George Sanger 1831-1907

SANGER, CHAMBERS, BAILEY, KELLEY, KENNEDY

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/24/2018 at 10:04:42

20 June 1907 - West Branch Times

George Sanger, an aged and respected pioneer of Gower township, but of late years a resident of town, after a lingering illness lasting many months, died at his home on Wednesday evening at 9 o'clock.

The funeral services will be held at the residence tomorrow (Friday) afternoon at 3 o'clock. In the evening the remains will be shipped to South Dakota for burial beside his wife, who preceded him several years ago.

27 June 1907 - West Branch Times

George C. Sanger was born August 7, 1831, in Essex Co., England. Was the third child of a family of seven, of whom John and Anna (Chambers) Sanger were the parents. His mother died when he was but seven years old.

When quite young he learned the trade of confectioner and baker but soon tiring of this occupation he emigrated to America, locating in Orange county, New York. Worked on a dairy farm for two years. In 1856 he moved as far west as the railroad was built at that time, which was to Iowa City. He located in Gower township and soon began farming. In 1859 he was married to Mrs. Bailey, whose maiden name was Miss Mary Kelley, she having passed to the great beyond in 1897. To them were born five children. John C., deceased; Mrs. W. H. Kennedy of West Branch; Jenevera, deceased; John, deceased; and Theo H. Sanger.

In 1862 our subject enlisted in Company G. 35th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Among the battles in which he was engaged we mention Nashville, Spanish Fort, Siege of Vicksburg. Was under Gen. Smith in his Black River Expedition, and was also under Gen. Banks in his Red River Expedition. After three years of active service he was honorably mustered out at Davenport, Iowa. In 1885 he moved to South Dakota where he filed a claim in Cooper township, Aurora county. Soon afterward purchased a farm in White Lake township, also invested in some village property in White Lake. In 1886 engaged in the furniture and harness business, retaining his farming interests. In 1899 he moved from Dakota to his Iowa farm, living there and running the place for two years, then rented his farm and bought property in West Branch, where he resided until his death which occurred at nine o'clock Wednesday evening, June 19, 1907. He had been ailing for a year or more and has been in very poor health for the last six months, but through it all was remarkably patient, always so considerate of others and several times making the remark that it did not seem that it would be at all hard to leave this world, which seemed very true as the end came so peacefully it could scarcely be realized.

The funeral service was conducted from his residence on June 11, at 3 o'clock, Rev. Furniss of the Presbyterian church conducting the services. The body was taken to White Lake, S. D., for interment, being accompanied there by Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Kennedy. In his death the community has lost a good, honest citizen and kind neighbor. The sympathy of the community is with the children who have lost a faithful, indulgent father.