Summary: Got her Iowa teaching certificate at 19, married at 21, and gave up her career to move with her husband and 300 cattle in a covered wagon to Colorado. She had 6 children, 4 of which lived. She was known to be religious, and made her husband sign a pledge to "abstain from the use of all unnecessary and hurtfull drinks" two months after their wedding.
Born: April 1848, Indiana
Parents and or siblings: no trace! On the 1900 census she lists them as having been born in New York, but that's all I've got.
1867: Ellen got her Iowa teaching certificate
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| Amy has the original. |
This account tells of her Iowa days:
Ellen Robinson with her religious turn had been trained for the profession of school teaching under that educator and fiery soul-winning evangelist, Rev. Charles G. Finney. She had met and married Mr. Plumb during her teaching days in Iowa.
Married: Williston Theron Plumb on 24 or 26 August 1869.
There are two dates recorded for their marriage: the 24th and the 26th of August, 1869 are both listed with the Washington, Iowa county courthouse.
Sounds like Ellen had to whip her new husband into shape: here's a handwritten note from 2 months after their wedding.
"West Hartford Oct 20th, 1869
This day I promise my wife Ellen Plumb that I will abstain from the use of all unnecessary and hurtfull drinks from this day forth as long as I live. So help me God. Willie Plumb."
Underneath this is written in smaller handwriting, "May God bless you my husband and help you to keep your pledge. Ellen Plumb"
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| Amy has this. |
June 1870 Census has a Willis (ran out of room?) Plumb (22, farmer) and Ellen (20, keeping house) both from Iowa living in Perry, Salt River Township, Ralls County, Missouri.
Moved to Colorado: 1873.
From "Our Pioneer Nazarenes" by C.T. Corbett
In the Colorado landscape may be seen plains and mountains, valleys and glaciers. Across its lofty fifty-two peaks of over fourteen thousand feet are some of the greatest glaciers of North America, while over the prairies may be found some of the best ranch land in all the West.
To these plains, just east of Colorado Springs, came Williston and Ellen Plumb from Iowa in a caravan of covered wagons and 300 head of cattle in the year 1873. Williston Plumb was a rugged pioneering soul, having fought under General Sherman in the Civil War. Ellen Robinson with her religious turn had been trained for the profession of school teaching under that educator and fiery soul-winning evangelist, Rev. Charles G. Finney. She had met and married Mr. Plumb during her teaching days in Iowa. In Colorado they established their homestead in view of the vast Rocky Mountain range on a ranch which soon grew into sixteen hundred acres of farming and pasture land for their cattle.
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| Williston and Ellen are on the right. |
"In the spring of 1873 Williston T and Ellen Robinson Plumb left Hannibal Mo. along with several others, bound for Colorado seeking health and happiness.
The Plumbs homestead where there was an abundance of grass and water for their cattle herd. The land was located east of Kiowa Creek on what is known as the northwest of the old Eastonville community along North Meridian Road.
Due to Federal land grants and private purchases, Williston obtained a total of 1245 acres in north-east El Paso county.
The Plumbs had many friends among the Indians. The pioneers were well liked and the indians never stole their horses or other stock.
To the Plumbs were born three boys and two daughters. One girl died very young from a bronchial infection caused by the whooping cough.
The other girl born in 1884 was Bessie who married a neighbor rancher Fred Evans. To Bessie and Fred were born seven children.
Williston Plumb ran supply wagons from the railroad depot in Eastonville (formerly the town of Easton) to the miners in Cripple Creek. There, he obtained mine timbers to build his home along the bank of Kiowa Creek. The oldest son of Bessie lived on the Plumb Ranch in the old farm house until the year 1974. The old homestead was sold in 1982 and the temporary owners donated the house to the Falcon Fire Department who burned it for a practice session of rescue procedures. The old house smoldered for several days.
Williston Plumb died at the age of 66, in 1914. The land became Ellen Plumb's estate until her death the 9th of July, 1929.
Bessie A. Plumb Evans' husband, Fred, obtained 1200 acres from the children of Ellen Plumb - Edward, Roselle, Theron and Bessie the 19th of August 1933.
Bessie retired from the ranch in 1950, moving to Colorado Springs and making her home with her daughter, Ellen, until her death the 23rd of January, 1964."
1878 had second child: Theron Williston Plumb
1880 had third child: Adel, the daughter who died in infancy. (She is probably the "Abell" buried in the family plot in 11 July 1881.)
1880 census (June 17) lists Williston (32), Ellen (32), Edward (6), Theron (2) and Adel (2 months) on Township 11 Range 61, El Paso, Colorado. Williston is listed as a farmer and Ellen as a housekeeper, and there is a 19 year old from Ohio named Charles Snyder living with them, listed as a farm laborer. (Grammy says Williston grew corn and oats.)
I think somewhere in here they had the fourth child. There were 6 in all, 2 died.
1884 had fifth child: Bessie Plumb [Evans]
1885 Colorado census has Williston (38), Ellen (38), Edward (11), Theron (7) and Bessie (1).
1886 had sixth child: Roselle John Plumb
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| Ellen Robinson, Roselle Plumb, Williston Plumb, #5 is Theron Plumb, and don't know others besides "sick aunt who wouldn't help with anything" far right. (In Grammy's words.) During a trip to Louisiana. |
1900 census lists Williston (52), Ellen (52), Bessie (16) and Roselle (14) as living in Precincts 1-2, 14, 17, 20, 25 Eastonville, Table Rock, Ramah, Calhan, Falcon, Payton, El Paso, Colorado. Williston is still listed as a farmer, and Ellen is listed as having had 6 children, 4 of whom are living. No education is listed, but all have "yes" in boxes for "Read", "Write" and "Speak English".
1910 census has everyone moved in with Theron in Eastonville, El Paso, Colorado.Williston (62), Ellen (62), Theron (32), his wife Ada (29), their 4 kids (2, 4, 6 and 8) and a 16-year-old servant from Colorado named Grace Baldwin. Williston is listed as still working doing farm labor, and Ellen none.
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| Ellen Robinson, Big Bessie Evans and her children, and Williston Plumb |
Army widow:
Williston is listed as getting pension from United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards from 1907-1933 as a Pri G 13 Iowa Inf. "army invalid." (Ellen received the payments after he died in 1915.)
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| Original can be seen here |
Died: June 1929, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Buried: 13 June 1929, lot T-028, Evergreen Cemetery, Colorado Springs, CO. [burial record here]
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