"JUDITH SUMMERS, NONAGENARIAN, PIONEER OF THE BITTER ROOT, DIES

Death came shortly after noon, Wednesday, October 27 at Daly hospital to Mrs. Judith Summers who had been a patient, in grave condition, for several weeks following a stroke which she sustained at Lewistown, Montana, while visiting with her son. The passing from this world of Judith Summers takes from our midst one of the few true pioneers of the early settlement days of the Bitter Root valley.

Mrs. Summers was one of the 11 children of the late pioneer settlers, Elijah and Margaret Chaffin, who crossed the plains via covered wagon, coming to Corvallis first in 1864. Judith was born at Ft. Scott, Kansas, March 28, 1861. The Chaffins continued from the Bitter Root to Oregon, but, preferring the Bitter Root, returned here in 1865.

Judith Chaffin was married to John Summers January 6, 1878 at Corvallis when Rev. W. Hall, a double wedding also united in marriage her sister, Miss Nancy Chaffin to Gilbert Simmons.

Funeral services will be conducted at Dowling chapel at two o'clock Saturday with Rev. Harry Soloos officiating. Burial will be made in the family plot in Corvallis cemetery. The pallbearers will be six nephews; Lee, Homer and Mason Simmons, Gilbert, Glenn, and Dean Chaffin.

Those who survive Mrs. Summers are the following children: Mrs. Harry Johnson of Hamilton; Laland F. Summers, Lewistown, Montana; Mrs. John Ashby, Vancouver, Washington; Mrs. Louise Perrior, Santa Monica, California. They will all be here for the last rites. Grand children are Bob Summers, Seattle; Mrs. Barbara Bernatz, Racine, Wisconsin; John Ashby in the army at Fort Ord, California. There are three great grandchildren: Benny and Juda Brooke Bernatz of Racine and Roger Ashby of Fort Ord.

hree of Mrs. Summers' children preceded her in death. They were Herbert L. Summers who died in May 1950; Margaret Elliott who passed away in September 1953; and Fred Summers who died last December. Of her ten brothers and sisters, Mrs. Summers is survived by her brother, Moses Chaffin of Corvallis."
Source: The Western News, 28 October 1954
∼Her husb was Summers, John Alphonso. They were married in 1878 in the parlor of the residence (log cabin) of the father of the bride, near Corvallis on Sun Man 06. They had 8 children - Mary M, Inez,Margaret, Nettie E
, Fred, Herbert, Lela d and Louise. There is a biography of this family in the book - Bitterroot Trails - vol 2 pgs 388-391

"JUDITH SUMMERS, NONAGENARIAN, PIONEER OF THE BITTER ROOT, DIES

Death came shortly after noon, Wednesday, October 27 at Daly hospital to Mrs. Judith Summers who had been a patient, in grave condition, for several weeks following a stroke which she sustained at Lewistown, Montana, while visiting with her son. The passing from this world of Judith Summers takes from our midst one of the few true pioneers of the early settlement days of the Bitter Root valley.

Mrs. Summers was one of the 11 children of the late pioneer settlers, Elijah and Margaret Chaffin, who crossed the plains via covered wagon, coming to Corvallis first in 1864. Judith was born at Ft. Scott, Kansas, March 28, 1861. The Chaffins continued from the Bitter Root to Oregon, but, preferring the Bitter Root, returned here in 1865.

Judith Chaffin was married to John Summers January 6, 1878 at Corvallis when Rev. W. Hall, a double wedding also united in marriage her sister, Miss Nancy Chaffin to Gilbert Simmons.

Funeral services will be conducted at Dowling chapel at two o'clock Saturday with Rev. Harry Soloos officiating. Burial will be made in the family plot in Corvallis cemetery. The pallbearers will be six nephews; Lee, Homer and Mason Simmons, Gilbert, Glenn, and Dean Chaffin.

Those who survive Mrs. Summers are the following children: Mrs. Harry Johnson of Hamilton; Laland F. Summers, Lewistown, Montana; Mrs. John Ashby, Vancouver, Washington; Mrs. Louise Perrior, Santa Monica, California. They will all be here for the last rites. Grand children are Bob Summers, Seattle; Mrs. Barbara Bernatz, Racine, Wisconsin; John Ashby in the army at Fort Ord, California. There are three great grandchildren: Benny and Juda Brooke Bernatz of Racine and Roger Ashby of Fort Ord.

hree of Mrs. Summers' children preceded her in death. They were Herbert L. Summers who died in May 1950; Margaret Elliott who passed away in September 1953; and Fred Summers who died last December. Of her ten brothers and sisters, Mrs. Summers is survived by her brother, Moses Chaffin of Corvallis."
Source: The Western News, 28 October 1954
∼Her husb was Summers, John Alphonso. They were married in 1878 in the parlor of the residence (log cabin) of the father of the bride, near Corvallis on Sun Man 06. They had 8 children - Mary M, Inez,Margaret, Nettie E
, Fred, Herbert, Lela d and Louise. There is a biography of this family in the book - Bitterroot Trails - vol 2 pgs 388-391