HEMENWAY, Samuel Walker 1839-1877

HEMENWAY, HANEY

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 8/17/2013 at 19:22:40

Postville Review, Saturday, 12 May 1877.

Terrible Accident At Lansing. Mayor S. W. Hemenway Killed.

Lansing, Ia., is again draped in mourning. This time the fire fiend is not the cause, but a somewhat strange and fatal accident has snatched one of her best and most esteemed citizens from her society and from earth. In order to lay the pipes from the artesian well a ditch was excavated in the middle of the street, some six feet deep, and Mayor Hemenway having charge of the work, when the bank caved in, burying him in earth and stones. It was some twenty minutes before he could be extricated, and he was found to be severely injured internally as well as having several fractures of his limbs. He lingered until 5 o'clock on Monday evening, when death relieved him of his sufferings. Flags were draped in mourning and hung at half mast all over the city, and heartfelt demonstrations of mourning were visible on every hand. The funeral was held on Tuesday, a mighty concourse of people being present, and large delegations of the masonic fraternity were in attendance.

----NOTE: The 1882 County History lists Samuel W. Hemenway as mayor of Lansing from March of 1876 until his death on 05-06-1877.
----Submitter is not related.

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Added by S. Ferrall 5/5/2024:

Samuel Walker Hemenway was born at Potsdam, N.Y., Feb. 19th, 1839, and in 1850, when 11 years old, removed with his parents to Waukeshaw, Wis., and from there to Freeport, Ill., in 1851. He came to Lansing in the fall of 1855, and entered the employ of his brothers Homer and Asa, as foreman of their agricultural works. He remained with them until the fall of 1862, when he felt that his country which was then in its terrible struggle for liberty, required his services.

He went to work with that energy which ever characterized him, from the cradle to the grave, and it was not long until he had a company raised, was commissioned Captain of it and his men were soon after mustered into the 27th Iowa Infantry as Company B. The regiment was first sent to Minnesota, above St. Paul, where it remained for a short time only and was then ordered South and was soon in active service, and no Iowa regiment in the field made a better record than did the old 27th, and Capt. Hemenway was always found ready for any duty called upon to perform.

He was one of the most systematic and careful officers. A part of the time that the regiment was in the service we were in a position to hear him spoken of meritoriously, and his official reports and documents were commented upon as models of neatness and accuracy.

He was with the regiment at the battles of Little Rock, Pleasant Hill, Old Oaks, Black River Bridge, Lake Tupelo, Nashville, and in other minor engagements. He remained in the service until the close of the war, in 1865, and was commissioned as Major of the Regiment, he being the senior captain, but was mustered out before mustering as Major.

During his entire enlistment he never took a furlough, but remained with his company all the time, save when sick or temporarily absent on some detached service. In battle he was one of the coolest of the cool, and none were braver than he.

In 1866 the deceased was married to Miss Martha Haney, daughter of John Haney, Sr., one of the pioneer settlers of Lansing.

In Nov. 1865, Mr. Hemenway went into the hardware and tinware business in partnership with Mr. T.P. Grant, and remained until April, 1868, when he withdrew from the firm, and during that year he and his brother Asa bought out the agricultural implement factory of his brother H.H. Hemenway and Abner Wood, and continued the business for about four years, but failure to make collections for goods of their manufacture which they had scattered throughout Northern Iowa and Minnesota, and the shrinkage in business generally, all over the country which began to be felt universally, compelled them to close up their factory.

Bro. Hemenway was admitted a member of Evergreen Lodge NO. 144 A.F. & A.M. in 160. April 18, 1876, he was elected Master, and April 17, 1877, he was reelected to the honorable position which he so well filled. He was also one of the charter members of Markwell Chapter, R.A.M.

In March, 1876, he was elected as Mayor of our city. It was through his efforts that our water works were secured, but alas; by that means he met his death!

The deceased leaves behind him to mourn his loss his wife and four small children -- three girls and a boy, the latter his pet. He was an affectionate husband and remarkably fond of his home and family.

He also leaves his father, aged almost 89 years, three brothers, Homer, Asa and Herman, and an only sister Emeline, who almost idolized him and for the loss of whom her grief is almost inconsolable. His father, sister and brother Homer reside here; Herman is a prominent lawyer at Cedar Falls and a member of our legislature; and Asa resides at New Hartford, near Cedar Falls.

~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, May 9, 1877; pg 3

Note! Above is a partial transcription of Mr. Hemenway's very lengthy obituary. It can be read in it's entirety at advantage archives of the North Iowa Journal. A link to this archive can be found on the "Resources" page of the Allamakee co. IAGenWeb website.

Resources
 

Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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