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Jessie Leah Laswell and Others 2016
It is odd sometimes how life comes at you; the first
time I recall hearing the name Jessie was at the funeral
of my Grandfather Harry Yates. I simply heard a female
voice saying that "Jessie was buried over here."; it was
not a name that registered with me as I was so focused
on having lost my Grandfather Harry Yates in 1969.
Although appearing calm in the moment his death rocked
me in a profound way as I considered him my last direct
line link to my father Carl who had died in 1955. After
my father's death there were few opportunities to learn
about the Yates family history and even then there is a
hesitancy to bring up subjects that represent loss and
sorrow. It was not until 1982 when I was 35 years old
that my dear aunt Marge Yates gave me the first details
of a new grandmother I had never known. The story ends
on a pre-antibiotic June 29, 1930 with all of her
children around her death bed dying from an infected
carbuncle which spread to her brain.
With that conversation you might have thought we would
have discussed the concept of any photos that might
exist. You have to fast forward to about 2005 when a
treasure trove of photos and documents were passed on to
the family. By this time I had become infected with the
genealogy bug and these things were sent to me to make
of them what I could. Therefore, it was after 2005 that
I first viewed the first image of my biological paternal
grandmother. It also solves the mystery of where our
prominent eyebrows come from! Since 2005 I have met and
researched my family lines and the more I learn of my
grandmother the stronger my love grows for her. She lead
a life full of hardships and losses but through her a
goodness and optimism seems to have prevailed even to
this day.
Please take a copy of any photo as desired.
Death of Ruth Evelyn Yates 1919-1925
Ruth Evelyn, small daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. E.
Yates, passed from this world to the brighter shore
over there, where sorrow and suffering is known no
more forever, on Tuesday evening of last week,
December 29, 1925 at 9:15 o'clock, at St. Elizabeth
hospital, in Danville, where she was operated on six
hours before for an intestinal obstruction. She was
taken to the hospital earlier in the day for an
emergency operation, but all that skill and science
and loving hands could do were of no avail.
The Yates home had been under Quarantine for some
time as the children had had scarlet fever. The
father had been sleeping at the black-smith shop and
the usual Christmas tree had been planned for that
fateful evening, but God changed the plans of
pleasant anticipation to one of sorrow and anguish.
The remains were brought to the undertaking parlors
of John T. Owen that night and prepared for burial.
This little sunbeam was born September 2, 1919 and
was permitted upon this earth but a brief period,
being only 6 years, 3 months and 17 days old at the
time of her death. Besides her father and mother she
is survived by two sisters, Lucille and Marjorie,
and two brothers, Harry, Jr., and Carl, besides many
other relatives. This was Ruth's first year in
school and she was greatly loved by her teacher and
schoolmates. Not only will she be missed in the
schoolroom, but her vacant chair at home will cause
much greater sorrow, as her presence brought cheer
and sunshine and love to all. She loved to sing, she
loved her Sunday school and her Jesus.
Death of Jessie Leah Laswell 1890-1930
Mrs. Jessie Leah (Laswell) Yates was born near English,
Indiana, February 2, 1890, and died June 29,1930, age 40
years, four months and twenty-seven days. May 23, 1910
she was married to Harry E. Yates. To this union were
born seven children, Lucille, Alberta, 'Margerie',
Ruthie, Harry Eugene, Carl Bernell and Fred Allen.
Alberta died when two weeks old in 1913, and Ruthie died
in 1925, age six years. Sherman Laswell, the father,
three sisters and one brother still live, Elizabeth Cox,
Ruth Barbee, Olive Schlichter and Sherman Laswell, all
of Terre Haute, Indiana, seven nephews and three nieces.
Mrs. Yates attended the Church of the Nazarene, where
she has lived a faithful Christian life until Jesus took
her home. She has lived a most exemplary life "Well done
thou good and faithful servant" will be true in her
case. She will be greatly missed not only in this home
by the family and relatives, but by all of Chrisman,
where they have spent 18 years of their married life.
Her life was all on the altar for sacrifice or service.
She fulfilled both. Her sickness was of short duration.
Her untimely death was a great shock to all of Chrisman
people. The funeral services were held from the
residence in Chrisman, Illinois with a large attendance
of friends and relatives and members of the Church at 10
o'clock; services were conducted by District
Superintendent, Rev. E.O. Chalfant assisted by pastor
Rev. J.W. Waltz.
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