Ida Elizabeth Lamont was my maternal-great-grandaunt and Thomas and Mary Lamont, first child. She was born on 26 Feb 1862 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. She was six months old when her father, Thomas, enlisted in the Union Army and left to fight in the Civil War. When Thomas returned in the fall of 1865, she was almost four years old.
Ida was almost sixteen years old when she moved with her family by train from Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania to Great Bend, Barton, Kansas in Jan 1878. She stayed in Great Bend with the family while her father established the homestead in St John. In February 1878, she moved with her family to the newly established homestead in St John. The 1880 census shows her on both St John and Great Bend with her family, as the family resided in both towns for a period.
During this same time period, Andrew Williamson moved to Great Bend, Barton, Kansas. He went by the name AJ and was from Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, Pennsylvania. The 1880 census shows him as a laborer, living with a family. AJ came to Kansas on his own, as his parents and siblings always remained in Pennsylvania.
AJ Williamson (23) and Ida Lamont (19) married 14 Aug 1881 in Great Bend by the Barton County Probate Judge, at his home.
26 Jul 1882, Ida purchased a home at Lot 6, Block 123, Great Bend, Barton, Kansas (1103 Hubbard Street), for $150 from Urias and Carrie Clay. The home is three blocks southeast of the Barton County Courthouse. They lived there until 1883, when they moved to a rented farm in Stafford County to be closer to Ida's family.
5 Oct 1885, Andrew and Ida sold their home in Great Bend for $400. 11 Sep 1888, they purchased an 80-acre farm for $500 from John and Mary Davis. The farm was in South Seward at the North Half of Northeast Quarter of Section 32, Township 22S, Range 13S (SW Corner of NW 100th & NW 10th, South Seward, Stafford, KS).
AJ and his brother-in-law, Edwin Lamont, participated in the Cherokee Strip Land Run of 1893, but returned not impressed with any land opportunities in Oklahoma.
6 Oct 1900, AJ purchased an additional 160-acre farm for $960 from L G Scheetz. The farm was in South Seward near their original farm at the Southwest Quarter of Section 29, Township 22S, Range 13S (NE Corner of NW 100th & NW 20th, South Seward, Stafford, KS).
During 1915, AJ and Ida built a home on their 320-acre homestead near Caddo, Bent, Colorado. Their children, Charles and Ethel also built a home on their own 320-acre homestead. They moved onto the homestead in Spring 1916, based on newspaper articles. All three homesteads were close to Ida's brother, Edwin Lamont, who moved there a few years earlier. AJ and Ida moved back to their farm in South Seward during 1918.
On 4 Aug 1930, Ida died at Great Bend Hospital, Great Bend, Barton, Kansas at the age of 68. The death certificate shows she died of acute appendicitis. Her funeral was at the Methodist Episcopal Church, St John, Stafford, Kansas on 6 Aug 1930 at 2:30 PM with Rev C E Farney officiating. Following the funeral, burial was at Fairview Park Cemetery, St John, Stafford, Kansas at Section L, Lot 32, Space 2.
After Ida's death, AJ continued to live on the farm with the help of his son, Ivan Williamson.
On 9 Dec 1935, AJ died at home at the age of 78. The death certificate shows he died of cerebral hemorrhage (8 days) at 8:35 PM. His funeral was at the Methodist Episcopal Church, St John, Stafford, Kansas on 12 Dec 1935 at 6PM with Rev C E Farney officiating. Following the funeral, burial was at Fairview Park Cemetery, St John, Stafford, Kansas at Section L, Lot 32, Space 1.
Ida can be described as a caring person and was very responsible, caring for her parents and siblings. She enjoyed working as mid-wife for Dr Copeland.
AJ can be described as a hard worker, skilled carpenter, and horse breeder. AJ had a big heart and would be there for anyone that needed his help.
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