| Name | Litha Marie MONTGOMERY | | Birth | 3 Feb 1884, Grafton, Fillmore Co., NE | | Death | 11 Mar 1968, Salida, Chaffee Co., CO Age: 84 |
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| Marriage | 9 Aug 1903, DFreenwood, Cass Co., NE |
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| Notes for Litha Marie MONTGOMERY |
| Notes for LITHA MARIE MONTGOMERY: Litha was born in Grafton, NEin a sod house near the railroad station. Later she went toschool in Grafton. She was very attached to her father; shewould help him milk the cows and feed the chickens. Her fatherwas thought to have worked on the railroad; he was killed whenfruit crates fell on him; the family moved back to Greenwood,NE. There she married Otis H. Camp whom she had met while inGrafton. Litha was a beautiful young woman. Even after she wasmarried, she attracted the attention of men. Otis took manyphotos of her; she especially loved to wear hats. She was veryreligious. Her original church training was probably Catholic (her father was Catholic) but she became an Episcopalian while inSalida and never gave it up. She sometimes attended more thanone service on Sunday. She baptized all her children andgrandchildren in the Episcopal church. One day when leaving thechurch, she tripped over a folding chair and fell. Her hip wasbroken and never mended. Several operations were made tostrengthen the hip but she was confined to a walker theremainder of her life. Her hobbies were crocheting andwatching television; she could do both at the same time. Shewas a hard worker and could keep up with any man including herson-in-law who was very physical. She loved to cut and gatherfirewood in the mountains, or go rabbit hunting. She was anadmired cook but also was known for having flour on her clothes.She would make clothes out of the flour sacks. Litha was avery loving and peaceful woman who taught her children respectand ethics. Her favorite child was her one son. When heenlisted in the Navy after high school, she became attached toher grandson, Jim, who lived with her until he was in highschool. She died of natural causes due to old age and wasburied in the Camp family plots in Fairmont Cemetery (Section K,Blk 17) in Salida, CO Children of OTIS CAMP and LITHAMONTGOMERY are: i. ISABELL PARMELIA13 CAMP, b. October 07,1907, Salida, Chaffee Co., CO; d. September 17, 1908, Salida,Chaffee Co., CO. Notes for ISABELL PARMELIA CAMP: Isabella wasnamed after Litha's mother Isabell (Belle). The baby developeddissentary and died in Salida, CO. She was buried in the familyplots in Fairmont Cemetery in Salida, CO 386. ii. ETHELYNLORENE CAMP, b. August 17, 1909, Geneva, Fillmore Co., Nebraska.387. iii. DOROTHY MARIE CAMP, b. September 17, 1912, Salida,Chaffee Co., CO; d. February 21, 1997, Yucca Valley, CA. 388.iv. FLORENCE ELLA CAMP, b. January 24, 1922, Salida, ChaffeeCo., CO. 389. v. OTIS HARRY CAMP, JR, b. February 18, 1925,Salida, Chaffee Co., CO; d. April 28, 1967, Long Beach, CA. |
| Notes for Otis Harry (Spouse 1) |
| Notes for OTIS HARRY CAMP: Otis was born in his Uncle Jim's(James Harold Camp) tack shed. His family was very poor and nomoney was available for rent. The roof leaked during the birthand an umbrella was used to keep the water off Otis. "Christ wasborn in a shed for animals too," a quote from Otis when he was94 years old. Music was a strong influence in his family. At ayoung age he learned to play several instruments. He left hometo travel with the Campbell Brothers Circus. At some point hereturned home to stay with his family. Throughout his life hewrote and played music. Many of the photos of Otis show him in aband. He also published several songs and marches that he hadwritten. Visitors to his house would be treated to his latestwork of music on the piano or organ. In his later years, hisfavorite music to play on the organ were hymns. He was aphotographer -- a trade he learned from his father. Like hisfather, he had to work other jobs to supplement his income.After marrying Litha and moving to Salida, he worked first forthe railroad; however, it didn't suit him as he was away fromher too much. Later on, he worked for the U.S. Post Office andeventually retired from there. All throughout his life he was aphotographer and never stopped taking photos. When he died, hehad a camera with an unfinished roll of film in it. The familyhave many of his photographs and historical cameras. Accordingto Otis, he met Litha Mongomery while photographing theCourthouse in Geneva, NE. He had set up the camera and wastaking a long, time exposure so he sat down under a tree. Lithacame along and put her head under the black cloth to see what hewas photographing. He decided to check on his photograph andaccidently lifted up Litha's skirt instead of the black cloth.Litha lived in a nearby town,Grafton, NE where her father workedfor the railroad. Litha moved with her family to Greenwood, NEso Otis married her in her home. The couple moved to Salida, COas the result of a job offer with the railroad (D & RG). Hecontracted Bright's disease and was thought to be terminallyill. Litha took him to Geneva, NE to bury him there but herecovered. Their second daughter (Ethelyn Lorene) was born inGeneva. They returned to Salida and lived the remainder of theirlives there. His hobbies were music, painting, photographyand reading. He would lay on the bed or couch for hours readingbooks. Otis did still life oil paintings; many remain in thefamily today. Several were sold upon his death to pay his debts.Otis was very intelligent and loved to solve puzzles. He woulddelight in showing someone a puzzle he had made up and watchthem try to solve it. He also dabbled in card magic. He livedat home until his early 90's. He fell quite a few times so wasplaced in a nursing home in Canon City, CO. He died there of oldage and was buried in the family plots in Fairmont Cemetery(Section K, Blk 16) in Salida, CO |
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