Date of Death: November 3, 1919
Elizabeth Ann Bell was born in Marion county, near the Old Center church, south of Indianapolis, on the 10th day of November, 1832, being the eldest daughter of James S. and Jane Sutton Bell, and grew to young womanhood on the farm on which she was born after her mother’s death in 1852. She kept house for her father for one year and after one year spent in teaching school, she was married to Martin Pearson, of Indianapolis, February 15, 1854, and to this union was born ten children, four sons and six daughters; Jane, Amelia and Willie, who died in infancy; Jeanetta K., who died in 1879, aged eleven years; Bell J., who died in 1884, aged twenty years, Albert L., died in 1894, aged nineteen years, and Annie T. Henderson, who resides at Grand Junction, Colo.; Ingram F., who lives on the old homestead; James M., of Los Angeles, Calif.; and Maggie McClain, who lives at Acton, Ind., who survive her and are present today. With the exception of seven years which was spent on the Fletcher farm, near Indianapolis, their entire married life was spent on the farm on which the father died on July 22, 1882.
After the death of the husband a part of her life was spent at her home in Whiteland with her granddaughter, Mable Robards, and about four years ago she returned to the old homestead, where on Nov. 3rd she passed peacefully away, lacking only seven days of reaching her eighty-seventh birthday. She united with the United Brethren church in early girlhood, of which she remained a loyal member. Her husband was the home of the ministers in the days of the old circuit rider. She loved to talk of by-gone days and her company was sought by the young people who always found a welcome in her home. Truly she was a mother to all as her life was lived for others. It was a great comfort to her to have her children with her in her last days and she was especially fond of her granddaughter, Mabel, who so faithfully attended her in the last three months of her illness.
Besides her children, she has left twenty-three grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. The funeral services were held at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon at the Methodist church at Whiteland. Services were conducted by Rev. Vannetta of the U.B. church of University Heights, assisted by Rev. Hixon, Rev. Hutchens and Rev. Denny. Burial was made in the Hopewell cemetery.
Those from a distance attending were Mrs. and Mrs. Tom Davis of Mooresville, Mrs. Dora Shilling, a niece, Troy, Ohio; Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Brennon of Indianapolis; Mr. and Mrs. Leo A. Lusk of Louisville, Ky., Mrs. Lon Brewer and daughter, Marcia, of Indianapolis; Mrs. Maggie Pearson, Indianapolis; Mr. and Mrs. John Calvin of of Nineveh.
The honorary pallbearers were: Katherine Pearson, Vera Pearson, Mattie Pearson, Naomi Mount, Edith Mount, Marcia Brewer. The active pallbearers were Jap L. Pearson, R.A. Pearson, Everett McClain, Raymond McClain, Leo Lusk and Roy Clore.