0466 – ANDES (MT) BRANCH : Andes, Florence – Obituary (1963)
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Anna Florence (Wildermuth) Andes . |
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description of work: An obituary for Anna Florence (Wildermuth) Andes published in an unknown Richland County, Montana, newspaper on September 15, 1963. Florence and her husband Sam founded Andes, Montana, in 1914 and were members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. See a full account published by Mary Charlotte Gamel on her family website at http://www.charlottegamel.com. tags: Florence Andes, Anna Florence Wildermuth, Sam Andes, Samuel Miller Andes, Andes Montana, Richland County Montana, Mina Bronson, Ermina Clarissa Bronson, Ermina Clarissa Wildermuth, Lebeck Missouri, Culbertson Montana, Charlotte Gamel, Mary Charlotte Andes, Clara Thompson, Henry Thompson, Elsie Doig Townsend, Elsie Andes, Irene Kelly, Irene Andes, Martha Van Spyk, Martha Andes, Mabel Lois York, Mabel Andes, Jerome E. Andes, Ammon Andes, Ralph Andes, Samuel C. Andes, Wilmer Andes, Mrs. Joe Higgins, RLDS Church, Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints |
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Mrs. Henry Thompson received word of the passing of Mrs. Florence Andes of Independence, MO, an old-time resident of Richland County. Mrs. Andes had been in poor health for some time, but the end came suddenly September 15. |
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Florence Wildermuth Andes was born October 10, 1880, in Lamoni, Iowa. When she was 10 years old her mother died. For about a year she lived with a sister, Mrs. Mina Bronson and family. She finished high school and normal school. She went to Lebeck, MO, to visit a sister and began to teach school. It was here that she met and married Sam Andes. They continued to live in Missouri where three sons and two daughters were born. |
 wedding of Sam & Florence Andes (1903). |
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In the summer of 1910 her husband came to northeastern Montana to look over the area open for homesteading. He filed on a homestead 17 miles south of Culbertson, Montana, then returned to Missouri to get his family. With the family of five children, Florence and her husband came, by train, to their homestead in eastern Montana, built and moved into a one-room sod cabin. That first winter there were no neighbors nearer than three miles away. The nearest town was 17 miles away, with the wide Missouri between. |
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As homesteaders began to take up land nearby, Sunday School was held in the Andes home and later in his newly built blacksmith shop. As the little community grew, the people built a church known as the Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints. Florence helped to plan and direct programs which were given in the little church that stood across the road from her home. |
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Florence’s greatest gift to the community was her nursing. For miles around people called to her to care for their sick. She was never too busy but what she could come to the aid of the sick or grief-stricken family, many times walking. |
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She taught her two older sons in the home until there were enough settlers to demand a school. When school opened it was in a granary. |
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Florence’s husband had, besides the homestead, a store, blacksmith shop, and in 1914 established the post office which was named for the family. It occupied the corner of the blacksmith shop. |
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In 1930 she and her husband sold their property at Andes and moved to Independence, MO, and a year later to Warrensburg where she lived for 19 years. Her husband was pastor of the church there; she was women’s leader and worked in the church school. In 1936 her husband died as the result of an accident. Five of the children were still in the home, which Florence continued to keep in tact. |
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In 1949 she returned to Independence where she lived until her death, near her nine children, 27 grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. |
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Those surviving her are four daughters, Mrs. Elsie Townsend, Independence; Mrs. Irene Kelly, Raleigh, N.C.; Mrs. Martha Van Spyk, Santa Maria, Calif.; and Mrs. Mabel Lois York, Syracuse, NY. Five sons, Dr. Jerome E. Andes, Needles, Calif.; Ammon Andes, Lawrence, Kan.; Ralph Andes, St. Paul, Minn.; Samuel C. Andes, Washakie, Wyo.; and Wilmer Andes, Independence. Also a sister, Mrs. Joe Higgins, Independence. |
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Services were held at Speaks Chapel, Independence, with burial in Sunset Cemetery, Warrensburg. The Andes family will be remembered by many old-timers in Richland County. |
