PAGE, Alva W., Colonel 1844-1927

PAGE, WILSON, MCKIRRYHER, BOUCK, JUDSON

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 3/21/2014 at 22:46:21

[Historical Article from Grout Museum, Waterloo, Iowa]

Col. A. W. Page, Old Resident, Passes Away.

Page was born in New Sharon, Maine, in 1844 to William E. and Perwilla Page. The family moved to Paw Paw, DeKalb County, Ill., during Page's childhood. In 1854, the family moved to Black Hawk County, settling along the banks of Black Hawk Creek near Willis Junction.

Alva and his brother, Jud, spent many days exploring the waterways and woods of Black Hawk County. When the Civil War broke out, Alva enlisted in the service, joining Company C, 32nd Iowa infantry. He served throughout the entire war and was honorably discharged in 1865 with the rank of private.

Pages true loves were hunting, trapping and fishing, and he turned those passions into a career. For nearly 40 years, he served as a guide and pilot for local residents and visitors trying their luck with the areas black bass and walleyed pike. His grateful customers dubbed him Colonel Page.

Page married Clarissa J. Wilson on June 18, 1866. They lost twin sons, one at birth and one at age 2, and a daughter at age 17. Clarissa preceded her husband in death in 1920, while Page lived to be 84 years old, dying at Allen Hospital in 1927.

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[Waterloo Evening Courier, Saturday, June 25, 1927, Waterloo, Iowa]

'COL' ALVA PAGE, REAL WALTON OF CEDAR RIVER, DIES AT AGE 84

Member of Original Waterloo Company in Civil War: Funeral Tomorrow

"Col." Alva W. Page. 1020 Jefferson Street, pioneer trapper, hunter and fisherman, veteran of the Civil war and picturesque character in Waterloo, died at 6:10 p. m. yesterday at Allen Memorial Hospital, where he was taken for treatment 10 days ago. He was 84 years old. For the last three years he had been in failing health.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow in the O'Keefe & Towne chapel. Burial will be in Elmwood.

No man in Waterloo knew so thoroughly every nook, inlet and pool of the Cedar river or was better acquainted with the haunts of the game fish. For many years he followed the pastime of fishing, hunting and trapping on a commercial basis. That was in the pioneer days when game and fish were plentiful. For 40 years or more he piloted anglers of Waterloo and outside points on fishing trips down the river.

Skill Far Famed. - "Colonel" Page's skill with black bass and walleyed pike was so expert that his fame traveled far afield. Fishermen from many states came to spend a day or a week on the river in this master riverman's care. It, was the anglers of Waterloo and elsewhere who gave Mr. Page his title of "Colonel." He was a private in the Civil war. It was the colonel's ambition to give his patrons a good time. It has been said of him that no one in his company ever returned from an angling trip empty handed.

Apparently gruff on the exterior, Col. Page was as tender hearted as , a child. He had a fund of stories and his witty remarks kept everybody laughing.

Companion of Many - In his fishing parties in the olden days were George E. Lichty. Warren and Rube Brown. W. F. Parrott, C. F. George V. and F. J. Fowler, Dr. J. H. Crippen, J. K. Joder, Rev. J. H. Rhea, E. V. Walker, A. M. Place, Harry Sargeant, Charles Hummel, A. J. Edwards. C. W. Chapman, M. J. O'Keefe and J. L. Henderson. The names of many others who enjoyed his skill and good nature might be mentioned.

Alva W. Page was born March 13. 1843, in New Sharon, Maine. His father, William E. Page, brought his family soon afterwards to Illinois and in 1854 moved to Waterloo. He took up land in the northeastern corner of Black Hawk township, near Black Hawk Creek, and built a sod house. In that native and natural environment Alva spend his childhood. He spent much time trapping, fishing and hunting when even a boy, and loved the outdoors.

Fought at Pleasant Hill - On Aug. 5, 1862, Alva enlisted in Co. C, Thirty-second Iowa infantry, Waterloo's own company, and served thru many major engagements. He was honorably discharged in 1865 at the end of the war. One of his bloodiest engagements was at Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864, when Capt. Hubert Peebles was mortally wounded. The regiment suffered heavily in casualties. Only two of "Colonel" Page's comrades in Co. C, A. T. Baldwin, Hudson, and Levi Jolls, Waterloo, are now living in this county. His bunkmate. Al W. Parmenter, survives and is living in one of the Dakotas. David Meyers, another survivor of the company, lives in Wisconsin.

Surviving are a brother, L. Judson; Mrs. Rosalind D. Page, a sister, 1825 Franklin Street, Waterloo; Mrs. Henry McKirryher, a sister, La Porte City; Mrs. Henry Bouck, 1825 Franklin, a niece, and O. A. McKirryher. 220 Western Avenue, a nephew.

Since Mrs. Page's death in 1920 Judson has made his home most of the time with his brother, caring for him in his invalidism. For months before her death Mrs. Page was a helpless, bedridden invalid and her husband never left her side altho he realized the bass were biting and the call of the out-of-doors was strong upon him.

"Colonel Page practiced the golden rule as few men do." an intimate friend and comrade on many a fishing trip said today. "His regular wish upon parting with a friend was 'May you have good health and not have to suffer.' While some of his fish stories seemed fabulous, like Izaak Walton he was always able to prove their truthfulness by witnesses. To those who knew him best Colonel Page was an honest , fisherman and good citizen. Of no other man could it quite so well be said that he was the sage of the Cedar."

Members of the G. A. R. and Woman's Relief corps are requested by their officers to attend the funeral services.