Emma Elizabeth (Meier) Cundiff (abt. 1877 - 1941)

Born about 15 Oct 1877 in Pulaski, Davis, Iowa, United States

Wife of George Lee Cundiff I — married 14 Aug 1901 in Pulaski, Iowa

Descendants

Died 6 Jan 1941 at about age 63 in Milton, Van Buren, Iowa, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: David Stout [send private message]

Biography

Emma was born in 1877. Emma Meier ... She passed away in 1941.

HISTORY of EMMA ELIZABETH (MEIER) CUNDIFF Emma Elizabeth Meier was a survivor of a tornado which struck Davis Count, Iowa in June 1885. The vicinity in and near Bloomfield escaped with a heavy rain and hail, many of the hailstones weighing as much as four ounces. The tornado struck at the Solomon Meier home, on a farm owned by Andrew Power. When Mr. Meier became conscious he found himself on a plowed field with his mouth full of mud and his clothes nearly all torn from his body. His house and barn had vanished. He could see nothing of his wife and four children who had but a few moments before sat at his side in their home. He found that a piece of board had struck him on the leg between the thigh and knee, going to the bone, then separating, one piece coming out at the lower end of his leg and the other at the upper end. Although badly crippled, he searched for his family until he found his wife and two-year old boy, Benjamin Franklin, both dead, about 200 yards from where the house stood. The remaining three children were found some distance from the house under brush that had blown on top of them. Two of them were believed to be fatally injured. They were Albert and Emma. Two horses were killed. The Meier financial loss was estimated at $2,000.00. [Donna Lee (Anderson) Sallabedra mailed the above version of the story to David Harold Stout September 16, 1999.]

EMMA ELIZABETH MEIER Emma was born on Oc. 15, 1877 in Pulaski, Iowa and died Jan. 6, 1941, buried in Pulaski, Iowa. Her parents were Solomon and Adelia (Wagonblatz) Meier. (From Switzerland)

(The following was copied from a Newspaper Clipping) A tornado struck the Solomon Meier home on the farm owned by Andrew Power. Here the work of death began. When Mr. Meier became conscious, he found himself on a plowed field with his mouth full of mud and his clothes nearly all torn from his body. His house and barn had vanished. He could see nothing of his wife and four children who had but a few moments before, sat at his side in their home. He found that a piece of board had struck him on his leg between the thigh and knee, going to the bone and then separating one piece coming out the lower end of his leg and the other at upper end of his leg. Although badly crippled, he searched for his family until he found his wife and little two year old boy both dead. About 200 yards from where the house stood. The remaining three children were found some distance from the house under brush that had blown on top of them. Two of them were believed to be fatally injured. Two horses in the barn were killed.

The above tornado struck in Pulaske, Iowa in June 1885. The two children who were thought to be fatally injured were Emma Elizabeth, 8 years old, and Albert, 3 years old. Emma suffered a broken jaw and Albert had severe head injuries which bothered him all his life. He took his own life by hanging himself at the age of 38. Emma could not remember the date of her birth, so took Oct. 15, 1877 as the date of her birth.

Solomon Meier came to America from Switzerland about 1870 when he was 30 years old, three years later he married Adalia Wagonblatz who also came from Switzerland. They had 6 children, Emma, Ida, Callie, Minnie, Albert and Willie. The family lived in Pulaski, Iowa on a farm. The tornado struck their farm and destroyed the house and barn, killing his wife and baby son, severely injuring two of the children and Solomon’s badly injured leg.

Solomon was later married to Emalie Bachtold.

Emma married George Lee Cundiff on Aug. 14, 1901. He died on Oct. 24, 1952. They had 6 children, Ethel Marie, Helen Reva, Kenneth Carl, Cleo Iowa, George Lee, and Clarence Lyle.

This would be your great-great-grandmother and I wrote what I knew about her life and I loved her dearly. [This was written by Margie Stout to her granddaughter, Jenny Bowling] Typed by your grandma Margie [and later by Margie’s son, David Stout]

Biography

EMMA ELIZABETH MEIER Emma was born on Oct. 15, 1877 in Pulaski, Iowa and died Jan. 6, 1941, buried in Pulaski, Iowa. Her parents were Solomon and Adelia (Wagonblatz) Meier. (From Switzerland) (The following copied from a Newspaper Clipping) A tornado struck the Solomon Meier home on the farm owned by Andrew Power. Here the work of death began. When Mr. Meier became conscious, he found himself on a plowed field with his mouth full of mud and his clothes nearly all torn from his body. His house and barn had vanished. He could see nothing of his wife and four children who had but a few moments before, sat at his side in their home. He found that a piece of board had struck him on his leg between the thigh and knee, going to the bone and then separating one piece coming out the lower end of his leg and the other at upper end of his leg. Although badly crippled, he searched for his family until he found his wife and little two year old boy both dead. About 200 yards from where the house stood. The remaining three children were found some distance from the house under brush that had blown on top of them. Two of them were believed to be fatally injured. Two horses in the barn were killed.

The above tornado struck in Pulaske, Iowa in June 1885. The two children who were thought to be fatally injured were Emma Elizabeth, 8 years old, and Albert, 3 years old. Emma suffered a broken jaw and Albert had severe head injuries which bothered him all his life. He took his own life by hanging himself at the age of 38. Emma could not remember the date of her birth, so took Oct. 15, 1877 as the date of her birth.

Solomon Meier came to America from Switzerland about 1870 when he was 30 years old, three years later he married Adalia Wagonblatz who also came from Switzerland. They had 6 children, Emma, Ida, Callie, Minnie, Albert and Willie. The family lived in Pulaski, Iowa on a farm. The tornado struck their farm and destroyed the house and barn, killing his wife and baby son, severely injuring two of the children and Solomon’s badly injured leg. Solomon was later married to Emalie Bachtold.

Emma married George Lee Cundiff on Aug. 14, 1901. He died on Oct. 24, 1952. They had 6 children, Ethel Marie, Helen Reva, Kenneth Carl, Cleo Iowa, George Lee, and Clarence Lyle.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=281&GScid=95903&GRid=59100609&CScnty=572&CSsr=41&

Sources

• Margie Valine Stout family records