We can speculate that, shortly after marrying, Dema's parents may have journeyed from IN to MN due to Charles' business as a carriage maker. Around 1856 the area of St. Paul, MN was booming and highly attractive to immigrants. Whatever the incentive for making the trip, by June 15, 1860 the family had moved on to MO and Dema had 2 new siblings, Edwin age 2, and Martha just 2 months old. Soon the turbulent years of the Civil War would be upon the family although details of exactly how they were affected are unknown.

We know that Dema survived the war. A newspaper article published much later in her life tells us that Dema had come to Randolph County, IL in 1868. She is shown as 13 years old on the 1870 Randolph Co., IL, Chester Post Office census living with her grandmother Sarah and Joseph NIXON. Her place of birth is MN on this census. No other members of her family are shown as living with the grandmother and their whereabouts in 1870 have yet to be discovered.

Between 1870 and 1875 Dema, according to a diary in the possession of the family of descendant Ellamae Emily KENNER, worked as a Harvey Girl. In 1870 a man by the name of Fred HARVEY had created a chain of restaurants to serve travelers on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. The Harvey Girls did all the cooking to feed people while the trains were refueled with wood and water. They were paid in room and board plus $18.00 a month. Although the exact location of her employment is not known, her diary tells us that was where Dema met Charles Frederick RAUCH, born Feb. 3, 1847, Kaskaskia, IL, who would become her first husband on Nov. 9, 1875. Unfortunately, Charles died Dec. 20, 1879 of thyphoid fever. He and Dema had 3 children: Dema Nettie RAUCH, b. Dec. 14, 1876, Charles Frederick RAUCH, b. Aug. 22, 1878 and Charles RAUCH, b. May, 1880.

Dema, a young widow at 22 years of age and her young children, Nettie, age 4, Frederick, 2, and Charles, 4 months, are next found on the July 1st, 1880 census for the town of Kaskaskia in Kaskaskia Precinct living in the home of her in-laws Frederick and Anna RAUCH.

Eventually Dema entered into her second marriage to a man whose surname was ETTER. Although no documentation has been found for this marriage, we know about it because her marriage license for her third marriage states that her name is ETTER, DEMA WELLS (MRS). It is thought that ETTER died after 9 months.

On October 26, 1887, at age 30 she entered her third and final marriage to Frank Michael KENNER, a farmer of St. Mary, MO who was 36 years of age. Michael was the son of John H. KENNER and Matilda BROWN. Witnesses to the ceremony were W. R. and Nellie M. MacKENZIE. During their years of marriage, which ended with the death of Frank Michael in 1931, they had 4 children: Ada A. KENNER, b. Sept. 7, 1888; Frank M. KENNER, b. abt 1890; Anna Emilie KENNER, b. abt 1892; and Winfred Wells KENNER, b. Oct. 16, 1894.

Once again a widow, Dema would live on to see her family grow and prosper. In 1936, for her 80th birthday a surprise party was held for her by her Sunday school class. In 1938 she attended a RAUCH family reunion and was noted in the newspaper article covering it as the oldest person present.

Finally, having lived 90 years, 8 months and 5 days, Dema passed away May 25, 1947. According to her Death Certificate she had a history of arterio schlerosis and just before she died, a cerebral hemorrhage. Her burial was at Evergreen Cemetery, Chester, IL.