Southwick Family – Evergreen Cemetery – Offerle, Ford County, Kansas

As we have seen from previous stories, the early pioneers faced not only disasters from mother nature, along with diseases like consumption, or typhoid fever. But sometimes the cause of the death is unknown.

The Southwick story begins with the birth of Thomas Southwick in England in 1833. He married Alice Bielby (b. 1838) in 1865. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth in 1868, the family emigrated to America and settled in Illinois. While living in Illinois, three more children were born; John in 1870, Mary in 1873, and Alice in 1875.

In 1877, the family moved to western Kansas and settled on a government claim eight miles north of Offerle in Hodgeman county. Their daughter, Ann, was born there in 1878.

The writing on the headstones tells the story: John Died Aug 19, 1879 Aged 9 Yrs. 2 Mos. - Elizabeth Died Dec 22, 1880 Aged 12 Yrs. 9 Mos. - Mary Died Nov 13, 1880 Aged 2 Yrs - Ann Nov 13, 1880

A stroke took the life of Thomas. He died on Feb 8, 1910 at the age of 76. After suffering from cancer, Alice died on July 7, 1913. She was 75 years old. The family is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Ford County, Kansas.

Their surviving daughter, Alice, moved back to Illinois, married, and died in 1964.

Note: I have held onto this story for quite some time as I wanted to find a cause of death. I did find a Mary Southwick listed on the records as having been buried in First Kinsley Cemetery, Edwards County.