Photo Detail

IOWAN ANCESTORS

OF SOUTHEAST IOWA

REASONER WILLIAM DOAK 1843-1930

Occupation= farmer

Religion = Presbyterian

Reasoner William Doak was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania 20 December 1843. On 15 April 1861 when Rease was 18, he left Fremont, Iowa riding a horse and traveling with an immigrant or prairie train of covered wagons drawn by oxen. The wagon train was led by a man called Cummins. Twenty men, women and children were in the train. There were four wagons and in Oskaloosa, Iowa they met six more. Rob Doak, Rease’s brother was also with the train. Farther out west they overtook a Missouri train of thirteen wagons and traveled with them the rest of the journey. Many unforgettable experiences were endured in the months on the trail. They met Indians but had no trouble with them. The wagon train reached Walla Walla, Washington 15 September 1861, five months to the day that Rease had signed on in Fremont. He stayed in the west 13 years and while there he worked for a pack train that carried supplies to the mines.

Rease married a young lady , Melvina Paul, from the wagon train. To this union was born one child: Robert Elliott Doak whose mother died when he was only a week old. In 1874, shortly after Rease’s mother died, father and son returned to Wapello County, Iowa by stagecoach .

Four years later on 17 March 1879, he married Miss Sarah Ellen Butler. Reasoner and Sarah resided west of Hedrick, Iowa and to them were born four children:

Frank Doak (husband of Hillian Hazel Bender)

Elizabeth Doak (never married)

Raymond Doak (husband of Juanita Grace Bacon)

Alice (Doak) Neff (wife of Benjamin Franklin Neff)

Reasoner was one of the best known farmers and long time residents of his community. He died 13 years after his beloved wife on 2 January 1930 at the age of 86. Both are laid to rest in McCormick Cemetery, Wapello County, Iowa.

His wife:

SARAH ELLEN BUTLER 1854-1919

Religion = Methodist

Sarah Ellen Butler was born the 22nd of January 1854 in Fulton County, Illinois to Abia Cline Butler and Elizabeth Celia Emery (a descendant of Conrad Emery). Abia and Elizabeth were both born in Ashland, Ohio but were married in Canton, Illinois the 25th of August 1852. Abia was mustered into the Civil War the 29th of November 1864 a member of Company “F” 50th Illinois Infantry and mustered out the 13th of July 1865. The couple traveled farther west to homestead in Wapello county, Iowa some time around the 1870 census. Sarah Ellen was one of seven children born to this union:

Emma Butler (died infant)

Sarah Ellen Butler (wife of Reasoner William Doak)

Alice Adora (wife of L.W. McCormick)

Laura Butler (died infant)

Eva M. Butler (died age 10)—buried in McCormick Cemetery

Frank H. Butler (died age 11)—buried in McCormick Cemetery

Lois Iona “Ona” (wife of U. Marsh)- lived in Oklahoma

At the age of 25, Sarah Ellen married Reasoner Doak on the 17th of March 1879. To this union were born four children:

Frank Doak (husband of Hillian Hazel Bender)

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Doak (never married)

Raymond Mason Doak (husband of Juanita Grace Bacon)

Alice Doak (wife of Benjamin Franklin Neff)

Her parents later moved to Oklahoma where her father died the 23rd of September 1906 . Her mother united with the M.E. church at Highland Center in 1891 and remained a faithful and consistent member until her death in 1909. She was an estimable lady, a good neighbor, and a kind and loving wife and mother.

Sara Ellen died age 65 on the 11th of April 1919 due to diabetic kidney failure. She was laid to rest near her parents in McCormick Cemetery, Wapello county, Iowa.