Person:Stella Shaw (4)

Decatur Republic newspaper article, Decatur, MI, Thursday, February 28, 1929, Vol. LXII, No 9
“Stellie N Mumaugh, Decatur Pioneer:” (NOTE: Her legal name is actually Stella Nancy Shaw Mumaugh). “…Her death occurred February 13, a month after her 77th birthday. Her father, John A. Shaw, was a one of Decatur’s best known residents in an early day.

Stellie N. Mumaugh was born in Barry county Michigan , January 11, 1852. She was the oldest of a family of ten children. There have preceded her an infant son, Harold Mumaugh, her husband, George Mumaugh, a sister, Eva May, and three brothers, George Wl, Clarence Wl, and Austin H.

Her father, John A. Shaw, died March 24, 1911 at the age of eight years.” (NOTE: This is a typo, obviously. He was 88). “…Her mother, Mrs. J. A. Shaw, died at the age of Eighty. There survive the deceased three brothers and two sisters, Mrs. Glennie M. Bowen, 828 W. Kalamazoo Avenue, Kalamazoo, Rev. Angilene Faith, 1210 W. Cedar St, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Arthur L. Shaw, 3961 29th St, Washington, D.C., Wm E. Shaw, Choteau, Mont., Chas. J. Shaw, McCool Junction, Nebr., and a stepson, Carl Mumaugh, 206 Cass Ave., Dowagiac.

Stellie N. Mumaugh was formerly an active member of the Capitol Avenue Christian church in Omaha and later the Christian Church of Decatur. The bible was her chief companion. She had memorized much from its sacred pages until it had become a living treasure of knowledge always with her and from which she derived much comfort, guidance, and sympathy.She found her greatest joy in helping others even to the very last.

She was stricken with pneumonia on Sunday, February 18th, and on Wednesday morning, February 13, she bade farewell to earthly scenes and went to her home beyond. ‘Her sufferings ended with the day, yet lived she at its close, and breathed the long long night away, in calmest sweet repose’

The John A. Shaw farm, 4½ miles southeast of Decatur was the home of the family for over 50 years. The patent for this farm was written on sheep skin and signed by Martin Van Buren, the 15th President of the United States.

Stellie attended the district school taught by Eunice Van Hiser (?), Mattie Deen, and teachers of those pioneer days. Stellie and her girl chum, Hannah Bell Shaw, and Arthur Shaw in company with their parents attended church at the Red Bell school house in Porter township on the first Sunday after Lincoln was assassinated and remembered well the excitement that day. Elder Hall was the preacher. The meeting was broken up and ‘secesh,’ copper-head, Black Republican’ were among the expressions freely used on that day.

Stellie attended high school in Decatur when Prof. Clark and tuter Prof. Bellows were principals. She worked for her board in the home of one of the Abbotts. Stellie helped her younger brother Arthur get started in the Decatur school when Prof. S. G. Burkhead was principal. Abbie Barker who afterward became Mrs. A. L. Shaw, taught as preceptress in the Lawrence School when S. G. Burkhead was principal at Lawrence.

CARD OF THANKS
The brothers and sisters of Stellie N. Mumaugh, deceased, wish to express their appreciation of the loving message by Rev. Frank Flagg, the music so well rendered, the floral offerings by the Berean Bible class of the Park Street Christian church of Kalamazoo, the Decatur Christian church, and of near and distant relatives and friends. For the kind expressions of sympathy of all who were present we thank you.
Arthur L Shaw, Glennie M. Bowen, Wm. E. Shaw, Chas. J. Shaw, Angilene Faith

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Find A Grave.

   Tombstone: [[1]]

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952.

   database, FamilySearch [2]; citing Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,972,763.

3.   United States Census, 1870.

   database with images, FamilySearch [3], Estella Shaw in household of Jno A Shaw, Decatur, Van Buren, Michigan, United States; citing p. 20, family 158, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,205.

4.   United States Census, 1900.

   database with images, FamilySearch [4], Stella M Mumaugh in household of George Mumaugh, Decatur village, Van Buren, Michigan, United States; citing sheet 7A, family 174, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,745.

5.   United States Census, 1910.

   database with images, FamilySearch [5], Stella N Mumaugh in household of George W Mumaugh, Decatur, Van Buren, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 158, sheet 12A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,689.