Shares a stone with Albert & Minnie

Melissa Hunter was the 6th of 11 children born to Jasper Newton and Elizabeth Ann (Hodges) Hunter on their farm in Otoe County, Nebraska near Nebraska City. The family next lived in Seward County, Nebraska (1880 census) and then York County, Nebraska (Nebraska 1885 census).

On May 4, 1886 she married William Albert Powell, in Lincoln County, Nebraska. Their first four children were born in Lincoln County: Earl, Vincent Raymond, Elizabeth, and Chestina. They moved to Williamson County, Illinois in the 1890's, and that is where their last child, Naomi Ruth, was born. William first farmed, then operated a grocery store. The 1910 census indicated that there had been another child who was born and died between 1900 and 1910. Her obituary states that she also lost another infant.

They divorced before 1920, and Melissa moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa; she and daughter Naomi were enumerated there in the 1920 census. William Powell stayed in Illinois, remarried (his second wife's name was also Mary) and apparently died in Peoria County in 1949.

On May 13, 1928 she married Albert Peel Briggs, and they lived in Red Oak, Iowa. After her death, the following obituary was published in the Red Oak "Iowa Sun" on March 15, 1940:

"MRS. A.P. BRIGGS IS BURIED AT GUSS

Mrs A.P. Briggs, 73, died early Saturday morning at her home, 201 Third Avenue,  after a two-day illness of heart disease and complications.  She had been in poor health all winter.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. from the Perryman Chapel with Rev. Orval Walker of the Christian Church in charge,  Pallbearers were M.E. Lee, Ed Bartlett, Ed Hunt, Oscar Baker, Jake Dumier, and Don Lawson. Burial was in the cemetery at Guss.

Mary Melissa Hunter was born June 16, 1866 at Nebraska City, Nebraska a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. [sic] Hunter  She made her home in Nebraska until her marriage in 1886 to William Powell, when she moved to Illinois, remaining there until 1914, when she moved to Council Bluffs,where she lived until 1927 before coming to Red Oak to make her home.  She was married May 13, 1928 to A.P. Briggs who survives, as do a son, Ray Powell of Milwaukee, Wis.; a daughter, Mrs. Douglas Thompson, of Bartonville, Illinois; Ivan Briggs and Mrs, Frank Weil of Red Oak, stepchildren; a briother John Hunter and two sisters, Mrs. Bertha Warren and Mrs. Eva Wasson, all of Grand Valley, Colo.; and four grandchildren.  A son, Earl, died at the age of fifteen, two children died in infancy and two daughters Mrs. Chestina Moore of Council Bluffs  and Mrs. Elizabeth Breithut of Denver died in 1919 and 1924 respectively.

Mrs. Briggs was a member of the Christian Church of Council Bluffs."

Shares a stone with Albert & Minnie

Melissa Hunter was the 6th of 11 children born to Jasper Newton and Elizabeth Ann (Hodges) Hunter on their farm in Otoe County, Nebraska near Nebraska City. The family next lived in Seward County, Nebraska (1880 census) and then York County, Nebraska (Nebraska 1885 census).

On May 4, 1886 she married William Albert Powell, in Lincoln County, Nebraska. Their first four children were born in Lincoln County: Earl, Vincent Raymond, Elizabeth, and Chestina. They moved to Williamson County, Illinois in the 1890's, and that is where their last child, Naomi Ruth, was born. William first farmed, then operated a grocery store. The 1910 census indicated that there had been another child who was born and died between 1900 and 1910. Her obituary states that she also lost another infant.

They divorced before 1920, and Melissa moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa; she and daughter Naomi were enumerated there in the 1920 census. William Powell stayed in Illinois, remarried (his second wife's name was also Mary) and apparently died in Peoria County in 1949.

On May 13, 1928 she married Albert Peel Briggs, and they lived in Red Oak, Iowa. After her death, the following obituary was published in the Red Oak "Iowa Sun" on March 15, 1940:

"MRS. A.P. BRIGGS IS BURIED AT GUSS

Mrs A.P. Briggs, 73, died early Saturday morning at her home, 201 Third Avenue,  after a two-day illness of heart disease and complications.  She had been in poor health all winter.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. from the Perryman Chapel with Rev. Orval Walker of the Christian Church in charge,  Pallbearers were M.E. Lee, Ed Bartlett, Ed Hunt, Oscar Baker, Jake Dumier, and Don Lawson. Burial was in the cemetery at Guss.

Mary Melissa Hunter was born June 16, 1866 at Nebraska City, Nebraska a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. [sic] Hunter  She made her home in Nebraska until her marriage in 1886 to William Powell, when she moved to Illinois, remaining there until 1914, when she moved to Council Bluffs,where she lived until 1927 before coming to Red Oak to make her home.  She was married May 13, 1928 to A.P. Briggs who survives, as do a son, Ray Powell of Milwaukee, Wis.; a daughter, Mrs. Douglas Thompson, of Bartonville, Illinois; Ivan Briggs and Mrs, Frank Weil of Red Oak, stepchildren; a briother John Hunter and two sisters, Mrs. Bertha Warren and Mrs. Eva Wasson, all of Grand Valley, Colo.; and four grandchildren.  A son, Earl, died at the age of fifteen, two children died in infancy and two daughters Mrs. Chestina Moore of Council Bluffs  and Mrs. Elizabeth Breithut of Denver died in 1919 and 1924 respectively.

Mrs. Briggs was a member of the Christian Church of Council Bluffs."