WEIR, William

WEIR, BRUCE, MACALLISTER, FERRIS, NEYMAN

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 10/24/2004 at 13:18:18

June 4, 1890 Weekly Cherokean Democrat

GONE TO THEIR REST.

Persevering Wm. Weir Passes Away

DEATH OF THE OLD WELL DIGGER.

After an illness of about a week, Mr. Wm. Weir quietly passed away, at the residence of Mr. Nathanel Bruce. He was born in Peterborough, Canada, in 1829. Having studied at the Normal school in Toronto to fit himself for teaching he followed that avocation awhile. Later he took to farming, but for the last twenty years he has been digging and boreing wells. Two of his wells made him famous to us. The over abundant supply obtained at Bell Plaine, and the failure to find a supply in our square. In the last endeavor he proved himself a man of most unconquerable perseverance, contending with and overcoming untold difficulties and accident for two years time, until the citizens believing the place ill-chosen, made him a purse to assist in bearing his loses, and persuaded him to desist in the attempt to secure a flowing well at that point. Entire success, however, crowned his efforts in securing for us the present abundant supply which is led to so many streets and home of our city by the city water works. We feel that in integrity and true grit he was a fine example to our young men, and that Cherokee is richer for the fact that his name is gone into her history. He has left a wife and six children to mourn his loss-three young men and three young women. They have the sympathy and best wishes of our whole community. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. J. MacAlllister, assisted by Revs. Ferris and Neyman. A party of the United Workmen also followed the remains to the depot of the I.C.R.R. from whence they were conveyed to Monticello, Iowa, where his family reside.