The Children." The pall beareres were Meisrs, Charles Nystrom, Anioa Nary, Gus Simmons and Ed Mocenlz.

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CARD OF THANKS

We desire to express through the columns of the Journal our appreciation of all the kind expressions of good will to us and regard for our dear mother at the time of her sickness, death and burial.

Children of Rebecca L. Olmstead