Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon
K.S. Francis Left $93,000
Estate of Pioneer Farmer Is Left To Five Daughters
Funeral services were held Monday afternoon, October 6, for King Samuel Francis, who passed away at the Enterprise hospital Saturday, October 4, 1941, following an illness of several months.
He had been a member of the Christian church since early in life. E. E. Callahan, pastor of the Christian church, was in charge of the service, and music was furnished by Mrs. Donna Dixon and Mrs. Helen Kay and Mrs. C.F. Johnson.
Pallbearers were G. W. Franklin, G. E. Long, Fred McFetridge, Harlan Green, I. L. Cornwell and Wm. Hahn, and interment was in the Enterprise cemetery.
Mr. Francis was one of 11 children born to Mr. and Mrs. John Francis, and was born in St. Clair county, Mo., January 30, 1862, later going to Cedar county, Mo., where he spent his boyhood days. In March of 1886 he came to Wallowa County, homesteading in the Trout creek district where he resided for several years. From that time on Mr. Francis made his home in the county with the exception of three years in Washington, one in Yakima and two in Dayton. For 16 years he lived on Prairie creek but in 1932 made his home on a farm about two miles south of Enterprise.
On October 12, 1891, King Francis and Alabama Weaver were united in marriage and to this union five children were born, all of whom survive. Mrs. Francis passed away October 3, 1930.
Mr. Francis is survived by the following daughters, Minnie Bowman, Mary Shaver, Effie Baker, Nelly Spicer, Lora Mawhin, all of Enterprise; 20 grandchildren and three great grandchildren; three brothers, John, James and Charles of near Roscoe, Mo.; two sisters, Mrs. Salina Ruckman, of Yakima, Wash., and Mrs. Ellen Yates of Red Lodge, Mont. Three cousins living in Wallowa County are S. F. and Ira G. Pace and Mrs. J. A. Eggleson.
Mr. Francis was an upright, honest citizen, always a hard worker and has been prosperous and optimistic.
He was very fond of fishing, hunting, and other past times and lead a very active life in his old age.
Card of Thanks
We wish to express our sincere appreciation to our friends and neighbors who so kindly gave their help and sympathy in our recent bereavement; also for the beautiful floral offerings. – Family of King Francis.
Enterprise Record Chieftain October 9, 1941
This obituary had Mr. Francis’s will printed after it. If you are family and would like the rest of the obituary please contact me. – Janine
Samuel K. Francis, a pioneer in Wallowa County, died in Portland, Oregon, at the home of his nephew M. K. Boatman, Thursday, July 20, of ailments due to old age. The body was brought to Lostine, where the funeral was held from the home of a nephew, Geo. D. Wood. Rev. W. S. Crockett conducting the services; Burial was in Lostine cemetery.
The deceased was born in Spotsylvania County, Va., Dec. 23, 1824. He moved with his father’s family to Missouri in 1845. He came over the Oregon Trail by ox team to the Willamette valley in 1859, accompanied by his sister, Mrs. Mary Boatman, and her two small sons. They settled first near Salem, but in 1861 he came to Grande Ronde valley and ten years later he moved into this valley near Lostine when there were but very few settlers here. He continued to reside there until 1909 when he removed to Portland with Mr. Boatman, with whom he made his home for the last 30 years. He never married. Of his father’s family, only one sister survives, Mrs. Louise E. Pace of Enterprise.
Mr. Francis did his share in the pioneer work of this valley and amassed a comfortable competence. He was a man noted for his strict integrity and had the respect of all who knew him.
Enterprise Record Chieftain, Wallowa County, Oregon, July 27, 1911
Contributed by Charlotte Carper
