Lawrence Boatman, 1889-1920

BOATMAN

Posted By: Clay County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 2/6/2011 at 10:09:12

WAR VETERAN IS DEAD FROM GAS ATTACKS
Lawrence Boatman
Dies in Hospital;
Burial Today

Lawrence Boatman, 29 years of age, World War veteran and the first member of the Glen Pederson Post No. 1,American Legion, to die, died at a hospital at Ottumwa Monday from Pulmonary tuberculosis, thought to have been aggravated as tho result of his being gassed In France.

The young man had been ill for sometime and was at first in a sanitarium at Ottumwa but was moved to the hospital a short time ago because of stomach trouble. While on the front he suffered from three attacks of gas but his condition was not thought to be serious then. Before being discharged from the army last May he was declared physically fit by army physicians. Ho visited in Spencer and Greenville for sometime with his family after being discharged and relatives state that he did not complain of feeling ill then, although he coughed considerably.

The body was shipped to Spencer Tuesday afternoon. Funeral services will be held at Greenville Thursday and six comrades will act as pallbearers, while military honors will be given the deceased by representatives of Glen Pedersen Post. Burial will be made in Riverside cemetery in Spencer. During his sickness, flowers and messages was sent the young man by the Spencer post and representatives of the Ottumwa post called upon him every day with flowers and comrades to remain with him and read. He was cheerful to the end and displayed the qualities that won him the title of a "brave soldier" in France.

Came Here 12 Years Ago

William Lawrence Boatman was born on November 15, 1889, in Richland county, Illinois, where he spent the first eighteen years of his life. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. P. T. Boatman and was one of a family of seven children. When he was five years old he lost his mother.

About twelve years ago he came to Clay county and lived some of the time at the home of his sister; Mrs. H. H. Minor, near Greenville. Later he went to Manson, Iowa, where he was employed in the office of the Manson Journal, acting as a salesman for calenders and novelties part of the time and a part of the time as printer in office.
After his discharge from the service, the fifth of May, 1919, he returned to Manson and worked at the Journal office until the first of January of this year when he became so ill with tuberculosis that he was taken to the hospital at Ottumwa where he died on May 3, 1920.

He is survived by his father, who makes his home with Mrs. Minor at Greenville. Two sisters and four brothers also survive him; The sisters are Mrs. H. H. Minor and Miss Minnie Boatman, both of Greenville. The brothers are are Clyde B. of Beecher City, Illinois, Dillo B. of Tuscola, Illinois, Daniel of Newton, Illinois, and Ola of Spencer. The latter is a salesman and
at the time of the young man's death was In South Dakota. He arrived in Spencer to attend the funeral services and is the only one of the brothers who was able to attend the funeral services.

The funeral services will be held on Thursday afternoon at 2 P. M., from the Congregational church at Greenville in charge of the Rev. W. T. Wolfram of Royal.

Souce: The spencer News-Herald, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa; May 6, 1920.

Interment in Riverside cemetery
 

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