Rebecca J. Kuhens (1843-1944)

KUHENS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 2/20/2022 at 16:48:55

Rebecca Jane Kuhens
(May 9, 1843 – April 4, 1944)

Oelwein Daily Register, Oelwein, Iowa, Thurs., April 6, 1944, p.10
Fayette Woman Dies At Age 100
Mrs. R. J. Kuhens Army Nurse During Civil War
Fayette, Ia. – Mrs. R. J. Kuhens, 100, died at her home here Wednesday. She was born on May 9, 1843, near Wheeling, Pa., daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Wroe. They moved to Washington, D. C. at the outbreak of the Civil War. Deceased was married to John Kuhens, a soldier in the war, in 1861. She worked as a nurse in the hospital where her father was stationed until her husband was mustered out of the service in 1863. The couple moved to Iowa by way of the Ohio River because Mrs. Kuhens’ health had been broken from the strain of nursing and she was unable to make the trip by land. They settled on a farm near West Union. After Mr. Kuhens’ death Mrs. Kuhens moved to Fayette so that her children might attend Upper Iowa University.
Leaves Seven Children
Surviving are four sons, George and Delbert, West Union; Ben, Luma; Vern, Akron, Oh; three daughters, Mrs. Warren Culbertson and Mrs. Dan Hall, Fayette; Mrs. Pearl Winrick of Mason City, and several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great, great grandchildren. A daughter, Mrs. Ethel Cousins, also preceded her.
Oelwein Daily Register, Oelwein, Iowa, April 8, 1944
Obituary – Mrs. R. J. Kuhens
Rebecca Jane Wroe was born May 9, 1843 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania and died April 5, 1944 at her home in Fayette, Iowa. She was the only daughter of Dr. Samuel and Orpha Ann Wroe and had six brothers. During the Civil War she was a nurse and on February 12, 1862 she was united in marriage to John Kuhens. To this union were born 11 children, four boys and seven girls, nine of whom grew to adults and seven still survive. The four sons are George and Delbert of Wadena, Ben of Fayette and Dr. LaVern Kubens of Akron, O., and the three daughters are Mrs. Dan Hall and Mrs. Warren Culbertson of Fayette and Mrs. Pearl Winrick of Mason City, She had been cared for in her home by Mrs. Ray Goodrich for the past three years. She had been in fair health until the last three weeks of her life and had she lived until May 9th, she would have reached the age of 101 years. Services were at the Methodist church in Fayette and burial was in the West Union Cemetery beside her husband. Casket bearers were six grandsons, Vern Hall, Rosco Cusins, Dale and Paul Kuhens and Thomas and John Kuhens. Those from a distance attending the funeral were Dr. LaVern Kuhens, Akron, Ohio, Mrs. Pearl Winrick, Mason City, Mr. and Mrs. Vern Hall, Guttenburg, Mrs. Olive Knutson, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Duncan, Des Moines, Carl Kuhens and family, McGregor, Mr. and Mrs. Norton Brant and family, Clinton, and Mr. and Mrs. John Kuhrens and family, Aurora.
Oelwein Daily Register, Oelwein, Iowa, Apr 11, 1944
Fayette Correspondent – Mrs. John Kuhens
Fayette’s oldest citizen, Mrs. R. J. Kuhens, passes away here at her home Wednesday about 9:45 in the morning. Mrs. Kuhens who was also believed to be the oldest resident of Fayette County, would have reached her 101st birthday May 9th of this year. As Rebecca Jane Wroe, she was born May 9, 1843, near Wheeling, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Wroe. They moved to Washington, D. C. at the outbreak of the Civil War. She married John Kuhens in 1861. He served as a soldier in the Civil War and she worked as a nurse in a hospital where her father was stationed. When Mr. Kuhens was mustered out of the service, she with her husband, a small son George, came west, locating first in McGregor and later came to Fayette County, which has continued to be her home. For a number of years, the Kuhens family resided on a farm in the Wadena vicinity. They later moved to West Union where Mr. Kuhens passes away. Following his death Mrs. Kuhens moved to her home on Main Street in Fayette and has continued her residence here these many years. She was very active for one of her years, and only the past few years did she entirely give up activities about her home. Mr. and Mrs. Kuhens were the parents of eleven children, four of whom preceded the mother in death and were Mrs. Belle Sloan and Mrs. Ethel Cousins, and two who died in infancy. The remaining children are George and Dell Kuhens of near Wadena, Mrs. D. F. Hall, Mrs. W. S. Culbertson and Ben Kuhens of Fayette, Mrs. Pearl Wenrich of Mason City and Leverne Kuhens of Akron, Ohio. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at the Fayette M. E. Church.