Amos Alva Atherton

ATHERTON, WELSH

Posted By: Mona Knight (email)
Date: 5/27/2009 at 18:14:08

A.A. Atherton, born August 5, 1837 in Ohio; died at Cincinnati, Iowa, July 10, 1906.
Contributed by: Bob Beckman, Davenport, Iowa, in memory of his grandfather.

HONORED CITIZEN DIES SUDDENLY.
A.A. Atherton expired at 6:20 Tuesday morning --- End came without warning to family.
The citizens of Cincinnati were shocked Tuesday morning to hear of the sudden death of A. A. Atherton, one of the old and best known citizens of Cincinnati and Appanoose county at his home here about 6:20 a.m. Mr. Atherton had not been well for several months and had been slowly failing in health but had been able to attend to his store as usual. About six weeks ago, he went to Excelsior Springs, Mo., and remained a couple of weeks and was feeling better when he returned. He decided to close out his mercantile business and quit and for several days had been quite busy and was not able to stand the strain. Monday night he slept but little and complained of pains in his sholders (sic) and in the region of his heart. After getting up he went over to the store and remained a short time when he returned to the house and laid down on the sofa while Mrs. Atherton was busy getting the breakfast. Just then his daughter, Mrs. C. M. Spooner, who is here, came in the room and hearing a heavy breathing they rushed to him only to suddenly find him dying and expired without a struggle.

Amos Alva Atherton was born at Newark, Licking county, Ohio August 5, 1837 and was 68 years 11 months and 5 days of age at the time of his death. He worked in a woolen mill in Newark and also taught school and in 1858 came to Lee county, Ia., where he united with the Methodist church of which he has ever since remained a steadfast and active member and for many years has taken an active interest in the welfare of the church as well as in all other good works and was a citizen who was always found on the right side of all moral questions. Only last Sunday he drove to Centirville (sic) in company with his daughter, Mrs. Spooner, and attended services at the new Methodist Church. On February 21, 1861, he was married to Dorcus Welch in Lee county and they lived there until 1863 when they came to Appanoose county and lived on a farm four miles west of Cincinnati a number of years. In 1870 he engaged in the mercantile business in Cincinnati and for thirty-six years, excepting a short time, he had conducted a general merchandise business here and was very successful and was regarded as a safe and prudent business man and retained the full confidence of the public.

Mr. Atherton was the father of five children of whom two died in infancy, the three living being: Mrs. G. M. Spooner of Grinnell, Mrs. R. W. Hawkins and L.H. Atherton of this city. He had always taken an active interest in public affairs and had served in many other positions of trust. The funeral services were held on the lawn at his late residence yesterday afternoon at 4 o’clock and were conducted by Rev. R. Collier, pastor of the M.E. Church, after which the Masonic Order, of which the deceased was a member, took charge of the remains. The interment was in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

CINCINNATI: The community was shocked by the sudden death of one of its oldest citizens, A.A. Atherton, who died suddenly at his home in this city on Thursday morning, July 10, 1906. Mr. Atherton was one of the early citizens of this community and had been in the retail mercantile business for thirty years. His health has been failing the last year and he was closing out his business intending to retire. On last Thursday morning he went to the store which is in the same yard with his dwelling, opened up the store, put the change in the money till and after doing some other straightening around in the store, went back in the house as he had not had breakfast, he told his wife that he felt very bad and laid down on the lounge, just then his daughter, Mrs. G. M. M. Spooner, of Grinnell, who is visiting at her fathers home came through the room going into the kitchen and heard her father give a peculiar sigh and turned to him, only to find that he was dead. Mr. Atherton was a member of the M.E. Church for 48 years and belonged to the Masonic Lodge. There was a large attendance at the funeral on the following day, Elder Collier his pastor preached an impressive sermon from Jobe 14-10, using the words “Where is he” then the Masonic order took charge and gave the last wraughts (sic) of the order which were very beautiful. The funeral was held in the grove at his home, and intermate (sic) in the Grace Hill cemetery. The bereft friends have the sympathy of the community.

Card of Thanks. To the many persons who were particularly kind and helpful in our recent bereavement, we desire to express our sense of appreciation, and extend our heartfelt thanks. Also for the many beautiful floral offerings.
Mrs. A. A. Atherton
Mrs. G. M. Spooner
Mrs. R. W. Hawkins
Mr. E. H. Atherton