Locating Here In 1863, Her Home Was Often Visited By Wandering Bartering Indians
The death of Mrs. Nancy Muir, widow of the late Robert Muir, which occurred Saturday night, June 7, at 9 o'clock at her home north of Salina, marked the passing of another of Saline County's pioneers. She was 85 years of age. Mrs. Muir came to Kansas in 1863 in a prairie schooner that was drawn by oxen, her first home being in an old time dugout. She was married in that primitive home living her early married life there, the older children of the family still retaining memories of the sod house on the prairies where they lived as small children. During her early years in Kansas her home was often visited by wandering bands of Indians, intent on bartering for anything in sight and on one occasion they attempted to kidnap one of the Muir children. Mrs. Muir witnessed the development of the country from the prairie trails to the present hard surfaced highways--from the slow travel of the oxen to the airplane; from the scythe used in harvesting to the present advanced methods and from the sod home to the modern home. She was known all over the county. For the past 30 years she had been in poor health. She was a charter member of the Congregational church and took an active part in church work as long as her health permitted.
She is survived by her children, Andrew of San Bardino, Calif.; Asa Muir, Mrs. Annie Anderson, Mrs. Emma Lucas, Nellie Muir, Bryce Muir, Henry Muir, and Mrs. Jannie Delaney, Salina; by 18 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; her brothers, Sam Kennison of Niles; Harlan Kennison of Cedonia, Wash., and Earl Kennison, of Minneapolis, Minn., and one sister, Mrs. Sarah Brewer, of Minneapolis, Kansas. Funeral services will be held at her home Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 while burial will be at Gypsum Hill cemetery
