William Weatherwax 1873-1963

WEATHERWAX, FAWCETT, STRADOR

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 7/31/2016 at 08:11:48

2 January 1964 - The North Cedar Press

Funeral services were held Dec. 27 in Clarence for William A. Weatherwax, 90, a member of the famed Weatherwax Quartet of Lyceum and Chatauqua days. Gordon Smith was in charge of the service and Mrs. Robert Joslin was organist. Burial was in the Clarence cemetery.

Mr. Weatherwax died Dec. 25 after a long illness.

William W. Weatherwax was born June 6, 1873, in Fremont township, Benton county, the son of Archibald and Rachel Ann Fawcett Weatherwax. In 1901 the family moved to Charles City where Mr. Weatherwax worked in the Hart-Parr factory helping build the first farm tractors that have revolutionized agriculture.

In 1909 Will, with 3 brothers, Ada, Thomas and Lester, formed the Weatherwax Quartet which, during the next 8 years traveled 250,000 miles over the nation on appointments of Redpath-Vawter Lyceum and Chatauqua circuits, sharing the platform with such celebrities as William Jennings Bryan. One of the songs of their repertory was "The Little Brown Church in the Vale." This song had its inspiration in the little brown church at Nashua and helped to bring it into prominence and immortalized this historic rural church. Mr. Weatherwax and his brothers sang at the centennial of the church in 1955.

Mr. Weatherwax was united in marriage with Alice Strador in 1911. They lived in Cedar Rapids for 22 years where he was engaged in public relations work.

In 1935 they purchased a farm north of Clarence and moved there with their son, Richard G. When the Rural electrification administration made electricity available to the rural areas, Mr. Weatherwax did extensive promotional work in its behalf and was a director of the R.E.A. for 14 years.

The Weatherwaxes built a home in Clarence in 1947, and retired from the farm.

He is survived by his wife, a son, Richard; 2 grandchildren, Thomas and Sally, and one great-grandchild, Kristin Lynn; a brother, Lester, Wichita, Kans., and nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Earl Elijah, Alfred Meyer, Paul Kennedy, Roy Joslin, Wayne Saunders and Paul Hartwig. Honorary pallbearers were Lawrence Kline and Robert Kelly.