Date : 30 May 1934
Location : Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Fairbank, IA
Otterville, Ia.
Anna Burke Trebon, 94, mother of Charles Trebon, of Otterville, who died and was buried last week at Fairbank, Ia., was one of the pioneers of her community. With her husband, G. H. Trebon, she came to a 336 acre farm in Fairbank and Perry townships in 1861, and built a log cabin on the Fairbank township side of the road, where they lived for 20 years before building a residence across the road in Perry township.
While they occupied the log cabin, and especially in the earlier years of their residence therein, it was a haven to many weary families on their way west to make homes in the new country. No one ever was turned away and at times large families remained with the Trebons while the head of the group located a new home. One such family stopped in the winter of 1876-77, and remained while several of its members were ill. It developed they had typhoid fever, and. Mrs. Trebon cared for them. Three of her own children-Pauline, Alexander, and Helene contracted the disease and died.
Father-In-Law's Fate a Mystery.
Shortly after they came to Iowa, Mr. Trebon's elderly father wandered away and never was found. It never could be learned whether he was kidnapped by wandering Indians, or killed by wild animals.
Life in the new country was hard for women. Mrs. Trebon often shocked grain with a baby tied to her back, while her husband cut the stalks by hand. Small children would be laid on a shock while she worked in a field. Once when she returned to a child thus left, she found a huge rattlesnake nearby.
Work lightened tho as the children grew older and soon most of the farm labor was shouldered by the boys and girls. The parents moved to Fairbank in 1901, and Mr. Trebon died there in 1908. She maintained her home in common with two sons, Gus and Henry, who survive, and a daughter Veronica, who died in 1916.
54 Descendants Survive.
Seven of her 13 sons and daughters preceded her. The survivors are Gus and Henry Trebon, and Mrs. John Bierschmidt, Fairbank; Charles Trebon, Otterville; Adam Trebon, Rock Valley, Ia., and Mrs. Frank Gerger, Sioux City.
There also survive a sister, Mrs. Jane Kester, Dunkerton, 19 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren, and several great great grandchildren.
Mrs. Trebon was born Anna Burke in Warsaw, Poland. June 9, 1839. She was within 12 days of her ninety-fifth birthday when she died. Her end was hastened by the extreme heat of the spring.
She was 16 years old when, with her parents, an aged cousin, two brothers and a sister, she came to the United States in a sailing vessel and by boat thru the Great Lakes to Wisconsin.
Funeral services were at Fairbank Catholic church May 30.
Waterloo Daily Courier - Jun 4, 1934
