MRS. ELIZABETH M. CHAMPIE

PIONEER WOMAN, TEXAN 82 YEARS, DIES HERE MONDAY
    There are indeed few people yet living who have seen this section of the state emerge from the wild savagery of the Indian to its present state. But such had been the lot of Mr. Elizabeth M. Champie, aged 88 years, 11 months and 7 days, who died here Monday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. E. L. Martin.
    Mrs. Champie was born August 9, 1845 in Fayette County, Ill. Seven hears later, in 1852, she was brought to Fort McKavett, then a frontier fort to protect the settlers against the active and hostile Indians. She recalled countless instances of the pioneers experiences with the savage tribes that robbed and plundered over that country. Her husband Charles Champie, who died in 1904, was an Indian fighter in the Federal forces and among Mrs. Champie's treasured possessions was a pension certificate as a veteran of the Indian Wars, which was signed by James R. Garfield, then Secretary of the Interior.
    Mrs. Champie lived in the Fort McKavett community ever since coming to Texas, until about fifteen years ago when she came to Eden to make her home with Mr. and Mrs. Martin. She had been feeble, though in sound health, until very recently.
    Funeral services were conducted at the old McKavett cemetery, where others of the makers of Texas have been buried seventy five or even eighty years. Services were conducted by Elder J. N. Cowan, of the Church of Christ. There were no appointed pall bearers, but this office was filled by old friends, who had known her for more that fifty years. A large crown, mostly the old-timers, who, like the deceased, had helped to carve out homes in the then raw country.
    Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the undertaking department of Eden Hardware Company.
    Survivors are her children, Mrs. E. L. Martin, Mrs. J. R. Robbins, of Eden, May Champie, of Menard.

Eden Echo
Jul 19, 1934