Nettie Mehalia (Culver) Estes (1880 - 1984)

Born 22 Sep 1880 in Crown Point, Lake, Indiana, USA

Ancestors

Wife of Ernest Edison Rhode — married 28 Aug 1901 in Thompson, Pierce, Nebraska, USA

Descendants

Died 28 Dec 1984 at age 104 in Eureka, Greenwood, Kansas USA

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Biography

Nettie Mehalia Culver was born 22 Sep 1880 in Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana, the last of six children born to Munson P. and Charlotte Deeter Culver. She had three older brothers and two older sisters, including her identical twin, Nellie.

• James Henry Culver 09 Oct 1868 – 19 Jun 1941
• William Munson Culver 17 Feb 1872 - 01 Dec 1947
• Ida May Culver Bane 11 Jan 1875 – 15 Jan 1970
• George Parker Culver 18 Aug 1878 – after 1940
• Nellie D Culver Hale 22 Sep 1880 – Nov 1976

Their father died on 04 Dec 1884 at age 71 in Porter County, Indiana.

Their mother remarried to George W. Chapman 14 Apr 1887. During the Civil War he served in the Kansas Infantry, 22nd Regiment, Company L. He was injured, certified an invalid, and given a pension. He brought along two sons from his previous marriage:

• A. K. Chapman 1875 -
• Chester N Chapman 1882 -

Nettie Mehalia Culver married Ernest Edison Rhode on 28 Aug 1901 in Thompson, Pierce County, Nebraska. They had five children, the first four born in Mohall, Renville County, North Dakota. In the Spring of 1909 they moved to a homestead near Philomath, Benton County, Oregon where their last child was born.

• Cecil E Rhode 1902 – 1979
• Bernice C Rhode West 1906 – 1976
• Zelma A Rhode Murphy 1907 – 1976
• Leo F Rhode 1908 – 2002
• Ruth Charlotte Rhode Cheney 1914 – 2006

Ernest died 21 Mar 1915 in Philomath, OR. Nettie Rhode moved her children to Eureka, Kansas where her mother, Charlotte Chapman, lived on North Pine Street. During this time she had a daughter by an unknown father:

• Leona M. Rhode circa 1920

In 1921 she remarried to her step-aunt’s widow, James Humphrey Estes. He died in 1930.

Interestingly in the 1930 census Nettie is listed as Estes while Leona continues to be listed as Rhode. She kept the Estes surname the rest of her life, but didn't give it to any of her children.

In 1933 Nettie's sons, Cecil and Leo, moved to Alaska where they claimed their own homesteads.

On 18 Jan 1937 Nettie's mother, Charlotte Deeter Chapman, died and was buried in Greenwood County, Kansas.

She had a twin sister Nellie who lived to 96. Nettie lived independently into her 90's before she fell and broke her hip, necessitating a move to nursing care for the remainder of her life.

On 22 Sep 1980 Nettie celebrated her centennial with family in Eureka, Greenwood County, Kansas.

Nettie died on 28 Dec 1984 at age 104 in Eureka, Greenwood County, Kansas.

She saw the world go from steam power to nuclear power. From people crossing the country in covered wagons to trains, automobiles, airplanes, and jets, to men walking on the moon. The telephone, movies, radio, television and hundreds, if not thousands, of inventions were created in her lifetime. When she was born, Rutherford B. Hayes was president. When she died, Ronald Reagan was president. He life spanned from the 19th to the 40th — 22 presidents, including 3 assassinations and many more attempted. Indian Wars, the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Second Samoan Civil War, Spanish-American War, Boxer Rebellion, Border War, World War I, Russian Civil War, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Bay of Pigs Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Invasion of Grenada all happened during her lifetime.

Obituary from Eureka Herald?:

NETTIE ESTES

Nettie M. Estes, 104, a homemaker and the second oldest resident of Eureka, died December 28, 1984 at Greenwood County Hospital.

Mrs. Estes was born September 22, 1880 in Crown Point, Ind., the daughter of Muson and Charlotte Deeter Culver. She moved to Kansas in 1882 with her parents, two brothers, her twin sister Nellie and one other sister to settle on a farm west of Eureka. She later homesteaded in North Dakota and lived for a period of time in Oregon. She married Ernest E. Rhode on August 28, 1901 in Thompson, Neb.

Mrs. Estes returned to Eureka in 1918 and on September 1, 1921 married James H. Estes. He died in 1930.

Mrs. Estes remained at her home until 1976, at which time she moved into Eureka Rest Hom (Regency Health Care Center).

Mrs. Estes was a member of the Church of Nazarene in Eureka.

Surviving are a son, Leo Rhode Homer, Alaska; two daughters, Ruth Cheney, Grainfield, and Leona M. Keown, San Rafael, Calif.; two step-daughters, Viola Lynch, Wichita, and Bertha Kreps, Bristow, Okla,; a son-in-law, C.C. Murphy, Wellington; a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Helen Rhode, Cooper Landing, Alaska; and seven grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by two brothers, two sisters, a son and two daughters, in addition to her second husband.

The funeral service was held December 30, 1984 at Campbell Funeral Home. The Rev. Phyllis Garrett, pastor of the First United Methodist Church officiated. Interment was in the Greenwood Cemetery.

A memorial has been established to Regency Health Care Center.

Sources

• Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls. Census Place: South Salem, Greenwood, Kansas; Roll: 481; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0059; FHL microfilm: 1240481.

• Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Census Place: West Philomath, Benton, Oregon; Roll: T624_1278; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0015; FHL microfilm: 1375291.

• Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City). Census Place: Eureka, Greenwood, Kansas; Roll: T625_533; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 26; Image: 631.

• "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X7Q7-F5W : accessed 17 Oct 2014), Nettie M Estes, Eureka, Greenwood, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0002, sheet 3A, family 54, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 703.

• "United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JLTX-XZK : accessed 29 Sep 2014), Nettie Estes, Dec 1984; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

• Find A Grave Memorial #96424868 Created by kelabar 02 Sep 2012.