Woolstencroft, Alex 1851-1931

WOOLSTENCROFT, KERR, SNYDER, EAKES, EWERT, TORRANCE

Posted By: Karna Coffman (email)
Date: 6/17/2006 at 04:10:37

After several years of failing health, died at the age of 80 years in Worthington, on Friday. His illness has been consided critical for the past three weeks and pneumonia complicated his illness so that phsicians held out no hope for his recovery.

Mr. Woolstencroft was born in Giard Township, Clayton County, Iowa, on October 18, 1851. He was the youngest son of Benjamin and Mary (Kerr) Woolstencroft, natives of England and North Ireland, and he spent his boyhood days on the farm in Clayton county, moving to Minnesota in the spring of 1869, where he located on a homestead on Section 34 of Belfast township, Murray county, and was married July 17, 1870 to Harriet L. Snyder.

They moved to Fulda in the spring of 1881 and lived here for many years excepting the winter months which he spent in the south, sometimes with his family and sometimes alone. He was a professional dog trainer and his occupation called him away from home a great part of the time until 1919, when his health began to fail and he gave up active work. Since that time he has spent his time in Worthington, and in his daughters homes. He was a member of Fulda Lodge No. 170 A. F. & A. M. and Fulda Lodge No. 200 I. O. O. F., also of Living Arch Chapter No. 28, Royal Arch Masons and Worthingotn Encampment No. 13 I. O. O. F. and the knights of Pythias of Worthington.

The remains were brought from Worthington to the home of J. W. Woolstencroft, and funeral services were conducted at 1:30 on Monday afternoon. The Oddfellows funeral services were conducted by L. H. Tolverson, N. G. and H. D. Nelson, chaplain of the local lodge with Otto Mathison, acting as marshall. At the grave the Masonic funeral service was conducted by C. E. Brandt, with J. K. Erickson, acting as marshall. The pall bearers were H. M. Pallesen, N. R. Jorgensen, Fred Lewis, Max Siman, George Stearns and J. W. Jones. Mr. Woolstencroft is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Edith Eakes, of Sioux City, and Mrs. Laney Ewert, of Mankato, and one son David S., of Phoenix, Arizona. Among the relatives from out of town, who attended the funeral were Mrs. Eakes and her four sons, Gordon, Webster, Howard, and Norman, of Sioux City, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Ewert of Mankato, Mrs. Ray Torrance of Minneapolis, and a large delegation of Oddfellows and Masons from the Worthington lodges. Interment was made in Prairie Hill Cemetery.

-Date of the paper is 5-28-1931; copies from the Murray County, MN, Historical Society and Museum.