Notes
Note H576
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
Conser is French version of Ganser
Notes
Note H577
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
[Scott A Haney.GED]
[JacobConser.FTW]
Info taken from the book "The Conser Family" by Col.. John P . Horan 1981[2485774[1].GED]
[JacobConser.FTW]
Info taken from the book "The Conser Family" by Col.. John P . Horan 1981
Notes
Note H578
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
[2485774[1].GED]
David and Matilda Anna (Conser) Thomas
by
James D. Bish
Matilda Anna Conser was born on February 21, 1862 to her parents, John and Mary (Cronobl e) Conser at her parent's farm in Haw Creek Township, Knox County, Illinois. She joined thre e brothers and four sisters in their home. One more sister and three more brothers were late r born into the Conser Family. Matilda grew to young adulthood at that farm with her eleve n brothers and sisters. During the time of Matilda's birth, turbulent political times stretc hed across the nation as America was engaged in the Great Civil War. During the first three y ears of Matilda's life, Civil Warraged culminating in the assassination of President Abraha m Lincoln in 1865. In 1868, Matilda's eldest sister, Sarah, died unexpectedly. Two years la ter, in 1870 a younger brother, Arthur Martin Conser was born and about the same time, Matild a's two oldest brothers, William and Jacob, removed to Nebraska in search of a homesteads fo r themselves. Her brothers claimed homesteads in York County, Nebraska and before long Matil da's parents strongly considered moving near them. Meanwhile, in 1873, the last child born in to the John Conser household arrived, a sister to Matilda, named Edith Elma.
In 1875, Matilda's parents, John and Magdalena Conser, decided to leave their Knox Count y, Illinois home of thirty years and follow their two eldest sons to York County, Nebraska . John and Magdalena purchased 160 acres near the homesteads of both son's and the family m oved overland in 1875. The journey was especially difficult for Matilda's two-year old siste r, Edith. She fell ill and never recovered, passing away on October 13, 1875. She was burie d in a burial plot located near their farm. Matilda was then thirteen years old and must hav e felt sadness as did the rest of the family with little Edith's passing. However, life at t hat age was probably a great adventure for Matilda and her new home offered her a chance to g et to know her oldest brothers, William and Jacob, better. While living in York County, Nebr aska, Matilda became acquainted with David Thomas, the son of George and Orlena (Flatford) Th omas, a neighbor whom lived east of her parent's farm just into Hamilton, County. David was M atilda's sister-in-law, Elisabeth (Thomas) Conser's, brother as Elisabeth Thomas married Mati lda's brother, Jacob, in Hamilton County in 1876. In spring 1876, Matilda's parents and fami ly moved farther West to a farm in Furnas County, Nebraska. Where her father secured a homes tead of his own.
During the Spring of 1876, America was preparing for its Bicentennial celebration, Georg e Armstrong Custer positioned himself for a showdown with the Sioux and Cheyenne, and the Joh n Conser family began living in Furnas County, Nebraska about six miles North of Oxford. Mati lda moved to Oxford with her parents, but seemed to return often to visit her brother, Jacob , as this gave her a chance to see David Thomas. David was born on November 29, 1855 in Tenne ssee and moved to Hamilton County, Nebraska with his parents when a teenager. David and Mati lda began courting and after Matilda turned sixteen in February 1878, they decided to marry.
Matilda Conser and David Thomas were married and the home of her brother and his sister , Jacob and Elisabeth (Thomas) Conser, by Reverend E. F. Austin on February 24, 1878 in Hende rson Township, York County, Nebraska. After marriage, it appears that David and Matilda rema ined in York and Hamilton County area for two years before removing to New Era Precinct in Fu rnas County, Nebraska near where Matilda's parents lived.
David and Matilda homesteaded land adjoining her parents, John and Mary Conser in New Er a Township just as children appeared in their household. Mary Blanche Thomas was born in 187 8 and twins, Arthur M. and Nellie M. Thomas were born in 1881. David became very involved i n community affairs after locating in Furnas County. He helped to organize Pleasant Hill Sch ool District #33 in section 14 of New Era Precinct in early spring of 1880. After helping t o organize the school, David served on the school's Board of Education for a number of years . After proving their homestead in the early 1890s, the Thomas's moved to Oxford where Davi d operated a store for a number of years. Children continued to enter into Thomas househol d during this time. Rosa Belle, Orlena "Aurel", Bessie, Eva Clare, Ralph H., and David "Roy " Thomas were all born between 1884 and 1905 to David and Matilda.
By 1900, David and Matilda's oldest son, Arthur, then nineteen years old, ventured to th e frontier area of Riverside, California. Arthur found work as a barber in the Mission Inn a t Riverside. One day while attending his patrons, Arthur heard stories about the wonders o f the Coachella Valley with its artesian water and good sandy soil. They claimed that anythi ng would grow in this warm dry climate with this water. Arthur immediately wrote to his pare nts, Dave and Matilda, undoubtedly claiming those benefits of relocating. These benefits inc luded relief for the family having to endure more harsh winters of Nebraska, helping Dave gai n strength, and that good farmland was available.
In the early spring of 1902, David brought his oldest daughter, eighteen year old Blanch e, to cook and keep house for him while he bought land east of the corner of Avenue 51 and Va n Buren Street in Coachella. This was located across from the Ottman Ranch and later part o f the James Giminian Ranch. Dave the sent word back to Matilda and their properties in Oxfor d were sold. At that time, Matilda and the rest of the family made the trip west to join th e rest of the family. Matilda was also responsible for bringing all the possessions that th e family needed in California including the team of horses, farm implements, the cow and chic kens. With the three younger children; Ralph, age 6, Eva, age 9, and Aurel, age 15, Matild a headed to California on mixed train. The family rode in a passenger car, but would have t o get off when the steam engine train stopped to take on water and firewood. The children we re responsible for watering the horses. Matilda milked the cow and nine-year-old Eva fed th e chickens in their crates.
When the family arrived at Coachella, they built and lived in a tent house similar to th e other 257 residents in the entire Coachella Valley. A tent house was constructed with a rai sed floor and 30 inch high wood sides then screen up to the roof. The screen allowed any bre eze to pass through. At that time there were no electric fans or even electricity for that m atter as electricity does not arrive in the Coachella Valley until 1914. Rolled up canvas fla ps could be let down to provide privacy or to keep the sand out when the wind blew.
By May, 1902, Coachella was quite warm for these transplanted Cornhuskers. Hearing of o ther wives plans to spend the summer with their children at the ocean, it was decided that Ma tilda would do the same. She and the younger children went to a tent city in Long Beach. I n 1947, Eva was asked by her son, Donald, about their trek to Long Beach, and how far and dif ficult was it traveling in those days in sand before real roads. Eva said that they made it f rom Coachella to Indian Wells that first day. They stopped there for water for the horses an d water with which to cook. The next day they made it to the lower oasis at Palm Spring. T o clarify, Eva was asked if the warm water springs were where the bathhouse was later at Indi an Avenue and Tahquitz? Her reply, "Oh No No , That was forbidden to the Whites. The Indi ans thought the spirits in the warm waters made them feel good. It was a sacred place for th e Indians. The lower oasis was next to the mountains, where East Palm Canyon intersects wit h North-South Palm Canyon." The Third day was slower pulling across the valley through the s oft sand than it had been in the decomposed granite it the cove area. That third night the y camped where water was available on the north side of White Water Canyon. By the fourth ni ght, they were at a spring in the Pass area. Later in the journey, it was exciting as they r olled down the Box Springs grade toward Redlands. It was there that a farmer offered the Tho mas children "Blood Oranges." Having never seen these in Nebraska, the children hesitated be fore eating them.
Meanwhile, Dave began farming in the valley that spring. Fig Trees had been planted nea r the Thomas' well in 1901 and the beautiful crop prompted Dave to send a flat of Coachella f igs to the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. They won a Blue Ribbon It is thought that thi s was the first Blue Ribbon won for Coachella Valley Produce. Family members claim that it i s easy to date photographs of Dave as he was a strong Republican in politics. Whenever Dav e is sporting a beard in a photo, it means that a Democrat was living in the White House. Dav e was clean-shaven when there was a Republican President, but refused to shave when the othe r party was in power.
In 1902, Dave and Matilda's oldest surviving daughter, Blanche, married Orley Huddlesto n and in 1905 their next eldest daughter, Aurel, married Jack Rodgers Holliday. He had drill ed the first domestic well and owned the water company supplying the town. Both girls had elo ped to Los Angeles to get married. In those days, most weddings were home weddings. In 1910 , when Almond Lyle Pearson, an engineer at the ice plant and a grocery clerk, asked for Eva' s hand in marriage, Dave thought they should be married in their house. Dave and Matilda ha d built a beautiful two-story frame home, thought to have been the first two-story house in t he Coachella Valley. The house was completed for a beautiful wedding celebration in Februar y 1911.
David farmed many years in the Coachella area. Later, David and Matilda operated the Da te Palm Hotel located there. It was in Coachella that their children began leaving the home . By the 1920s, David and Matilda retired, however, continued to live in the rural outskirt s of Coachella. By the 1940s, David and Matilda lived with their daughter in the rural Whit e Water area, just to the northwest of Coachella . It was there on August 24, 1943, that Dav id Thomas died of heart failure. He was 87 years old. Funeral services for David were hel d on August 27th and he was buried in the Coachella Valley Cemetery near Coachella. After th e death of David, Matilda continued to live with her daughters whom then lived in Beaumont an d Coachella, California.
Matilda passed away at the home of her daughter in Beaumont, California on May 5, 1946 . She died from the effects of pneumonia and her advanced age of 84 years. She was the las t of fourteen children born to her parents to pass away. Funeral services for Matilda were c onducted May 7th at the Farrar Chapel in Indio, California. Pallbearers included Stanley Ott man, Walter McCutchen, A. M. Westefield, Otto Geissler, John McCutchen, and John Cawthon. Bu rial followed the service at Coachella Valley Cemetery as she was laid to rest next to her la te husband. At her death, Matilda was survived by three daughters, Mrs. Blanche Huddleston an d Mrs. Aurel M. Holiday of Beaumont, Mrs. Eva C. Pearson of Coachella, California. She was a lso survived by her two sons, Ralph H. Thomas of Glendale and David "Roy" Thomas of Los Angel es. Fourteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren in addition to many nephews and n ieces also survived Matilda.