Elizabeth "Bessie" Weatherwax

Birth: She was born in 1876 in Pennsylvania.  

Family Information: In May 1934 she married Harry Weatherwax.  

Description:  

Pre-Colony History:  

Home in Colony:  

Job in Colony: In 1934 she served as the women's personnel manager for the colony. In July she reported there were 76 women in the colony who were "gainfully" employed and on that particular day 26 had been "out of production" for a variety of reasons.

In June - July 1934 the regular crew at the print shop included: Lloyd Potter, Harold and Mary Emery, Ben Low, Roy MacDonald, Anna Loutrel, George Leevey, Afton Lewis, Howard Stansbury, Mr. Ranft and Irene Hewitt.

Esther Allen, Mrs. Weatherwax and Bertha Richter helped out on the days when the "Colonist" and "Democrat" were mailed out, plus both DeForest and Marvin Sanford could be seen there a good share of the time.

Other Info: In May 19, 1934 she gave a talk to an assemblage of colonists titled "Resume of the Liberal Movement Among Women and Children" based on her personal observations.

In June 1934 she was selected to be the new chairman of the Worker's Study Club.  

Post-Colony History: In 1936 she and her husband were living on a farm northeast of Leesville. In January 1936 they made a trip to the colony and while he tuned the piano at the roof garden, Bessie greeted friends at the hotel.

In February 1936 Charley Derleth stopped by to visit the couple at their farm and discovered that "Wax" had been ill for a week, but was almost recovered. "Their woodpile was not any smaller after his visit."

In June 1936 Ed Cole visited the couple on a Sunday morning. He found these two good friends of the colony happily at work on their little plot, but always ready to stop for a chat and a cup of coffee.

In 1940 she was living in Vernon Parish, Louisiana with her husband.

In 1944 they were living in Pennsylvania when she died.  

Death: She died in 1944 at Pennsylvania, although burial was to be at Leesville, Louisiana.  

Sources: "Llano Colonist": May 12, 1934, May 19, 1934, June 9, 1934, June 23, 1934, June 30, 1934, July 7, 1934, January 4, 1936, January 11, 1936, February 29, 1936, June 6, 1936; "Can We Cooperate?" by Bob Brown; US Census: 1940; Pennsylvania Death Certificate