Mrs. Amanda M. Wilkerson, 84, whose father founded the town of Santa Fe, Mo., died Tuesday night at the home of her daughter Mrs. T. J. Wilson, on West Mansfield Street. Mrs. Wilkerson had been in ill health a long time. She had been blind ten years.
Mrs. Wilkerson was born November 2, 1833, in Monroe County near the present site of the town of Santa Fe. She was the daughter of Dr. John S. Bybee, a pioneer physician, who came to this country from Kentucky in the early part of the last century.
Dr. Bybee entered several hundred acres of land in that vicinity and in 1837, when the town of Santa Fe was laid out, he gave the ground for the cemetery and two churches.
Mrs. Wilkerson lived at Santa Fe practically all her life. She was married to Milton B. Wilkerson, a pioneer settler February 17, 1851. Mr. Wilkerson died three years ago at the age of 84.
Mrs. Wilkerson leaves the following sons and daughters:
She also leaves a brother, James Bybee, 87 years old, who lives at Vancouver, Washington.
Mrs. Wilkerson lived at Santa Fe during the toublesome days of the Civil War. She possessed a remarkable memory for events of years ago. She remembered quite vivedly when her husband was brought to Mexico by Union soldiers to be drafted into military service. He was rejected because he was low in stature.
The Wilkerson home at Santa Fe was pillaged by roving bands of troops, who compelled Mrs. Wilkerson to prepare meals for them.
She told often of the time a company of German militiamen searched her house, when she carried $900 in United States currancy hidden in her dress.
Funeral and burial will take place at Santa Fe Thursday. Mrs. Wilkerson had been a member of the Christian Church for more than fifty years.