Nora Bell was the oldest of six children born to Elizabeth Spradley and William M Heaton, a native of Pennsylvania.
Born in Greene County, Illinois, in December of 1857, where her parents farmed, she married William A Sanders on August 25, 1878, in the same county, and they began farming, and started a family.
Their first born child, Georgie, died as an infant in Illinois in 1879. Their next child, Homer Clyde was born in Illinois as well, in 1881. Son Earl, was born in 1884 in Illinois and died in Empire City, Cherokee County, Kansas, in 1897, where William was employed as a mining engineer in the lead and zinc mines.
Son Robert Samuel Sanders was born in 1886 in Roodhouse, Illinois; and daughter Zelma Ruth was born in 1895 in Empire City, Kansas (the family lived in nearby Baxter Springs in March of 1895). Zelma died there as well, in 1896.1896-97 was a time of grief for this wife and mother.
Her husband William, died of consumption in 1897. His remains were taken to Roodhouse, Greene County, Illinois. Nora, with her two surviving sons, Homer and Robert, moved there as well, to be closer to her family, and where she had friends and familiar surroundings.
With her son Homer having moved to New Mexico, where it was thought his health would be improved (he had tuberculosis), and her son Robert having entered the military in 1908 at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis (he would serve there until December 1910 when he was discharged in California), Nora went to live with her aunt, Sarah Heaton Chism in Whitehall, Illinois.
After her aunt’s death in February of 1911, Nora moved in April of that year to Deming, New Mexico, to be near her son Homer.1912 brought both joy and sadness to Nora, as she married neighbor James T Brown, a farmer, in May of 1912. James was well-known and liked there. But in September of 1912, Nora’s son Homer lost his struggle with tuberculosis, and died. Nora also lost her father that year.
Nora visited her family in Illinois when she could, and was there at the time of her mother Elizabeth’s death in 1914.Nora and her husband James are mentioned several times in the Deming, New Mexico newspaper, the articles indicating that they had an active social and community life.
One article noted that Nora had taken a position at the Ladies Hospital there, and James was “batching” it. 1929 again brought grief to home, as her husband James died in January of that year.
After his death, Nora rented out her home and returned to Roodhouse, Illinois, to help care for her sister, Alletta “Lettie” Barrow, who was ill. Lettie died in 1930. By 1935, from their home in Ecorse, Michigan, where he had worked in an auto factory, her son Robert and his family moved to Deming to live with Nora--he and his wife Lena and 2 of their children, son William “Billy” Carl, and daughter Pearl [Higginbotham] and Pearl’s son Delbert.
Both Robert and Lena brought income into the household through their work at a service station. (Lena died in an El Paso, Texas hospital in June 1940. Robert brought her remains to Deming for burial.)Nora would outlive both her husbands, and all of her children. Sadly, her son Robert died at Fort Bayard, Grant, New Mexico on June 2, 1944. Nora died on December 7, 1944, in Deming.
She had lived to see grandchildren born—four of them, with the youngest of them conveying honor to family names: June, Pearl, Nora and William Sanders, and even great-grandchildren. (As well as Pearl’s son Delbert, Robert’s daughter June Taunton also had 2 children by 1940--Robert H and Betty Ruth.)
Nora’s death notice in the Deming newspaper was a brief one:“MRS. NORA BROWN FUNERAL RITES TODAYFuneral services for Mrs. Nora Brown, pioneer resident of the community, who passed away Thursday, will be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock from the Christian Church.
Published on page 1 of The Deming Headlight, December 8, 1944, Friday.
”Her newspaper “obituary” may have been a short one, but she lived a long life, her death coming at age 86. She had lived in Illinois, Kansas, and New Mexico, and traveled many other places to visit her family.
She loved two men in her life and mourned their deaths; she had five children whose births and deaths ebbed and flowed before hers. She was blessed with loving parents, and siblings who all remained close.
She knew the laughter, and wiped the tears, of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Nora’s legacy is of the many hearts she touched—she was a faithful daughter, a caring sister, a loving wife, a devoted mother, and undoubtedly, a doting grandmother.
Born in Greene County, Illinois, in December of 1857, where her parents farmed, she married William A Sanders on August 25, 1878, in the same county, and they began farming, and started a family.
Their first born child, Georgie, died as an infant in Illinois in 1879. Their next child, Homer Clyde was born in Illinois as well, in 1881. Son Earl, was born in 1884 in Illinois and died in Empire City, Cherokee County, Kansas, in 1897, where William was employed as a mining engineer in the lead and zinc mines.
Son Robert Samuel Sanders was born in 1886 in Roodhouse, Illinois; and daughter Zelma Ruth was born in 1895 in Empire City, Kansas (the family lived in nearby Baxter Springs in March of 1895). Zelma died there as well, in 1896.1896-97 was a time of grief for this wife and mother.
Her husband William, died of consumption in 1897. His remains were taken to Roodhouse, Greene County, Illinois. Nora, with her two surviving sons, Homer and Robert, moved there as well, to be closer to her family, and where she had friends and familiar surroundings.
With her son Homer having moved to New Mexico, where it was thought his health would be improved (he had tuberculosis), and her son Robert having entered the military in 1908 at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis (he would serve there until December 1910 when he was discharged in California), Nora went to live with her aunt, Sarah Heaton Chism in Whitehall, Illinois.
After her aunt’s death in February of 1911, Nora moved in April of that year to Deming, New Mexico, to be near her son Homer.1912 brought both joy and sadness to Nora, as she married neighbor James T Brown, a farmer, in May of 1912. James was well-known and liked there. But in September of 1912, Nora’s son Homer lost his struggle with tuberculosis, and died. Nora also lost her father that year.
Nora visited her family in Illinois when she could, and was there at the time of her mother Elizabeth’s death in 1914.Nora and her husband James are mentioned several times in the Deming, New Mexico newspaper, the articles indicating that they had an active social and community life.
One article noted that Nora had taken a position at the Ladies Hospital there, and James was “batching” it. 1929 again brought grief to home, as her husband James died in January of that year.
After his death, Nora rented out her home and returned to Roodhouse, Illinois, to help care for her sister, Alletta “Lettie” Barrow, who was ill. Lettie died in 1930. By 1935, from their home in Ecorse, Michigan, where he had worked in an auto factory, her son Robert and his family moved to Deming to live with Nora--he and his wife Lena and 2 of their children, son William “Billy” Carl, and daughter Pearl [Higginbotham] and Pearl’s son Delbert.
Both Robert and Lena brought income into the household through their work at a service station. (Lena died in an El Paso, Texas hospital in June 1940. Robert brought her remains to Deming for burial.)Nora would outlive both her husbands, and all of her children. Sadly, her son Robert died at Fort Bayard, Grant, New Mexico on June 2, 1944. Nora died on December 7, 1944, in Deming.
She had lived to see grandchildren born—four of them, with the youngest of them conveying honor to family names: June, Pearl, Nora and William Sanders, and even great-grandchildren. (As well as Pearl’s son Delbert, Robert’s daughter June Taunton also had 2 children by 1940--Robert H and Betty Ruth.)
Nora’s death notice in the Deming newspaper was a brief one:“MRS. NORA BROWN FUNERAL RITES TODAYFuneral services for Mrs. Nora Brown, pioneer resident of the community, who passed away Thursday, will be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock from the Christian Church.
Published on page 1 of The Deming Headlight, December 8, 1944, Friday.
”Her newspaper “obituary” may have been a short one, but she lived a long life, her death coming at age 86. She had lived in Illinois, Kansas, and New Mexico, and traveled many other places to visit her family.
She loved two men in her life and mourned their deaths; she had five children whose births and deaths ebbed and flowed before hers. She was blessed with loving parents, and siblings who all remained close.
She knew the laughter, and wiped the tears, of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Nora’s legacy is of the many hearts she touched—she was a faithful daughter, a caring sister, a loving wife, a devoted mother, and undoubtedly, a doting grandmother.
Nora Bell was the oldest of six children born to Elizabeth Spradley and William M Heaton, a native of Pennsylvania.
Born in Greene County, Illinois, in December of 1857, where her parents farmed, she married William A Sanders on August 25, 1878, in the same county, and they began farming, and started a family.
Their first born child, Georgie, died as an infant in Illinois in 1879. Their next child, Homer Clyde was born in Illinois as well, in 1881. Son Earl, was born in 1884 in Illinois and died in Empire City, Cherokee County, Kansas, in 1897, where William was employed as a mining engineer in the lead and zinc mines.
Son Robert Samuel Sanders was born in 1886 in Roodhouse, Illinois; and daughter Zelma Ruth was born in 1895 in Empire City, Kansas (the family lived in nearby Baxter Springs in March of 1895). Zelma died there as well, in 1896.1896-97 was a time of grief for this wife and mother.
Her husband William, died of consumption in 1897. His remains were taken to Roodhouse, Greene County, Illinois. Nora, with her two surviving sons, Homer and Robert, moved there as well, to be closer to her family, and where she had friends and familiar surroundings.
With her son Homer having moved to New Mexico, where it was thought his health would be improved (he had tuberculosis), and her son Robert having entered the military in 1908 at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis (he would serve there until December 1910 when he was discharged in California), Nora went to live with her aunt, Sarah Heaton Chism in Whitehall, Illinois.
After her aunt’s death in February of 1911, Nora moved in April of that year to Deming, New Mexico, to be near her son Homer.1912 brought both joy and sadness to Nora, as she married neighbor James T Brown, a farmer, in May of 1912. James was well-known and liked there. But in September of 1912, Nora’s son Homer lost his struggle with tuberculosis, and died. Nora also lost her father that year.
Nora visited her family in Illinois when she could, and was there at the time of her mother Elizabeth’s death in 1914.Nora and her husband James are mentioned several times in the Deming, New Mexico newspaper, the articles indicating that they had an active social and community life.
One article noted that Nora had taken a position at the Ladies Hospital there, and James was “batching” it. 1929 again brought grief to home, as her husband James died in January of that year.
After his death, Nora rented out her home and returned to Roodhouse, Illinois, to help care for her sister, Alletta “Lettie” Barrow, who was ill. Lettie died in 1930. By 1935, from their home in Ecorse, Michigan, where he had worked in an auto factory, her son Robert and his family moved to Deming to live with Nora--he and his wife Lena and 2 of their children, son William “Billy” Carl, and daughter Pearl [Higginbotham] and Pearl’s son Delbert.
Both Robert and Lena brought income into the household through their work at a service station. (Lena died in an El Paso, Texas hospital in June 1940. Robert brought her remains to Deming for burial.)Nora would outlive both her husbands, and all of her children. Sadly, her son Robert died at Fort Bayard, Grant, New Mexico on June 2, 1944. Nora died on December 7, 1944, in Deming.
She had lived to see grandchildren born—four of them, with the youngest of them conveying honor to family names: June, Pearl, Nora and William Sanders, and even great-grandchildren. (As well as Pearl’s son Delbert, Robert’s daughter June Taunton also had 2 children by 1940--Robert H and Betty Ruth.)
Nora’s death notice in the Deming newspaper was a brief one:“MRS. NORA BROWN FUNERAL RITES TODAYFuneral services for Mrs. Nora Brown, pioneer resident of the community, who passed away Thursday, will be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock from the Christian Church.
Published on page 1 of The Deming Headlight, December 8, 1944, Friday.
”Her newspaper “obituary” may have been a short one, but she lived a long life, her death coming at age 86. She had lived in Illinois, Kansas, and New Mexico, and traveled many other places to visit her family.
She loved two men in her life and mourned their deaths; she had five children whose births and deaths ebbed and flowed before hers. She was blessed with loving parents, and siblings who all remained close.
She knew the laughter, and wiped the tears, of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Nora’s legacy is of the many hearts she touched—she was a faithful daughter, a caring sister, a loving wife, a devoted mother, and undoubtedly, a doting grandmother.
Born in Greene County, Illinois, in December of 1857, where her parents farmed, she married William A Sanders on August 25, 1878, in the same county, and they began farming, and started a family.
Their first born child, Georgie, died as an infant in Illinois in 1879. Their next child, Homer Clyde was born in Illinois as well, in 1881. Son Earl, was born in 1884 in Illinois and died in Empire City, Cherokee County, Kansas, in 1897, where William was employed as a mining engineer in the lead and zinc mines.
Son Robert Samuel Sanders was born in 1886 in Roodhouse, Illinois; and daughter Zelma Ruth was born in 1895 in Empire City, Kansas (the family lived in nearby Baxter Springs in March of 1895). Zelma died there as well, in 1896.1896-97 was a time of grief for this wife and mother.
Her husband William, died of consumption in 1897. His remains were taken to Roodhouse, Greene County, Illinois. Nora, with her two surviving sons, Homer and Robert, moved there as well, to be closer to her family, and where she had friends and familiar surroundings.
With her son Homer having moved to New Mexico, where it was thought his health would be improved (he had tuberculosis), and her son Robert having entered the military in 1908 at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis (he would serve there until December 1910 when he was discharged in California), Nora went to live with her aunt, Sarah Heaton Chism in Whitehall, Illinois.
After her aunt’s death in February of 1911, Nora moved in April of that year to Deming, New Mexico, to be near her son Homer.1912 brought both joy and sadness to Nora, as she married neighbor James T Brown, a farmer, in May of 1912. James was well-known and liked there. But in September of 1912, Nora’s son Homer lost his struggle with tuberculosis, and died. Nora also lost her father that year.
Nora visited her family in Illinois when she could, and was there at the time of her mother Elizabeth’s death in 1914.Nora and her husband James are mentioned several times in the Deming, New Mexico newspaper, the articles indicating that they had an active social and community life.
One article noted that Nora had taken a position at the Ladies Hospital there, and James was “batching” it. 1929 again brought grief to home, as her husband James died in January of that year.
After his death, Nora rented out her home and returned to Roodhouse, Illinois, to help care for her sister, Alletta “Lettie” Barrow, who was ill. Lettie died in 1930. By 1935, from their home in Ecorse, Michigan, where he had worked in an auto factory, her son Robert and his family moved to Deming to live with Nora--he and his wife Lena and 2 of their children, son William “Billy” Carl, and daughter Pearl [Higginbotham] and Pearl’s son Delbert.
Both Robert and Lena brought income into the household through their work at a service station. (Lena died in an El Paso, Texas hospital in June 1940. Robert brought her remains to Deming for burial.)Nora would outlive both her husbands, and all of her children. Sadly, her son Robert died at Fort Bayard, Grant, New Mexico on June 2, 1944. Nora died on December 7, 1944, in Deming.
She had lived to see grandchildren born—four of them, with the youngest of them conveying honor to family names: June, Pearl, Nora and William Sanders, and even great-grandchildren. (As well as Pearl’s son Delbert, Robert’s daughter June Taunton also had 2 children by 1940--Robert H and Betty Ruth.)
Nora’s death notice in the Deming newspaper was a brief one:“MRS. NORA BROWN FUNERAL RITES TODAYFuneral services for Mrs. Nora Brown, pioneer resident of the community, who passed away Thursday, will be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock from the Christian Church.
Published on page 1 of The Deming Headlight, December 8, 1944, Friday.
”Her newspaper “obituary” may have been a short one, but she lived a long life, her death coming at age 86. She had lived in Illinois, Kansas, and New Mexico, and traveled many other places to visit her family.
She loved two men in her life and mourned their deaths; she had five children whose births and deaths ebbed and flowed before hers. She was blessed with loving parents, and siblings who all remained close.
She knew the laughter, and wiped the tears, of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Nora’s legacy is of the many hearts she touched—she was a faithful daughter, a caring sister, a loving wife, a devoted mother, and undoubtedly, a doting grandmother.
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