SOURCE: THE OLIN RECORDER, OLIN, IOWA, MAY 1, 1919, PAGE 1
Rebecca, oldest daughter of Joseph and Eliza Bumgarner, was born in Warren County, Indiana, July 28th, 1836, and departed this life at the home of her daughter, Mrs. F. C. Hart, at Stanwood, Iowa, April 26th, 1919, aged 82 years; 8 months, and 28 days. She came with her parents to Iowa in 1843, when a girl of six years, where her father entered a farm in Hale town ship, Jones County. Here she grew to young womanhood, a daughter of one of the first pioneers, in a wild and unsettled country, passing through the hardships of a pioneer life. On the 7tb day of March, 1852, she was united in marriage with John Cole, and for almost fifty years, she was his faithful and helpful companion. To this union ten children were born Eliza Churchill, of Stanwood, Iowa; Ezra J., of St. Joseph, Missouri; Mary A. Scriven, of Wellington, Kansas; Albert A., of Olin, Iowa; Emma Hart, of Stanwood, Iowa; Esther D. Moffett, of Kansas City, Missouri; Henry II who died in 1889; Ella M., who died in infancy; Clifford, who died in 1893, and John L., of Keota, Colorado. She leaves surviving her, her three son, four daughters, three sisters, Jane Porter, of Perry, Iowa; Anna Folk, of Colorado; Martha Magee, of Pasadena, California; three brothers, Jackson, of Clarence, Iowa; Edward, of Mountain Home, Idaho, and George, of laurel, Nebraska; twenty-two grandchildren, ten-great grandchildren and many other relatives and friends. Immediately after her marriage she commenced housekeeping. in the log house her husband had built on the farm he had entered in Hale township, now known as Pleasant Hill, where they made a permanent home, and where all their children were born. In 1884; she moved with her husband to Olin where she lived until the past two years and a half, when failing health compelled her to give up her home and go to the home of her daughter, "Mrs. F. C. Hart of Stanwood, where she was tenderly watched and cared for until the end of her life. Her husband was summoned, by the silent messenger February 27th, 1900.
When the Free Will Baptist church was organized at Pleasant Hill, she with her husband became members of that church, they assisting in the organization of the society. She remained a faithful member of this church until she moved to Olin, when she obtained a letter from the Pleasant Hill church and united with the U. B. church at Olin, where she remained a faithful member until the Master called her, those who knew her best can truly say that she was a noble Christian woman, a faithful and loving wife and a devoted mother, who will be missed the greatest by those who knew her best
Beautiful floral offerings were laid on the casket as a token of regard from the U.B. Ladies' Aid Society, of Olin; the Men's Brotherhood of the U.B. Sunday school of Olin; the Ladies Aid Society of the M. E. church, at Stanwood, and others. The funeral services were held at the M. E. church in Stanwood, Monday afternoon, conducted by the Rev. C. C. Dillavou, pastor of the U. B. church, at Olin, assisted by the Rev. Cleveland, of the M. E. church at Stanwood. Rev. and Mrs. Cleveland, very sweetly sang several selections during the services. The interment was made in the family lot in the Pleasant Hill cemetery.