Bent, Elizabeth Martha Lowe Miller]

Bedford Free Press

Tuesday    January 16, 1917    [p. 1]

Mrs. Elizabeth Bent Died In North Bedford Thursday Afternoon---Was Pioneer of Taylor County---Funeral Held Saturday Morning

Elizabeth Bent

Mrs. Elizabeth Bent died at her home in northwest Bedford Thursday afternoon.  The funeral services were held at the First Presbyterian Church Saturday at 10:30 o’clock conducted by Rev. John A. Currie.  Interment was made in the Bedford cemetery.

Elizabeth M. [artha] Lowe, daughter of John and Martha [Patsy] Graham Lowe, was born in Kentucky, December 12, 1827.  She had three brothers and five sisters.  Her father was a soldier in the war of 1812 and came to this section in November 1843 to locate a home for his family.  The family left Kentucky May 5, 1844 and reaching their destination June 10, making the trip by boat to Weston, Mo., and then coming overland the rest of the way, as there were no railroads here then.  The farm was near the present site of Siam and at that time was in Andrew County, Missouri.  Later on new surveys were made and the lines were changed.  While living on this farm they had the peculiar privilege of being located in two different states and three different counties, because of changes in state and county lines.  The deceased was married to [John] Henry Miller in 1845.  Her daughter, Martha, now Mrs. Robert [Atkinson] Taylor, was the first white girl born in Taylor County.  For a short time after her marriage, they remained in the neighborhood of Siam and later moved to a farm a few miles west of Bedford.  Her husband went to California with a number of immigrants shortly after the famous gold discoveries there and died upon the homeward trip.  The family then moved to Bedford and in 1852, the deceased was married to Dr. Luther Bent, who died August 1, 1878.  In 1862, the family moved to the place in north Bedford, which has since been the family home.  Three children preceded her.   She is survived by seven children.  They are Mrs. Robert [Atkinson] Taylor [Martha Ann], Mrs. C. [harlotte] M. Cloud and Curtis Bent of Bedford; Mrs. Mary [Elizabeth] Ledgerwood of Blockton; Junius N. [athan] Bent of Red Cloud, Neb., Charles A. [bner] Bent of Des Moines; and Lincoln Bent of Maryville, Mo.   Mrs. Bent united with the Bedford Presbyterian Church about 30 years ago and had lived a faithful and conscientious life.