Elizabeth Mayes

Elizabeth Mayes, Active Lusk Pioneer, Dies here Tuesday

Mrs. Elizabeth H. Mayes, 89, one of the earliest Lusk pioneers, died in the Niobrara Memorial Hospital Tuesday after an illness of 75 days. She had suffered a series of strokes.

Funeral services will be held from the Peet Chapel in Lusk, Friday at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. James Davis of the Lusk Congregational Church officiating.

For the last 11 years she had lived in Jay Em and until recently was alert and surprisingly spry.

Elizabeth Hancock was born in New Tredeger, South Wales, May 9, 1874 and came to America with her parents in 1883 residing in New York State for five years. In August 1888 Elizabeth arrived with her parents in Lusk, a town that then boasted a stable population of about 125. Her father, the Rev. Joseph J. Hancock became the second minister of the Congregational Church.

"Women of Wyoming" by the late Cora Beach, says, "Mrs. Mayes was an active member in religious, literary, civic and other organization of her community during the years when there were but a few to carry on the work. She was one of five women to organize the literary club, the first of its nature in the little western town and which was known for many years as the Lusk Reading Club. She was always recognized as a public spirited, progressive business woman who gave much of her time and efforts in service to her community."

She was the oldest living member of the Lusk Congregational Church and a charter member of Chapter I of the P.E.O. sisterhood.

She and James E. Mayes were among the first to be married in the Congregational Church in Lusk. At the time of the marriage in February 1892, the church was brand new and will best be remembered here as the First Baptist Church. Perhaps it is symbolic that the edifice, which was very recently torn down, and Mrs. Mayes passed from existence at approximately the same time.

Mr. Mayes published the Lusk Herald from 1887 until 1909. He was one of Lusk's early day mayors and served as representative in the legislature, being first elected in 1908. He served Niobrara County, after it became a county in 1911, as state senator.

Mrs. Mayes is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Ione Shidler of Bigfork, Mont. and Mrs. Orian Hamblin of Belle Fourche, S.Dak.

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