Ella Amaret (Miner)
Stillman Holt
(1852- ? )
Ellen "Ella" Amaret (Miner) Stillman Holt was born in September 1852 in Columbus, Franklin County, OH, the daughter of Francis and Myra (Jordan) Miner. She was a pioneer settler of Illinois, and her first husband was a prominent lawyer in Illinois.
When Ella was a young girl in Columbus, her mother and several sisters tragically died around the same time. In about 1857, when Ella was five, her father moved with her and several sisters to Illinois, settling in Lewistown, Fulton County. Ella was raised in the household of her grandfather Joseph Jordan in Elmwood, Peoria County, IL, as shown in the 1860 federal census.
Ella married lawyer Henry B. Stillman ( ? -1879) on June 13, 1869. He was a native of wither New York or of Canton, Fulton County. They resided in Canton and later Lewistown, Fulton County, and had two children -- Ella Frances Stillman and William H. Stillman. Henry had been married once before, and brought a daughter to the marriage, Harriet D. Beggs.
Henry received his legal training when he "read law in 1843 and '44, went to the northern part of the State and became Prosecuting Attorney," said the History of Fulton County, Illinois, published in 1879 by Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Peoria. "He was a good lawyer but unfortunately he drank hard during much of his life."
Moving to Lewistown during the Civil War, in 1863, Henry set up a private law practice. "He was an honored and trusted lawyer, the truest of friends, full to the brim with kindness and sympathy, and lavish in deeds and charity," reported the Fulton County Ledger. "Long will he be remembered most kindly, by hosts of family in many places."
Henry also was elected as a township supervisor, serving during a year's term in 1876. He owned six lots in block 9 of the Veits Addition to Lewistown.
At the age of 58, on Aug. 8, 1879, Henry died at his home from "cerebral softening" of three years' duration, according to his death certificate on file at the county courthouse. Death was caused by "a protracted decline in which there was but little suffering," reported the Ledger. "He passed from life as a child closes its eyes in sleep, and was buried the day following in Judge Bryant's private burial plat, followed to his last resting place by the members of the Lewistown bar and many other friends." Officiating at his funeral were Rev. Magill and Rev. Ayling. Pallbearers were the Hon. T.A. Boyd, Judge Shope, Judge Winters, J.W. Bantz, A. Barnett and J. Henry. Undertaker E.T. Moore built the casket and trimmings. The Canton (IL) Register eulogized that Henry was:
... one of the most worthy citizens and lawyers of this place... The community has lost one of its most valuable members. He was, what we can say of few men, viz: Strictly honest in all he did. His mother, his daughter, his wife and his little ones, have the sympathy of the whole community in this, their hour of dire distress.
Among Henry's books were volumes of the Illinois Digest, Blackstone, Chittys Practice, Chittys Pleadings, Code of Iowa and Statutes of Illinois and other miscellaneous legal treatises.
Widowed at age 41, Ella ran a variety or "notions" store in Fairview or Lewistown. She and her children actually are enumerated twice on the federal census of 1880, once in each location.
At Henry's death, his assets were worth $301, but his debts totaled $769. Ella brought a lawsuit in the Fulton County court to sell all of the town lots to raise funds to pay debts of the estate.
Adding to Ella's heartache, her son Willie came down with a fatal case of diphtheria in the summer of 1881. He died at age six years, seven months on Aug. 15, 1881. The news was carried on the front page of the Fulton County Ledger. The physician who attended the boy during his illness was his own cousin, Dr. Henry Peter Stipp, husband of Ida Platt Boyd.
Circa 1884-1888, Ella served as a nurse for her sickly step-mother, Ann (Thompson) Miner Walder. When the step-mother died, Ella received cash payouts from the estate circa 1888-1890 as well as the deceased's music box. She claimed $110.00 in fees for her nursing services. In addition, she was named assistant to the executor of the estate, helping executor Henry Phelps in the task of dividing the assets.
In 1895, after 16 years as a widow, Ella then married widower Reuben Holt (1851-1918) of Pennsylvania. He was the son of John and Drusilla Holt. Reuben had been married once before, to Margaret E. Forcey of Graham Township, the daughter of Thomas H. Forcey, the president of the County National Bank of Clearfield. During that first marriage, Reuben and his wife had 12 children -- C. Percy Holt, Guy Holt, Clyde F. Holt, Grover C. Holt, Dr. Lloyd M. Holt, Anna Edna Harker, Mabel Woodside, Ora B. Smith, Minnie Kreder, May C. Myers, Nina (or "Vida") Gottshall and Carrie V. Taylor. Reuben became a widower in 1893 upon Margaret's death. In early manhood, Reuben was "devoted to lumbering, and when that industry in this section ceased to flourish, he turned his attention to farming and merchandising," said a newspaper.
In connection with his store at Sington he served faithfully for years as postmaster. In 1876 he united with the Methodist church, and retained his membership therein up to the time of his death. He was a kind, indulgent husband and father, a most genial and companionable gentleman, and esteemed for his many splendid traits of character.
In 1911, the Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens was published, authored by Roland D. Swoope, Jr. (Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company). Reuben's biography was featured on pages 477-478. The profile states that Reuben was a graduate of the Millersville State Normal School, and taught terms of school at Wolf Run, Williamsgrove, Wallaceton and Stoneville, "meeting with excellent results." He also was a trustee of his church and a member of the Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and Lodge No. 885 at Sington. The history goes on to say that Reuben:
... was assistant postmaster while his father served as postmaster at Wallaceton, and in 1900 he was appointed postmaster at Sington, the duties being familiar on account of his former training. In 1908 he was appointed a justice of the peace, on the Democratic ticket and secretary of the school board. Mr. Holt also conducts a general store at Sington and is agent for the Graham township Telephone Company.
The newly married Ella and Reuben lived in Sington, Graham Township, Clearfield County. The census of 1900 shows Reuben marked as "married" and a farmer and living with his children Ora, Matt and Carrie, but without his wife. Ella, in turn, was residing with her married daughter Frances Davidson in Carthage, Hancock County, IL.
When the federal census was taken in 1910, Reuben and Ella are shown to be together, with Reuben's occupation was given as a merchant of groceries. They made their home at Sington, 10 miles east of Clearfield in the eastern-central section of the county.
Reuben
suffered from kidney disease in his later years. Sadly, he passed away at home
on Dec. 13, 1918, at the age of 67, of the effects of the illness. A local
newspaper reported that he was "one of Clearfield county's best known
citizens" and that the "news of his death came as a shock to his
legion of friends scattered all throughout this section... The community in
which he spent practically all his life, and where he closed his earthly career,
will keenly feel the loss his death has occasioned." The funeral was held
in the Center Hill Methodist Episcopal Church.
In April 1920, Ella was named in the Tampa Tribune obituary of her sister Salina "Lina" Morris. Her name was given at that time as "Holt." Her fate after that is unknown. All that the 1911 Clearfield County history states was that Ella was "a widow ... of Lewistown, Ill., who was born in Columbus, O., but reared and educated in Illinois."
Daughter Ella Frances Stillman (1873- ? ) married Gaylord Davidson Sr. (1861- ? ) in about 1895. They had at least four sons -- Gaylord S. Davidson, John D. Davidson, Donald M. Davidson and Edward J. Davidson. The 1900 census of Carthage, Hancock County, IL, shows the Davidsons with their son Gaylord Jr., and mother Ella Holt, living together. Gaylord Sr. was employed in 1900 as an "insurance man." When the 1910 census was taken, the family was in Springfield, Sangamon County, IL, with Gaylord Sr. shown as manager of a life insurance company. In 1920, the census shows the Davidsons living in Springfield on West Jackson, with Gaylord Sr. employed as agency manager for an insurance company. The Davidsons do not appear on the 1930 census, suggesting that they passed away during the previous decade.
Ella's stepdaughter Harriet D. Stillman, from her first marriage, married Roger M. Beggs. Little about them is known.
~ Ella's Holt Stepchildren ~
The Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County states that Reuben Holt's children from his first marriage were "a large and unusually talented family, all of whom have been given educational advantages and a number of whom have developed into successful teachers. As of 1911, their stories follow:
C. "Percy" Holt, also known as "C.P.," married Mabel Davis, and they had one son, C.P. Holt Jr. Percy Sr. taught school in Clearfield County and moved to Shawnee, OK, where he became district attorney.
H. "Guy" Holt married Jennie Donaldson of Philadelphia and had three children -- Donald R. Holt, Margaret Holt and Graydon Holt.
Clyde F. Holt married Grace McGovern of Philadelphia. They had only one son, Reuben John Holt, who died in infancy.
Grover C. Holt was the superintendent of a gas plant at Shawnee, OK. He was married and had one daughter, Maurine Estell Holt.
Dr. Lloyd M. Holt was a school teacher and later obtained his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.
Anna Edna Harker was a teacher for five terms in Clearfield County. She married New Jersey native Walter Harker, and they had two children -- Evelyn Harker and Margaret Harker.
Mabel Woodside taught school in Clearfield County for eight terms. She married Roy Woodside, of Boggs Township, Clearfield County. They had one son, Thomas C. Woodside.
Ora B. Smith taught three terms of school in Clearfield County and married Frank Smith. They had one son, Leslie C. Smith.
Minnie Kreder taught three terms of school in Clearfield County. She married Charles Kreder, a native of New Jersey. The Kreders had three sons: Le Nard Kreder, Karl Kreder and Kenneth Kreder.
May C. Myers was a teacher who attended Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA.
Vida Nina Gottshall was a student at Perkiomen Seminary.
Carrie V. Taylor was a student at Perkiomen Seminary.
Copyright © 2007-2008 Mark A. Miner.
Many thanks to the Clearfield County Historical Society for their assistance.