ORR, Ellison 1857-1951

ORR, CARTER, WELZEL, LEUI, CORNELL

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 12/24/2002 at 19:45:30

ELLISON ORR

Ellison Orr, 93, one of Iowa's foremost authorities on Indian mounds and relics, died at his home here Thursday. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at Waukon.

Born June 14, 1857, in a log cabin near McGregor, his family moved to Allamakee county a few years later. He became interested at an early age in the Indian occupation of northeast Iowa.

He was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree August 16, 1949, by Cornell college in recognition of his work in mound excavation and his knowledge of Indian lore.

Mr. Orr had a varied career as a farmer, bank cashier, clerk of the courts, land salesman, and manager of the former Standard Telephone Company, which served six counties in Minnesota and northeast Iowa. It was incorporated into the Bell system in 1909 and was managed by Mr. Orr until he retired and was pensioned in 1930. He also was a member of the Iowa State college board of trustees for a number of years.

He accumulated thousands of geological specimens. His archaeological collection, conveyed to the Iowa State Historical Society in Iowa City, contains between 4,000 and 5,000 items from the Siouan culture found along the Upper Iowa River.

From 1929 to 1939, with the help of federally paid workers, Mr. Orr collected appromimately 50,000 items of scientific value. He sent all of them to Dr. Charles R. Keyes, state archaeologist, at Cornell, together with photographs and maps.

Mr. Orr is survived by three sons, Fred, James and Harry Orr; a daughter, Mrs. George Carter, and three sisters, Mrs. Fred Welzel, Mrs. Wm. Leui and Mrs. Ed Cornell, of Postville.

Postville Herald newspaper clipping, hand dated Jan 1951, from my mother's obituary collection.