My Genealogy Hound

Mrs. Susie E. Stalker is the owner of an excellent farm property on section 21, Douglas township, and is known throughout the community as a successful business woman, active and capable in management. With her son Henry she is carrying on the home farm of one hundred and twenty acres. Her residence in Union county dates from 1876, so that she is widely known here, having for thirty-two years made her home within the borders of the county. She is a native of Fulton county, Illinois, and a daughter of C. E. Widger, who was born in Ohio, whence he removed to Illinois, settling in Fulton county. He was married there to Miss Phebe Morris, a native of Pennsylvania. Their seven children were born in Fulton county, Illinois, and they removed westward to Iowa in 1876, at once selecting Union county as a place of residence. Here the father purchased land and opened up a farm on section 17, Douglas township, that is now owned by M. L. Maxwell. Upon this place he reared his children and carried on general agricultural pursuits for some time but afterward disposed of the property and removed to Cromwell, where he now resides, being engaged in gardening at the present time. He lost his wife in Cromwell in 1904.

Mrs. Stalker was a young lady of fifteen years at the removal of the family to Union county and in February, 1877, when but sixteen years of age, she gave her hand in marriage to Ed. Stalker, Jr., who removed to Iowa from Knox county, Illinois, a brother of H. R. Stalker, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. After their marriage Mr. Stalker rented land and thus engaged in farming for eight years, when with the capital they had saved from their earnings and careful expenditure he bought the farm upon which his widow now resides. He was a thrifty agriculturist and stock feeder and shipper and was well known in Creston and Union county. His death occurred in Chicago in 1891 and his remains were laid to rest in Cromwell cemetery on the 23rd of March of that year.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stalker were born six children: Charles B., who is operating one of his mother’s farms of eighty acres, having cultivated the place for six years and gained a creditable reputation as a prosperous agriculturist and stock-raiser; Jennie M., the wife of Albert J. Carter, a mail clerk living at Creston; Henry, who is operating the home farm with his mother; Carey M., now living in Philip, South Dakota; Edna A. and Wray, both at home. Mrs. Stalker, her youngest daughter and two sons are members of the Cromwell Congregational church and faithfully attend the services of the church and Sunday school. The family is widely and prominently known in this community. Mrs. Stalker is a lady of superior business qualifications and since her husband’s death has managed the place, has reared and educated her family of six children and has bought an additional tract of land of one hundred and twenty acres valued at more than twelve thousand dollars. She certainly deserves much credit for what she has accomplished and her business capabilities are supplemented by those true womanly qualities which win her uniform esteem and respect.