Ira H. Sargent 1845-1935

SARGENT, STROUD, PARSON, WOODWARD, DENSMORE, HARRIMAN, PETTIGREW, ODLE, OBRIEN, LOGAN, ANNETT, WINN, KING, ECKERMAN

Posted By: Terry Sargent (email)
Date: 3/17/2011 at 09:10:29

RITES HELD TUESDAY FOR IRA SARGENT - Civil War Veteran Passes Away Friday

Religious and military ceremony marked the laying away Tuesday afternoon of one of Spencer’s last Civil War heroes, Ira H. Sargent, 90, who passed away last Friday afternoon, December 6, 1935, at four o’clock at his home, 1475 West Street. Dr. H. E. Hutchinson, pastor of the Grace M.E. church where services were held at two o’clock, expostulated on the grandeur of a life completed at the age of 90, while Spencer patriotic orders amid firing and bugle call lowered him into his grave at Riverside cemetery.

Three Soldiers Together
Sitting together as mourners were C. A. Harriman and Fred Pettigrew, the last of Spencer’s Civil war veterans, and Major D. M. Odle, Veteran of the Spanish-American war and chaplain for the Spencer Post of G.A.R. Others in bodies were the Sons of Veterans, the American Legion and the Women’s Relief Corps. Neighbors and friends filled the remainder of the church. Bearing evidence of the great regard felt by many for Mr. Sargent, bouquets of flowers were heaped about the casket, and flags were erected in his honor. Following the sermon, the Sons of Veterans read the G.A.R. funeral address.

S. of V.’s Carry
Bearing the casket were F. J. O’Brien, Dave Logan, W.H. Annett, Lester Winn, J.A. King and C.D. Eckerman, members of the Sons of Veterans. The Glen Pedersen post number one of the American Legion was in charge of commitment services at the grave. Colors were borne by the color guard, military salute was fired, and the bugler sounded taps. The large flag which draped the casket was presented to Mrs. Sargent by Mr. O’Brien. Prior to the church service, a family prayer service was conducted at 1:30 o’clock at the Cobb funeral home.

To Iowa when Ten
Ira H. Sargent was born November 5, 1845, at Sidney, Canada, the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Emery Sargent. At the age of six years he moved with his parents to Geneseo County, Illinois. They lived there a brief time and when Ira was ten years of age they located at Strawberry Point, Iowa. When Mr. Sargent was eighteen years of age he answered the call to arms of President Abraham Lincoln and enlisted in Company D, 4th Iowa Infantry. He commenced his service in 1865 and served until the end of the civil war, participating in General Sherman’s famous march to the sea. At the close of the war he was honorably discharged from the army.

Voted for Lincoln
Mr. Sargent had the privilege of voting for Abraham Lincoln for president when only 19 years of age. This was due to the fact that under existing regulations at the time, soldiers were given the right to vote and although he had not yet attained legal age, Mr. Sargent cast his ballot for the martyred president. In 1867, Mr. Sargent was united in marriage to Miss Martha Strowed. To them was born a daughter, but both mother and child died following childbirth. In 1873 he was married to Miss Anna E. Parson, of Newton, Iowa. To this union were born eleven children, two of whom died in Infancy and four preceded their father in death. Five children remain to mourn his passing.

Moved to Spencer
In 1898, the Sargent family moved to Spencer from Strawberry Point and Mr. Sargent made this his home ever since. Mrs. Sargent died in Spencer in 1919. Mr. Sargent remarried on January 6, 1921, Miss Marry Woodward becoming his wife. She survives her husband’s death. For about three years since moving to Spencer, Mr. and Mrs. Sargent made their home in Minnesota, but always considered Spencer to be their home city. Surviving to mourn the death of Mr. Sargent are his widow and five sons: Ernest of Belle Fourche, S.D.; William of Jeffers, Minn.; Irva of Lawrenceburg, Tenn.; Lawrence of Estherville, Iowa; and Clarence of Eagle Bend, Minn. Also surviving are a brother and two sisters: Mr. Emery Sargent of Strawberry Point; Mrs. Harriet Densmore of Strawberry Point, and Mrs. Phoebe Densmore of Fort Dodge, Ia. Fifteen grandchildren also survive and 18 great-grand-children.

Member of G.A.R.
Mr. Sargent was a member of the Annett Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Spencer and had been a member ever since coming here to reside. He was active in its councils up until about two years ago when the infirmities of old age required him to lead a more quiet life. He was active, hale and hearty until about six months ago when he was forced by advancing years to take to his bed. He was also a member of Modern Woodmen of America lodge. During his life in Spencer, Mr. Sargent was highly respected and much beloved. He was one of the last surviving members of the G.A.R. and was a familiar figure at patriotic celebrations in the past few years. His death leaves another vacant place in the thinning ranks of the Boys in Blue who fought for the nation’s unity in the War Between the States.
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Note: The enlistment year of 1865 in the obituary is wrong. The U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles [on-line database] indicates that Ira Sargent (age 18) enlisted on 19 October 1864 and was mustered out on 24 July 1865 at Louisville, KY.

Source:
~Ira’s obituary was published in the Spencer News- Herald on Friday, December 13, 1935

Interment in Riverside cemetery
 

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