Bessie C. Williams ^{1 2 3 4}

  General Notes:

(Source: Regina Severson <drs@emily.net>; 28 Oct 2006 e-mail)
Bessie Williams wrote the following letter to her daughter Mary Violet Ross and her then husband, [Marion] Benjamin, concerning the death of Bessie's mother, Susannah. Additional comments by Regina Severson.

"Dear Vi-Ben.
Thanks for the nice card and letters. Mother was sick for 3 weeks. We had no help, just Guy and Me. We were up night and day just took turn about with what sleep we could get. The Dr. said she had a blocked heart. He was there every day and the last few days 2 times a day. She would not eat. Just got so thin, lived on cold water. We fixed everything we could think of and what the Dr. said to fix for her but she would not eat. He had to give her shots every day to help keep her easy. She knew us up until the last day but couldn't talk. There just wasn't any help for her and thanks for wanting to help but I think we can make it for

(here the letter appears to be missing the next page, then it continues... )

have enough worries now. How is Ben and will you still live there. I guess Guy will stay there for a while, it's so hard to find places to rent. I won't move as we have some debts to get payed and it costs to move so I will just stay here for a while. It is rainy and foggy and warnings of snow tonite. Danny is OK doesn't talk much but is lots of company. Write when you can and hope you are both well now. I worked this morning till noon. It helps on groceries. Television is fine, how are all your pets.

Lots of love,
Mom"

I think Guy lived near Bessie and I believe that Susannah had lived with Guy maybe in the same apartment building as Bessie. I know for sure that neither Guy nor Bessie ever lived with my mother Violet. Shortly after I met Guy & Bessie, my mother divorced Ben and ran away with an old high school sweetheart. She did return to Keokuk married to Edward Boudewyn and remained with him until she died.
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  Noted events in her life were:

• She appeared on the 1900 US Census in Rock Falls Township, Kay County, OK on 5 June 1900. ⁴

1900 US Census
Sheet 4B, District 98, Family 80
Rock Falls Township, Kay County, Oklahoma
Farm owned, no mortgage
Bessie Williams..Daughter..Feb 1887..13..KS

(Living with parents.)
.

Bessie married George Pressley Ross, son of John B. Ross and Mary Bell Felt, in 1911 in Enid, OK. (George Pressley Ross was born on 17 January 1886 in Springfield, IL,² died on 3 July 1946 in Colby, KS ² and was buried on 5 July 1946.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1920 US Census in Kendall Township, Hamilton County, KS on 29 January 1920.

1920 US Census
Sheet 4B, District 73, Family 87, Roll 532
Kendall Township, Hamilton County, Kansas, United States
Farm owned, no mortgage
Geo. P. Ross..Head..34..IL..Farmer, General Farm
Bessie C. Ross..Wife..32..KS
Esther W. Ross..Daughter..4..KS
Dorothy H. Ross..Daughter..11m..KS
.

• They appeared on the 1930 US Census in Des Moines Township, Lee, IA on 26 April 1930.

1930 US Census
Sheet 5A, District 5, Family 107, Roll 663
Des Moines Township, Lee County, Iowa, United States
Home rented, $15
Geoge P. Ross..Head..44..IL
Bessie C. Ross..Wife..43..KS
Esther W. Ross..Daughter..15..KS
Dorothy H. Ross..Daughter..11..KS
Mary Violet Ross..Daughter..8..KS
.

Bessie next married Harry L. Snyder before 1941. (Harry L. Snyder was born about 1885 and died after 1941.)