Bio provided by Clara's great granddaughter, FamilyHistoriansets, 2020
Clara Eliza Walsh was born in Wisconsin in 1866. The 1870 Census indicates she was living with her family in New London, Waupaca, Wisconsin. By the 1880 Census, the family was living in Clay County, Nebraska and she was attending school. She began teaching school as indicated on the 1885 Census, Logan, Clay County, Nebraska.
She married Roland Touzeau Martin on August 4, 1886 in Harvard, Nebraska. Clara had four children in Nebraska before moving to Montana where three more children were born. They settled near Lewistown, Montana establishing a dairy farm about five miles south on Casino Creek. There she watched her remaining children grow into adulthood and start their own families. In later years, Clara served twice in the Montana State Legislature as a representative from Fergus County, 1939 and 1941.
In Feb 1953, Clara was quite ill and was staying with her daughter, Laurel, in Los Angeles, California. On the 27th, her grandson, Rufus, visited along with his wife, Betty, and their two young children, Robby 5 yrs. old and Susie 3 yrs. old. (Susie had been named after Clara's daughter who had died in 1949.) They had a lovely visit. The next day, on the 28th, Clara passed away. As her grandson, Rufus B. Thompson, Jr. wrote: "She had so much influence on my upbringing. Ruth and I spent lots of time on the farm with her. Grandma took care of all of us for better than a year when Mother was in California caring for my Grandmother Thompson. She tutored us in our schooling and always insisted that we do our best and to be good citizens. She was an excellent cook using the standard wood-burning stove. She would always make something special for me like lemon pie. She was a very loving and wonderful grandmother."
Clara Eliza Walsh was born in Wisconsin in 1866. The 1870 Census indicates she was living with her family in New London, Waupaca, Wisconsin. By the 1880 Census, the family was living in Clay County, Nebraska and she was attending school. She began teaching school as indicated on the 1885 Census, Logan, Clay County, Nebraska.
She married Roland Touzeau Martin on August 4, 1886 in Harvard, Nebraska. Clara had four children in Nebraska before moving to Montana where three more children were born. They settled near Lewistown, Montana establishing a dairy farm about five miles south on Casino Creek. There she watched her remaining children grow into adulthood and start their own families. In later years, Clara served twice in the Montana State Legislature as a representative from Fergus County, 1939 and 1941.
In Feb 1953, Clara was quite ill and was staying with her daughter, Laurel, in Los Angeles, California. On the 27th, her grandson, Rufus, visited along with his wife, Betty, and their two young children, Robby 5 yrs. old and Susie 3 yrs. old. (Susie had been named after Clara's daughter who had died in 1949.) They had a lovely visit. The next day, on the 28th, Clara passed away. As her grandson, Rufus B. Thompson, Jr. wrote: "She had so much influence on my upbringing. Ruth and I spent lots of time on the farm with her. Grandma took care of all of us for better than a year when Mother was in California caring for my Grandmother Thompson. She tutored us in our schooling and always insisted that we do our best and to be good citizens. She was an excellent cook using the standard wood-burning stove. She would always make something special for me like lemon pie. She was a very loving and wonderful grandmother."
Bio provided by Clara's great granddaughter, FamilyHistoriansets, 2020
Clara Eliza Walsh was born in Wisconsin in 1866. The 1870 Census indicates she was living with her family in New London, Waupaca, Wisconsin. By the 1880 Census, the family was living in Clay County, Nebraska and she was attending school. She began teaching school as indicated on the 1885 Census, Logan, Clay County, Nebraska.
She married Roland Touzeau Martin on August 4, 1886 in Harvard, Nebraska. Clara had four children in Nebraska before moving to Montana where three more children were born. They settled near Lewistown, Montana establishing a dairy farm about five miles south on Casino Creek. There she watched her remaining children grow into adulthood and start their own families. In later years, Clara served twice in the Montana State Legislature as a representative from Fergus County, 1939 and 1941.
In Feb 1953, Clara was quite ill and was staying with her daughter, Laurel, in Los Angeles, California. On the 27th, her grandson, Rufus, visited along with his wife, Betty, and their two young children, Robby 5 yrs. old and Susie 3 yrs. old. (Susie had been named after Clara's daughter who had died in 1949.) They had a lovely visit. The next day, on the 28th, Clara passed away. As her grandson, Rufus B. Thompson, Jr. wrote: "She had so much influence on my upbringing. Ruth and I spent lots of time on the farm with her. Grandma took care of all of us for better than a year when Mother was in California caring for my Grandmother Thompson. She tutored us in our schooling and always insisted that we do our best and to be good citizens. She was an excellent cook using the standard wood-burning stove. She would always make something special for me like lemon pie. She was a very loving and wonderful grandmother."
Clara Eliza Walsh was born in Wisconsin in 1866. The 1870 Census indicates she was living with her family in New London, Waupaca, Wisconsin. By the 1880 Census, the family was living in Clay County, Nebraska and she was attending school. She began teaching school as indicated on the 1885 Census, Logan, Clay County, Nebraska.
She married Roland Touzeau Martin on August 4, 1886 in Harvard, Nebraska. Clara had four children in Nebraska before moving to Montana where three more children were born. They settled near Lewistown, Montana establishing a dairy farm about five miles south on Casino Creek. There she watched her remaining children grow into adulthood and start their own families. In later years, Clara served twice in the Montana State Legislature as a representative from Fergus County, 1939 and 1941.
In Feb 1953, Clara was quite ill and was staying with her daughter, Laurel, in Los Angeles, California. On the 27th, her grandson, Rufus, visited along with his wife, Betty, and their two young children, Robby 5 yrs. old and Susie 3 yrs. old. (Susie had been named after Clara's daughter who had died in 1949.) They had a lovely visit. The next day, on the 28th, Clara passed away. As her grandson, Rufus B. Thompson, Jr. wrote: "She had so much influence on my upbringing. Ruth and I spent lots of time on the farm with her. Grandma took care of all of us for better than a year when Mother was in California caring for my Grandmother Thompson. She tutored us in our schooling and always insisted that we do our best and to be good citizens. She was an excellent cook using the standard wood-burning stove. She would always make something special for me like lemon pie. She was a very loving and wonderful grandmother."
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