Joseph (Aka Joe) FreemanMiers

Cass County, Iowa, was listed as where Joe was born on his death record. (See reference 3 below.)

Joseph moved with his parents, Isaac and Hannah, and family from Adams County, Iowa, to Marion County, Iowa, after June 21, 1880. (see reference 16 below)

Joe and Lulu were married by Rev. W.A. Jackson, Pastor of the church at Attica, Marion County, Iowa. Joe and Lulu lived on the "D.B. Cherry place" east of Attica, Iowa, at one time then moved to the Joseph Robuck place in Indiana Township, Marion County, Iowa. Eventually, they moved to Knoxville where they lived for many years.

Joe was a farmer, a carpenter and a school janitor. On his death record, he is listed as a grocer. He was said to be of German-Dutch decent. He was blind for about 40 years, becoming blind from either a detached retina or ashes in his eye as he was also janitor at the east side grade school in Knoxville. Both stories were told. As a result of his blindness, for income, he and Lulu sold milk from a little entry way to the back of their house until their two sons, Clarence and Ancil, built an extra room on the house for them from where they operated a small grocery store. A bell jingled on the door to alert Joe of customers entering. They even had a glass case with candy that cost a penny. Joe also made and sold belts, change purses and rubber mats for scraping mud off of feet before entering homes. His blindness did not stop him, he walked all over town and he could recognize a person by their footsteps alone.

Joe went blind when Lucille Miers Webster was a baby, about 1935. In a telecon on February 12, 2000, Lucille's cousin Mildred Miers Gross Snyder relates that after Joe went blind, he roofed and shingled his barn/garage (it was a barn then later a garage). Mildred's father, Clarence Miers, put a board along the roof edge so Joe, his dad, would know where the edge was and not fall off. Joe lined up the shingles by feel and they were on straighter than most sighted men do. Note: There was a series of attached buildings including the barn/garage which was attached to a smoke house to smoke meat for its preservation. The smoke house later became a laundry room. While connected to each other, these buildings were not connected to the back of the house. There was an outhouse behind the smoke house with a seperate entrance. A trumpet flower vine, with orange flowers shaped like long bells on a trumpet, grew by the path to the outhouse. As children, Lucille and her cousin, Mariln Harvey liked to put the flowers upside down on their fingers and say they had long fingernails. There was a rain barrel at the corner of the back of the house which collected rain and was used when Lulu Miers wanted soft water. Lucille and others washed their hair in this rain water. Later, water softeners were developed and rain barrels were no longer needed.

Mildred Snyder told Lucille that when Joe went blind he had been working as a custodian at the school. The school nurse, a Nan Clack, insisted that he go to summer school for the blind where they learn to use their other senses to take over for the lack of being blind. Joe went not only one summer but went two summers to this school. This is how he learned to get around so well while being blind.

Lulu did not work outside the home but worked and operated the grocery store beside Joseph. The front room in their house was rented out for extra income and she was active in the community, still carrying the flag in the Memorial Day Parade when she was approximately 76 years old. After Joe's death, their son Clarence received special permission from the city to place a new 50 foot single-wide mobile home on his lot for Lulu to live in until her death. She said it was the best house she ever had.

Their granddaughter Lucille Miers Webster grew up, until a Junior on high school, living on the southeast corner of the block only one block from them in a stucco house at 1136 Jefferson Street, Knoxville, Iowa. She therefore, spent a lot of time at their house. Note: the streets may have been renumbered from the time Lucille lived there until Joe died.

Lulu made excellent egg noodles. Lucille liked them so well, that long after she grew up, Lulu would make them for her when she came to visit and Lulu even mailed some to her. Joe, although blind always knew Lucille by her footsteps when they met on the streets of town. Joe also used to have a box of chocolates once in a while that he shared sparingly with Lucille. The brown paper cups the candy sat in smelled as good as eating the candy had tasted.

Family get-to-gathers for Christmas, Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, all the major holidays, and for birthdays of Lulu or Joe or their children, were wonderful ways to know and enjoy the other family members, besides ordinary visiting back and forth in each other's homes. Every other year Christmas would be held on Christmas Day at Lulu and Joe's and every other year it was the Sunday before so the families could go to the other spouses family for Christmas day. The family drew names and had a big dinner and gift exchange. The day before the Christmas dinner, Lucille got to decorate Lulu and Joe's Christmas tree which was a branch cut off of an evergreen in their back yard and stuck in a bucket of sand held up by leaning against the wall in the living room. As soon as the dinner was over, gifts opened and pictures taken, out went the tree. Lucille took most of the pictures at these events as she had an interest in doing so. Lucille has many happy memories of these family events and of just being at her grandparents.

Joseph was 81 when he died of Carcinoma of the Lung. He died in his home at 302 East Jefferson Street, Knoxville, Iowa. (See reference 3 below.) He had cancer of the bowel and a bad heart that were not listed on his death record but was known to Lucille Webster, his granddaughter. When performing cancer surgery, the doctor stopped before finished saying Joe's heart would not take the rest of the surgery. After the surgery, he laid in bed for several months and would only eat 1/2 a bowl of oatmeal at a meal as he was planning to die soon. He died in his own home.

Joe and Lulu's funerals were both at Bybee & Davis Funeral Home, 301 North Second, Knoxville, Iowa, and both are buried in Graceland Cemetry, Knoxville, Marion, Co., Iowa, Section 9 (North part of old cemetery), Lot 2. Their son, Clarence was part owner of that funeral home.

Lulu and Joe's daughter, Hazel, married Marvin Harvey, whose father was a brother to Ike Harvey, husband of Myrtle Harvey, Lulu Miers' sister.

Joseph's Aunt Mary Ann's and Uncle Jacob's names were spelled Miers and Mires within the same deed. Mary's middle name was spelled An in one place on the deed. This is the first time period that Lucille Miers Webster has known of the Miers spelling instead of Myers. Later, Hannah Miers was spelled Miers when referred to in a diary of her cousin Robert Lincoln Young in Illinois. Many times, in public records, the name is spelled Myers.

January 9, 2000, a diary of Robert Lincoln Young was read by Margaret Young Rice, his great-granddaugher, of Knoxville, Illinois. In the diary, Robert wrote entries for December 1893. On the 8th, he and his wife, Emma, went "up home. Mr. E. (Mr. England - her father) was sick with Ia grippe. Our folks went to Edd Young's and brought home Aunt Nancy Johnston and cousin Hannah Miers with them." On the 12th, "Father and mother took cousins over to Collins." (Collins married the Youngs) Dec. 16th: "Father went for Aunt Nancy and Hannah at the AM" Dec. 20th: Aunt Nancy and Cousin Hannah left for good." Also in the diary is a note for Nov. 8, 1893: "Charlie Myers married." It is not known if he is part of the Miers family or not but may not have been since the spelling is Myers in the same book as Hannah's spelling of Miers. May 11, 1892 through June 25, 1892, Robert's parents took a trip which included Texas, Col., Kansas, Neb., Iowa.

Note: Joseph Freeman Miers used to speak of Aunt Lydia and Uncle Jake Probaco. It is pretty certain that Jake and Lydia are Jacob (called Jake) and Elizabeth Probasco. Jake is the son of Joseph Miers' Aunt Mary Ann (Miers) Probasco. Lydia could be a nickname for Elizabeth. Also, Lydia was Mary's mother. That may possibly have caused the mix up in names. Joseph was five years old when he moved away from Jake and Elizabeth Probasco. Jake was an adult when Joseph was five.

Joseph's father's, Isaac Freeman Miers, sister, Mary Ann (Miers) Probasco and her husband Jacob moved to Adams County, Iowa, in 1872, and bought 160 acres on Oct. 3, 1877, less right of way of 200 feet across the property for Chicago Burlington & Quincy Rail Road Co., for use as track and maintenance in conjunction with the track.

Jacob Creager had no children of his own or they died young, so on Nov. 17, 1887, his heirs were from his sister's, Lydia Miers, children. Those heirs are all grand-nephews and nieces of Jacob: (reference 5):
1. Jacob M. Probasco, age 33 Seneca, Ontario Co., NY
2. Catherine A.J. Cramer, age 35, Corning, Adams Co., Iowa
3. John Mires, over 21, Clayton, Lenawee Co., MI
4. Adelbert Mires, over 21, same as above
5. Hattie L. Ford, age 29, Iliff (spelled: ILIFF), Weld Co., (presently LoganCo.), Colorado
6. Mary N. Gay, age 27, Corning, Adams Co., Iowa
7. Isetta Betterton, age 25, Knoxville, Marion Co., Iowa
8. Della Johnson, age 21 Milford, Dickinson,Co., Iowa
9. James A. Mires, age 19, same as above
10. Florence A. Johnson, age 17, same as above
11. May Mires, age 14, same as above
12. Joseph F. Mires, age 12, same as above
13. Lydia James, age 35, Toulan, Stark Co., IL.
14, Joseph Mires, age 25, Jackson, Jackson Co., MI
15. Frances Mires age 30, same as above
16. Hannah Mires, mother of #9-12.

(Note by Lucille: Hannah was actually mother of #5-12.
Numbers 5-12 are Isaac Freeman Miers' children and Hannah was his wife.
Mary Ann's children are Numbers 1 and 2.
Numbers 3,4,13,14,15 must be Levi and Jacob's children.) The Petition for acceptance to let Lydia Miers' brother's, Jacob Creager's, heirs know of the probate of his will, lists the above heirs. These heirs are also Lydia's heirs as they were Jacob's only heirs. The same list of heirs were listed in Jacob Creager's Citation of Probate of his will. Notices were sent to the heirs, some on Oct. 4 and some on Oct. 5, 1887. They were also listed for the same purpose in the Geneva Courier newspaper, Geneva, Ontario County, New York, in six issues one week apart commencing Oct.7, 1887. Some are listed in the Citation to Attend Probate of Will, signed Oct. 3, 1887, and filed November 17, 1887. Appraisers appointed for Jacob Creager's personal estate on November 17, 1887, were Marvin Ringer and Wm. R. Kane. The property appraisal was finished on December 6, 1887 and notorized December 15, 1887. Notice of Appraisement and Inventory for Jacob Creager's estate was dated November 19, 1887, and signed on December 15, 1887, that it was distributed to his heir Jacob M. Probasco, "the only legater and next of kin". References 5 through 11 below.

History in 1857 Iowa

An interesting piece of data is that the Underground Railroad operated through Knoxville, and through Cass County, Guthrie County, and other southern and eastern Iowa towns in 1857 when people tried to help slaves with their flight to Canada to obtain freedom before the U.S. Civil War. Most came through Iowa from Missouri. This data is provided in "Brief History of Corning and Adams Co., Iowa", published for Corning's 100 years celebration in 1957.
Cass County History

Cass County is located at an elevation of 1,450 feet in rolling hills with timber along the streams and coal mines in the southeastern part of the county. Pottawattamie Indians were the first to live in the county with several encampments and a burial ground at the Indiantown encampment, west of Lewis. Most of the Indians left by 1847 and the rest by 1856, giving up their land by the Treaties of 1846 before any white settlers lived in Cass County.

Mormans passed through on the Morman trail in the fall of 1846. About 20 families stayed, establishing the first white town in the county, calling it Iranistan, but most moved on west in 1849. Mail came once a week from what is now called Council Bluffs. Cold Springs was a later name attached to Indiantown.

Slowly but steadily people moved into the new territory. Pioneers built on river banks in the timber instead of on the plains because hauling wook to build houses was hard work and 90% of the work was done by the individual living there. Many took three weeks pulling their goods 125 miles by oxen from Rockport, Missouri. The trip took a team of oxen and three weeks time. All waters from rivers in Cass County flow westward into the Missouri river. The M & M Divide is just west of Guthrie Center. The M & M Divide is where the waters to the west flow to the Missouri and the waters to the east flow to the Mississippi River. The highest point in Cass County, the NW corner, is 1450 feet above sea level. Several coal mines are located near Edna.

Cass County was actually organized the first Monday in March 1853. It was named after Lewis Cass, a senator from Michigan who ran for president of the U.S. in 1848 and lost.

The first white settlers laid out the first town in the state one mile from Indiantown calling it Lewis.

In May 1855, the Western Stage started running four-horse coaches from Des Moines to Council Bluffs passing through Indiantown.

The first census in Cass County was in 1856. The population had grown from 416 at the original county formation to 815 in 1856, just three years.

Crops raised in Cass County in 1815 were hay, oats, spring wheat, and corn. Animals raised were hogs and cattle. There was some manufacturing as well.

The Rock Island railroad came into the county in 1868, with a stop at Atlantic. Because of the railroad connection, the county seat was moved to Atlantic. In 1932, fire destroyed the courthouse but most of the records were saved.

In1875-1878, during the time when Joseph Freeman Miers was born there and his family lived in the area, the largest wholesale nursery supply house, except for New York City, was located in Grove City.

References: (1) The data about the Rusling and Fowler families has been obtained from Velta Miers Kunkel, and from "The Rusling Family". When I (Lucille Miers Webster) was a little girl, Grandma (Lulu) Miers had told me about the book and I finally traced it down and got a copy. It is written by James Fowler Rusling, A.M., L.L.D., who is actually decended from Hannah Miers' brother Gershom. This James is Gershom's son. The book was published in 1907 by J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia. A copy can be purchased in 1999 from Higginson Book Co. at E-mail: [email protected] or mail to 148 Washington Street, P.O. Box 778, Salem, MA 01970. (2) Marriage Record, Marion County, Iowa, 1845-1915, Book 7, Page 599. (3) Joe's death record was found in: Record of Deaths, Book 5, page 310, Marion County, Iowa, in the Marion County Court House, Knoxville, Iowa. (4) Lulu's death record was found in the record of deaths, Micro No. D-113, number at the top of the page is 114, for Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa, December 27, 1979. (5) Geneva, New York, newspaper article: A citation to appear in Surrogate's Court in the Village of Geneva, New York, On Nov. 17, 1887, for the probate of the last will and testament of Jacob Creager of Seneca, Ontario County, NY. In the article, Jacob's heirs are listed. The article is run once a week for 6 week beginning October 7, 1887. (6) The petition acceptance, dated Oct. 1, 1887, to let heirs of Jacob Creager know of the probate of his will in order to establish proof of his will. The will was dated November 23, 1886. Jacob died Sept. 16, 1887. George W. Johnson agrees to be executor of Jacob Creager's willon Oct. 1, 1887. On November 17, 1887, C.N. Heniuf or Hieeciufs (?), cannot read the name, agrees to act as Special Guardian of the infants named in Jacob Creager's will. The petition for Proof of Will for Jacob Creager was dated October 3, 1887. (7) Declaration that the citation of probate for Jacob Creager's will was sent to his heirs, some sent on Oct. 4 and some sent on Oct. 5, 1887. (8) Declaration that a citation for probate of Jacob Creager's will was served on Jacob M. Probasco on Oct. 5, 1887. (9) Citation to Attend Probate of Will, signed Oct. 3, 1887, and filed November 17, 1887. (10) Court records of appraisers appointed for Jacob Creager's personal estate on November 17, 1887, were Marvin Ringer and Wm. R. Kane. The property appraisal was finished on December 6, 1887 and notorized December 15, 1887. (11) Notice of Appraisement and Inventory for Jacob Creager's estate was dated November 19, 1887, and signed on December 15, 1887, that it was distributed to his heir Jacob M. Probasco, "the only legater and next of kin". (12) Cemeteries of Marion County, Iowa, 1776-1976 book by Marion Co. Genealogical society, published by R.C. Booth Enterprises, Harlan, Iowa, with a publication date of 1974. (13) "Cass County Iowa", published in 1980 by Cass County - 1980 HISTORY, INC. (Genealogical Society), From These beginnings We Grew, Page 5, history of Cass County. (14) Cass County History Page in the IAGenWeb on the internet for Cass County, Iowa, November 2000. (15) 1880 federal census for Jasper Township, Adams County, Iowa, for Lydia and Isaac Miers'/Myers' son Isaac and Hannah Miers and their family, records that Isaac, the father who had lived in New York, was born in New Jersey and his wife Lydia was born in Maryland. (16) Obituary for May (Miers) Anderson (Clara May) in the newspaper, The Express, Knoxville, Iowa, Thrusday, February 8, 1940. May was a sister to Joseph Freeman Miers. (17) Data about Lulu and Joseph Miers, is provided by letters from their oldest child, daughter Velta Miers Kunkel. (18) Funeral Service/Memorial folders. (19) George W. Gross Jr. of 1230 39th Ave., Vero Beach, Florida 32960, telephone 561-567-0743. George Gross was married to Lulu and Joseph's granddaughter, Mildred Miers, daughter of Clarence. (20) Personel knowledge of Lucille Miers Webster, granddaughter of Lulu and Joseph Miers, and daughter of Ancil W. Miers. (21) 97th Birthday gift to Lulu Miers from Clarence and Ethel Miers where their marriage and their children were listed on some Bible pages.
(Medical):Joseph also had cancer of the bowel and had had heart attacks. When performing cancer surgery, the doctor stopped before finished saying Joe's heart would not take the rest of the surgery.