Copyright © 2022 by Kevin W. Walker
Copyright © 2021 by Kevin W. Walker
July 1 1973
Dear Cousin May
I expect you thought what I wrote you like I did I did not want to help you but was not that I thought Lillie could help you more than I so Mother's day I called Lillie's Girl Blanche Yerves and asked her to see if Lillie could remember the trip from Nebraska but she could not your Grandpa Henry Chesley was bourn March 15, 1860 in Illinois died December 14 1926 at 66 yr.
Hattie Olly Chesley bourn July 7 1867 in Michigan died in March 1938 age 70 she did not know where they were married but they moved to Kansas 1882 or 83 Lillie was bourn in Nicodemus Kansas October 14 1883 in 1887 or 1888 they moved to Nebraska my folks was married in Osborn Kansas in Oct 26 1884 then thy moved to near Arnold in 1886 then my Stept Father and his brothers came to Arnold he was Warren D Copeland but he went to Wyoming in with 1890 and when your folks went to Montana he stayed there for a while then came back to Arnold in 1896 or 97 and then he and my mother was married in 1899 and a good father to us boys.
His brother stay near Arnold the rest of his life I have a book that has the names of seven children they had three before they left here I think it 1891 or 1892 when they left Arnold because my brother would tell about playing with the three of he was bourn in August of 1887.
My Dad Warren would tell about being in or Downs Beloit in Kansas that is where my sister is buried I am not sure.
There was Geo Chesley then Charles Chesley he was the first one to come to Arnold Nebr Henry was the 4th of the Chesley family and Charles Chesley went to Washington near Tacoma or Buckly in Dec 1902 I remember but at one time Charles Henry then my folks and George Chesley all lived close together within 3 miles I hope this helps you some and I hope to see you sometime this year the Lord willing I would like to have these back when you get your copy
Love, Cousin KeithKeith G. Walker was my grandfather.
GRANDMA CHESLEY IS LAID TO REST
In the passing of Mrs Phoebe Chesley the Arnold Community sustained the loss of it's oldest resident. On February 6, 1928 she celebrated the ninety-eighth anniversary of her birth and received many flowers, other gifts, also numerous messages both my telephone and mail. To make this event complete, a son and daughter, Charles E. Chesley and Ida E. Barnes respectively came from Prosser, Washington to be with their mother. They with Mrs. W.D. Copeland are the surviving three children from a family of eight. Mr. Chesley remained only a short time but Mrs Barnes remained for a longer visit and she with her sister, Mrs. Copeland at whose home Grandma lived were with her when the end came.
Grandma Chesley leaves a long line of descendants, besides her three children. There are twenty-six grand-children, eighty-four great-grand-children and thirteen great-great-grand-children. Her going also breaks up five living generations namely, Mrs. Phoebe Chesley, Mrs. Ida Barnes, Mrs. Maud Conely, Mrs Fay Sesrood and Mrs. Genevieve Stevens. A very interesting feature of the ages of four generations of these good people.
Mrs. Phoebe Chesley is exactly twenty-six years older than her youngest daughter, Mrs Ida Barnes who is seventy-two, she (Mrs. Barnes) is exactly twenty-six years the senior of her youngest daugher, Mrs. Blanche Winslow who is forty-six. Mrs Winslow has a daughter Zelpha who is twenty-six years of age.
Grandma Chesley was paralyzed in the lower limbs making it necessary for her to remain in a wheel chair, but she could use her hands freely, doing all kinds of fine handwork.
She could read without the aid of glasses, few people are as familiar with Scripture as she, for she read and discussed the Bible frequently. Her mind remained intact to the end. Many of her friends quoted her as a very clever conversationalist.
Funeral services were held at the M. E. Church on thursday March 1. Rev. L.S. Burnham officiating. Interment beside her husband in Powell Canyon Cemetery.
The floral tributes were many.Note about the above, Phoebe was twenty-six years older than Ida, but her youngest daughter was Lucy (Chesley) Walker Copeland, not Ida.
OBITUARY
Phoebe C. Ward was born February 6, 1830 at Plattsburg, N. Y. In 1848 she was united in marriage to Charles Chesley and from this union were born eight children, three of whom survive their mother: Charles Chesley and Mrs. Ida E. Barnes both of Prosser Washington; and Mrs Lucy M. Copeland of Arnold, Neb: five children preceded their mother to that better land, one of them passing away in infancy, the others growing to manhood and womanhood.
Grandma Chelsey, as she was known to everyone, has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Copeland for many years as she was practically and invalid for a long time. Her husband preceded her in death twenty-three years ago.
Grandma Chesley united with the M. E. Church when she was eighteen years of age and has retained her membership ever since and during the final years especially, she devoted much of her time to reading the Bible and in prayer. She has made her home near Arnold for the past forty-three years, being one of the real early settlers here.
Besides her three children, she leaves several grandchildren, a number of great-grandchildren, and a host of friends. At the time of her passing on February 28, 1928 she had reached to advanced age of 98 years and 22 days.
GRANDMA CHESLEY CELEBRATED HER 98TH BIRTHDAY, MONDAY
A most notable event in the life of West Yucca Valley occurred Monday, February 6, 1928, when Grandma Chesley celebrated her 98th birthday in a quiet manner at the home of her daughter, Mrs W. D. Copeland, who with Mrs. Ida Barnes and Charles Chesley, the latter two of Prosser, Washington, the only three surviving out of eight children, while Grandma Chesley and her husband were each one of a family of eleven children, she being the only one remaining out of the twenty-two. Besides her three children aged 74, 72, and 62 years, she has twenty-six grandchildren, seventy great-grandchildren and twelve great-great-grandchildren.
Grandma Chesley was born in Plattsburgh, NY in 1830, she was married in 1848 and resided in New York until 1856 when she removed to Illinois, and in 1878 moved to Kansas where they resided until 1885, when they came to this community, living in Powell Canyon. Mr. Chesley died about 22 years ago.
Hosts of friends and relatives gave her a postal card and letter shower in remembrance of her 98th birthday, all hoping she will remain with us to celebrate the century mark.Phoebe (Ward) Chesley was my 2xg-grandmother. Unfortunately she passed away less than three weeks after the publication of this article. The named "Mrs. W.D. Copeland" is my g-grandmother Lucy (Chesley) Walker Copeland (1866-1944).
The Chesleys did not become Custer County pioneer residents until 1899. First Chesley to come to Powell Canyon, fifteen miles northwest of Callaway, was Charles E. and Maria Jane (Copeland) Chesley, who purchased a rough 160 acre homestead from Martha's brother Jared Copeland.......This couple also welcomed to Powell Canyon , the families of all five brothers and sisters (Ollnys, Walkers, etc.) as well as their parents Charles H. and Phoebe (Ward) Chesley who were in their sixties. Now the elder Chesleys probably made their home with youngest daughter Lucy, and Henry Martin Walker....[T]he elder Chesleys purchased the Charles E. farm in 1894......
The last of the Chesley brothers and sisters to come to Nebraska was George, who came by wagon in 1899. By then his oldest daughter Eva Pearl was eighteen and like a mother to brothers, Clarence 15, Harry B. 13 and to Fern 10. The mother Cora Densmore had died in 1898 from epilepsy after many years of illness.......
Eva Pearl was soon married to James Wonch and to this couple three strapping sons were born, Grant, Cecil, and Luman. James' mother, Sarah (Woodman) Wonch, a widow, was still proving up on the Wonch homestead......
One of the crops of Powell Canyon was cane and both the Chesley and Wonch farms made molasses in early fall. Eugene, son of Charles E. and Maria Jane, lost his arm in the molasses press. Dr. Mylar of Callaway amputated above the elbow, at the farm with only a neighbor, the older Bob Shaw to assist.Some of the families moved on from Nebraska. Most notable of those being Charles E. taking his family to Washington state. But when you look at this map and this history, you have to come away with the conclusion that Powell Canyon, Nebraska was one of the places our family put down roots. You might even say it is okay to call it "home."
On this 3 day of July 1905 before me a Notary Public in and for the county and state afore mentioned personally appeared Phebe C. Chesley who being by me duly sworn swears there is no public record of any kind of fact or date of my marriage to Charles H. Chesley as no such record was by law required to be kept in the state of New York at date of our marriage. I have a truthful record of my marriage in our family Bible. . . .The testimony goes on at some length where, among other perfunctory statements like a listing of personal property, she swears there are no remaining witnesses to the marriage nor is she able to contact the minister nor would he have records.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 3 day of July 1905 by Phebe C.Chesley, claimant for pension and the two persons above subscribing. I have no interest whatever in the claim for pension by said Phebe C. Chesley widow. I certify that at the same time said Phebe C. Chesley presented to me a Bible which she said on her oath contained a correct and true record of her family. I have carefully examined said book. It appears to have been printed in 1855. The record is legibly written with no change or alteration from its appearance. I believe said record is genuine and was probably written near the dates the respective events therein recorded are said to have transpired. As to the marriage of Charles H. Chesley and Phebe C. Ward the record recites as follows
At top of page under heading of marriages in an old and badly worn and faded Bible appears the following:
Charles H. Chesley (Born Dec 26th AD 1828) x Phebe Ward (Born Feb 6th AD 1830) - August 13th 1848
also a list of others of family with apparent date of marriage set opposite as above.THAT'S what I am talking about! The stuff that a Genealogist's dreams are made of.
Pictured above are two sets of four generations of women, three generations on each side of the baby! Standing L to R -- Flora Mae Hutchens (nee. Moore), Bessie Ann Walker (nee. Hutchens), Lucy May Walker Copeland (nee. Chesley); Sitting L to R -- Elizabeth Moore (nee. Johnson), Beulah Walker, Phoebe Chesley (nee. Ward). The baby's father was Lynndon Walker, Lucy's son.
Some notes on Charles H. and Phoebe Ward Chesley and their eight children. They were married in 1848 in Plattsburgh, New York, where they grew up and here their first four were born, George 1849, Candis 1852, Charles E. 1854, Ida 1856. With one nursing baby and three toddlers the couple traveled by wagon train to Morrison, Illinois the summer of 1857. One year later twins Catie (Eva) and Carrie were born (Carrie died at three months), in 1860 Cyrus Henry and Lucy May, 1866. . . .
In 1870, when the oldest George was 21 and the youngest Lucy May was four, the family emigrated to homestead near Osborn City, Kansas. . . .In 1889 Charles E. moved his family to Custer County, Nebraska. By 1894 the entire clan had joined him there, including the elderly Phoebe and Charles H. now in their sixties. Some of the families homesteaded, some bought existing farms, my great-grandmother Lucy homesteaded.
Phoebe Ward Chesley, the mother, grandmother, and great grandmother to the above families lived to be 98. She was cared for in the home of her youngest daughter Lucy Walker Copeland. She was still making quilts until the last years, always wore a neat ruffled bedcap, used a magnifying glass to read her Bible. She died in 1928.
