William C. PRILL, 1855-1941.

PRILL, GIBSON, COATES, SHERER, LANG, COLLIER, HASELTON, HODGE, REIDESES, HENDRICKS

Posted By: Mary Beth Janssen (email)
Date: 3/30/2003 at 00:57:45

OBITUARY OF WILLIAM C. PRILL (includes his remembrances of childhood)

Glidden Graphic, September 1941. page 1.

William C. Prill was born May 22, 1855, near Laporte, Indiana, and died on September 17, 1941, at the St. Anthony hospital at Carroll, Iowa. His death followed an operation from which he failed to recover.

During the 87 years of his life, many items of interest transpired. He came west from Indiana, at the age of 5 with his father, by wagon. Many and varied were the activities and vocations of these early years, but young manhood found him in and about Glidden.

After coming to Glidden, he farmed in Grant township, until the spring of 1881, when he came to town and went into business with O. G. Prill, his brother. Remained in this business until 1903. Brother sold in 1893 after which he continued alone.
On March 31, 1880, he was united in marriage to Miss Agnes H. Gibson, at Glidden, and to this union two children were born, Robert Samuel and Margaret I. (Mrs. D.G. Sherer). Both Robert Samuel and his wife Agnes, preceded him in death, Robert Samuel in infancy and his wife Agnes on January 21, 1925.

On October 24, 1926, he was united in marriage to Lillie S. Coates, at Chicago, ILL. Mr. Prill has always been known among us as a "good feeler," being always active, and young for his age. Good humor was one of his pleasant assets. In business, which he conducted for many years, in Glidden, he made many friends. His presence will be deeply missed among us. He leaves to mourn is passing his wife and one daughter, Mrs. D.G. Sherer; together with a host of relatives and friends. May God bless this memory.
For 20 years, Mr. Prill was a trustee in the Presbyterian church.

Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, in the Presbyterian church, Rev. Warren D. Ives had charge of the services with Rev. W.H. Parker assisting. Music was furnished by a quartet composed of O.B. Moorhouse, Wilbur Porter, W. H. Genter and W. H. Rust. Mrs. O. B. Moorhouse, accompanist, W.G. Genter also sang a solo. Interment was made in Westlawn cemetery.

Relatives and friends from away who came to attend funeral services for W.C. Prill were, Mrs. Prill's daughters, Mrs. Chas. Cain of Chicago, and Mrs. G.A. Collier from Speed, Indiana; Charles Prill and family of Fairfield; Mrs. Emma Lang, Des Moines; Dr. and Mrs. Harve Haselton, Des Moines; Mrs. E. Hendricks and daughter; Mrs. W. B. Hodge of Spirit Lake, and Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Riedeses of Ames.

Mr. Prill had been urged to write a brief history of his career and the many changes he had seen. A short time ago, he began such a sketch -- which he was never permitted to finish.

The following is the story as far as he got:

'A trip from LaPorte county, Indiana, across the plains to California on the Oregon trail, by horse team in 1860 - We crossed the northern part of Illinois, to Davenport on the Mississippi. Part of the country was prairie grass at that time. The most of Iowa was native grass. We forded the Des Moines river, as there were no bridges at that time. Homesteads were plentiful in western Iowa in those days.

Crossing the Missouri river at Council Bluffs to Omaha by wire cable and boat. Omaha in those days was a very small town.

From there on the country was territory to California. Our next stop was at Denver, Colorado. Denver at that time was this vast territory between Omaha and Denver, except an occational Frenchman married to an Indian squaw. Plenty of Indians, and animals. Buffalo by thousands. Plenty of deer and antelope.

From Denver we moved on to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. There we stayed near the Larima River until the next spring among the indians as our neighbors.
In 1861 we moved on farther west and finally landed at Salt lake City, Utah. Passed through what they call the scene of the Mountain meadow massacre, where the Indians killed ten or twelve whites and appropriated all of their belongings.
Crossing Nevada, the worse desert in the United States, with ox team was no joke. We camped on Humbolt river for a week with Indians, to rest the ox team. Finally we continued on to Carson City, and there we settled down. There I first went to school.

We lived in the city for a year, then moved to Empire City. The mining camp and stamp mills were located there. Lived in Empire city for four years. There were three quartz mills in that vicinity, where they crushed the quartz."......

And this is where Mr. Prill ended his story, From a personal knowledge we know he intended this merely as a preface to quite a lengthy story, sprinkled with incidents which would have been extremely interesting and authentic.