Mary Ella Dickinson

  Birth Notes:

The 1860 Fed. Census (IN, LaGrange Co, Wolcottville), taken 20 Jul, sho ws Mary E, age 4/12 with sister Lura A, 4 years and parents L.B. and Ma ry M Dickinson. Both children were born in Indiana, parens born in NY. M ary Ella Yeager was actually born 24 Feb 1860, according to her daughte r, Lutie Yeager Gingrich.

  Noted events in her life were:

• Birth, 24 Feb 1880, Wolcottville, LaGrange Co, IN. Family records show that Mary Ella was born and lived in this small town , in the area known as the Lakes region northeastern IN until after her marriage.

• Census: 1860 U.S. Census, 20 Jul 1860, Wolcottville, LaGrange Co, IN. Mary E, age 4/12 is living with parents L.B. and Mary (sic) M Dickinson and and older sister, Lura A., age 4.

• Residences: On the move, 1860-1922. Mary Ella was born and lived in Wolcottville, IN until after her marriage. Though a small town it seemed to be rich in activities. An early atlas for the county shows that is have shops of all kinds, an artist supply store, art and music teachers and so on. Ella moved with her husband and daughters to Lima, Noble Co, IN (now Howe) in about 1887, and later to Cromell, IN.

The family and many relatives moved on west to Beirne, AR in 1896.

After the death of her husband, Ella moved to Brownwood, TX to live with her daughter, Lutie and her husband Ivo Gingrich.

• Hobbies: An accomplished pianist, Abt 1868-1930. Ella began piano lessons as a child and developed into a fine pianist. As she matured she played for church and socials. She always had a group of students to whom she taught piano, one of these being grandaughter, Marion,

Her first cousin, Clarence Shepard, became a professor of music and gained some renown as a pianist.

• Travel: Columbia Exposition World's Fair, Summer 1893, Chicago, Cooke Co, IL.

• Religion: Baptist, 1870-1933. Ella was a lifelong Baptist like her father, Levant B. She was active in all phases of her church, and many times a leader, as well as lending her talents as a musician.

• Organizations: Women's Christian Terperance Union, Abt 1996, Pine Bluff, Jefferson Co, AR. Ella and her mother, Mercy M were both active members of this group during their time in Arkansas.

• Marriage Contract: Marriage to William E Yeager, 16 Jun 1879, Wolcottville, LaGrange Co, IN. ⁶

• Education: Family memories, Abt 1922-1930, Brownwood, Brown Co, TX. It seems probable that Ella received the usual education available for children and young women of her day. By the time of her school years, Wolcottville was well-equiped with educational oportunities. We know her mother and aunt were enrolled in Cary Seminary, Genesee Co, NY, when in their teens. Her mother Mercy M, is sid to have been an English teacher there. Her grandfather Shepard was a former school teacher and a medical doctor.

Evidence of this was seen during her later years in Brownwood. She was an avid follower of politics and often would try to get the morning newspaper before her son-in-law. This caused some friction.

A happier acknowledgement of her background and understanding came when granddaughter Marion's husband-to-be came calling. He and Ella loved to talk politics and world news. Marion often remarked that she wasn't sure whether the attraction was for her or that lively conversationist, her grandmother, Ella.

• Travel: Visits to family members, 1922-1930. Ella made long visits to stay with her sons, Hugh and Raymond and their wives, then living in Granite, MO. She also made one trip to Oakland, CA to visit with her older sister, Lura Dickinson Roop. This trip may have been much earlier than above dates indicate.

• Illness, Abt 1931, Brownwood, Brown Co, TX. Ella often walked to both morning and evening Sunday services while living in Brownwood. One evening during her walk she was hit by a car. No injuries were found, but after this her health began to fail. The doctor, according to her daughter, Lutie, said the diagnosis was Pelegra.

The symptoms were much like senility or Alzheimer's.

• Death, 22 Aug 1933, Brownwood, Brown Co, TX.

• Burial: Greenleaf Cemetery, Aug 1933, Brownwood, Brown Co, TX. Ella is buried in the same cemetery as her daughter, Lutie, her son-in-law, Ivo S. Gingrich and grandson, William (Bill) Gingrich. Her plot, bought long before the others is in a back corner under a big oak tree.

The location is designated on the lot map of the cemetery, but the small granite marker has evidently sunk into the ground or been stolen, as of about 1970.

Mary married William Edward Yeager, son of John D(uke?) Yeager and Anna Swank, on 17 Jun 1879 in Wolcottville, LaGrange Co, IN.³ (William Edward Yeager was born on 8 Apr 1855 in Springfield Twsp, Williams Co, OH, died on 3 Jan 1922 in Hope, Hempstead Co, AR and was buried in Jan 1922 in Rose Hills Cemetery, Hope, Hempstead, AR.)