Squire Mack, 1834-1912

MACK

Posted By: Colleen Boose (email)
Date: 8/28/2006 at 16:29:19

OLD RESIDENT GONE
Squire Mack, for Thirty-four Years a Resident of Spencer,
Died Suddenly Thursday Night

Squire Mack died at his home in the southwest part of town of heart failure Thursday night following a protracted illness of many months. The funeral was held from the Christian church Sunday afternoon, with the Rev. C.V. Pence officiating. Interment was made in Riverside cemetery.

Squire Mack was born in South Bend, Indiana, March 31, 1834, and was at the time of his death several months past 78. In 1857 he was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Barry, who survives him. To this union were born two children, Mrs. Fannie Hagerty, who died last fall and Mrs. Chas. Weaver, of this city.

In 1870 the Macks came to Iowa, homesteading in Grant township, O'Brien county, where they lived until thirty-four years ago when they came to Spencer.

At the age of fifteen during the gold fever in California in '49, Mr. Mack went west and before his marriage made three trips to California in a covered wagon. At the break of the war he enlisted and soon afterward, on account of his skill at nursing was assigned to duty in the Carvey Hospital at Philadelphia.

Mr. Mack was always much interested in gardening of all kinds and many of the beautiful shade trees in Spencer are due to his work. The trees in front of the Christian church were set out by him many years ago.

Mr. Mack united with the Christian church long ago and up to the time when his health prevented him, had always been a faithful attendant at the services. He was frank, out spoken and blunt and strong in his beliefs. Spencer has lost a good citizen and his wife and daughter a kind and loving husband and father. Rev. Pence took as his subject, a chapter from Zachariah, "At evening time it shall be light" and made a very pretty comparison between life and its vicissitudes and the day with its clouds and storms when finally the sun shines forth at eventide.

Source: Spencer Herald, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa, July 24, 1912.