GENTRY COUNTY, MISSOURI - RAINEY NEWS

Another Pioneer Gone: GRANDMA RAINEY died at the home of her son, JOSEPH RAINEY, near Berlin, on Friday, May 1, 1903, aged 88 years and 24 days.ELIZABETH J SWINNEY was born in Tennessee, April 7, 1815. She was married to JOHN RAINEY in 1832, and the moved to Dekalb Co. and remained until 1850, when they went on to the Owl Creek Homestead, which has continued to be the property of the Rainey Family since that time.

Eleven children were born to them, seven of whom survive. The living children are BENJAMIN, SAMUEL, WILLIAM, JOSEPH, AND JOHN RAINEY; MRS. CORNELIA BOLEY AND MRS. PHILENE MEADOWS. Forty-eight grandchildren, thirty great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren also survive. The aged husband died nineteen years ago.

GRANDMA RAINEY had united with the Methodist church early in life, and she continued true to her Christian proffession through life, dying firm in the faith that triumphs over death and the tomb. She was loved and honored by a large circle of friends, who will join with the family in mourning the death of one who has been a true neighbor, friend and mother to the generations that have brought the south part of Gentry County up from a wilderness to the splendor community it is today.

The funeral services were conducted by ELDER D. CAMPBELL, assisted by REV. BALL of King City, at the Berlin Church on Saturday, after which a large crowd of the relatives, neighbors and friends followed the remains to the Owl Creek Cemetery, where they were laid to rest by the graves of the husband and children.

WILLIAM RAINEY DIED TUESDAY (CLIPPING FROM THE ALBANY PAPER, GENTRY COUNTY, MISSOURI; SUBMITTED BY LILLAV RAINEY, SPOKANE, WA; DATED 6 APRIL 1921)

WILLIAM RAINEY, an old and well known citizen of the south part of Gentry County, died at 4 o'clock last Tuesday morning, at his home a mile southeast of the Maple Grove Church. Mr. RAINEY had been bothered by kidney and heart trouble and other complications, and had been in poorest health for some time.

The deceased was 85 Years, 6 Months and 18 DAYS old. He was born in Tennessee, his parents coming to Missouri when he was a small child. They first settled in Andrew County, remaining there only a short time; then moved to Gentry County and settled on the RAINEY Homestead in the Owl Creek neighborhood, where he lived for almost eighty years.

On Feb. 1, 1872, he was married to NANCY EMMALINE BOLEY. Eleven children were born to them, all of whom, with their mother are still living. The nine sons and two daughters are: JOHN H., BENJAMIN PORTER, DAVID M., ROY O., and MRS. CLARENCE STARK, all of St. Joseph, MO.; HIRAM B. of Essex, MO; IRA D. OF Dix, IL; ALBERT B., ELMER L., MRS. CLAUDE EVENS and TIPTON RAINEY of near Ford City, MO. All of these except Hiram and Ira were present at the funeral of their father.

Early in life MR. RAINEY had made confession in faith in Christ, and united with the Christian Church. He had also been a member of the Masonic Lodge for more than 50 years. He was a true husband, a kind father, and a good neighbor, and will be greatly missed, both in the community and in the home. Besides the faithful wife and eleven children, he leaves 23 grandchildren, one brother, JOHN RAINEY, who is in Oklahoma, and one sister, MRS. PHILENA MEADOWS of near Winslow, MO, besides a host of other relatives and friends.