Story, Charles Beeman 1827-1919

STORY, HOWARD, PETERS

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 8/5/2021 at 20:31:23

Source: Arlington News, November 13, 1919, pg. 1

Our Oldest Citizen Dies at 92 Years
One of the human landmarks of Edgewood has been removed. The great father above has given him a place in the better world.

Charles Beeman Story was born in Fairfield, township, Franklin Co., Vt., on March 7, 1827. He lived with his parents until he was fifteen years of age when he was bound out for four years to learn the trade of a tanner and courrier in St. Alban's, Vermont. He continued to live in that vicinity until 1865. On January 1, 1850, at Fairfax, Vermont, he was married to Miss Mary A. Howard. They began housekeeping on a farm and continued on the farm until the Civil war broke out, but combined blacksmithing with the farming. When the rebellion broke out he and his brother Horatio both wanted to enlist; but each had a wife and three children. It was evident that the families must be cared for, so they drew cuts to see who should go and who should stay. It fell to Horatio to enlist and to Charles to stay and care for the two families. The subject of this sketch then loyally and cheerfully went into his blacksmith shop and cared for the two families until the war was over. In 1865 he emigrated with his little family to Iowa settling first near Luana, later moving to a place near Osterdock, where he had charge of a mill. In May 1868 he moved to what was then called Yankee Settlement, now Edgewood, and bought the home in which he lived for the rest of his life.

Mrs. Story died on October 24, 1893, and since that time the home has been kept up by the daughter, Anna, who has given to her father through these years the care and love that he needed without stint or any regard to her own personal interests. Mr. and Mrs. Story were blessed with seven children, three of whom passed away very early in life, and Delia, Mrs. Conrad, died in 1895. Those surviving him are, Albert of Denver, Colorado; Anna at home; and Mrs. Myrtle Peters of Edgewood. Besides these he leaves nine grandchildren and a number of great grandchildren.
His religious life began in young manhood when he united with the Baptist church in his old home in Vermont. He remained in that communion until 1887, during the pastorate of Dr. E.J. Lockwood in Edgewood, when he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, on probation on February 13th and in full membership on August 1st, and he remained true to the end. He retained his health and his senses and mental faculties unimpaired to the end of his life.

He has been a factor in the town for a long time. Everyone liked him and was interested in him. He took an interest in things and enjoyed life, even in his extreme old age. He was not sick long. For about three weeks he had not been feeling well, but last Sunday he was taken worse and had to go to bed. He lingered until Thursday afternoon. Pneumonia due to old age had set in, and there was not enough strength in him to combat it. The end came at half past two of the afternoon of Thursday, October 30th, 1919 at the age of 92 years, 7 months and 23 days.

He will be missed, not only in the family circle where he was devotedly loved, but in that very large circle of friends, neighbors and acquaintances, who will sadly miss this cheerful, even jolly old man; for his love of fun and sense of humor remained to the end. the family have the sympathy of all the community.

The funeral services were held on Saturday afternoon at the Methodist church. The sermon was preached by the pastor, Rev. S.C. Bretnall and he was assisted in the services by the Rev. S.C. True. the interment was in the family lot in the Edgewood cemetery. - Edgewood Journal.

About twelve years ago an Octogenarian Club was formed in Edgewood consisting of fourteen men, each of whom were about eighty years of age. It attained to some notoriety because it is not often that so many old, yet well preserved men can be found in one community. Among the number was Charles B. Story, at that time one of the youngest members. He is the last to go and, strange to say, he attained to the greatest age of any of them. - Edgewood Iowan.