Mother Mummey was born in 1795, and was four years old when General Washington died. She crossed the mountains from Maryland with her parents in 1801, and settled in western Virginia, near Wellsburg, Wheeling at that time being but a small village. She was married to Joseph Mummey at the age of 21, and moved to Morgan county, Ohio in 1819. There were but few settlers, the country being a vast forest. The black wolves would come within a few rods of the cabin at night and howl till the woods would seem to be alive with them, and black bears were frequently met with. She remembers one evening in the fall, while hunting the cows, of coming up to a bear. She says she let the cows go that evening, and made good time back to the cabin. Her great-grandfather Wells was tortured three days and burnt at the stake by the Indians, near Sandusky. She remembers one night of her mother-in-law raising the ax to chop an Indian's hand off, but before the blow was struck she saw that the hand was the tongue of a cow which had thrust it through a crack in the cabin to lick. Mother Mummey's husband was in the war of 1812, in the army of the Maumee, commanded by General Harrison. He has been dead 33 years. They had nine children, six of whom are now living. The oldest of the six living is William Mummey, who lives in Nobel county, Ohio. Benjamin Mummey lives in Levey township, this county, Samuel Mummey and Mrs. Alexander Smith in Clinton county, Iowa, and Sarah Smith and Mrs. A. B. Smith (the youngest) in Clinton township, this county. Mother Mummey has 24 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Four of the five generations are here represented, living in the same house, Mr. Frank Searight being the youngest. Mother Mummey has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for 60 years. She came from Ohio to Clinton county, Iowa, in 1861, and to Sac county in 1878. James Madison is the first President that she remembers much about. Her health is good, except occasional rheumatic troubles. She attended a picnic last fourth of July at A. Wells's.
A.B.S.
(transcribed from microfilm by B. Ekse)
From: Odebolt Cemetery, “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977, printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977, p. 247
MRS. CATHERINE MUMMEY
A tombstone with the name Catherine Mummey engraved on it, whose age at her death in 1894, is listed as 99 years 8 months, would have been born in 1795 during George Washington’s Presidency (1789-1797). This would be one of the earliest birth dates in the cemetery. This stone is located north of center drive, approximately halfway between the old tool shed and the fence.
Biography on A. B. Smith, Catherine's son-in-law