Gray, Harry Robert 1895 - 1918
GRAY, MORELAND
Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 11/29/2021 at 10:07:42
Elkader Register & Argus, Thur., 17 Oct. 1918. Local News column.
Word was received here Monday that Robert Gray, of Osterdock, had died of pneumonia at Ames where he has been in training. He was a graduate of our high school and was well known here.
(Note: WPA records indicate Robert Gray, 1895 - 1918, buried in Bethel cemetery. The IGPP shows his gravestone photo.)
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Elkader Register & Argus, Thur., 24 Oct. 1918.
The funeral services of Sergeant Robert Gray were held from the Bethel church on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 16. Death occurred at the Base Hospital in the Motor Transport school at Ames, Iowa.
Sergeant Gray's parents were called to Ames the latter part of the previous week by a telegram from the base hospital. They were there for the last days of their son's illness and, accompanied by his wife, brought the body to the old home for interment.
Rev. Fred Riggs, of the Fairview United Brethren church delivered the sermon. The body was committed to the ground by the Masonic lodge of Colesburg, with which Sergeant Gray had united during the spring. A male quartet from Colesburg, rendered three very fitting selections.
Those present from a distance, for the funeral, were John and Chas. Gray and families, of New Hampton; George Hansell, Horace Kephart and their families, of Manchester; Forest Gray, from Fergus Falls, Minnesota; H. C. Gmelin, County Superintendent Becker, and County Attorney Davidson, from Elkader, besides many others from nearby towns.
The pall bearers were Private Edwin Dickman and Seaman Roy Brown thus representing both arms of the service. The other four were from the local Masonic lodge and were Bert Hammond, Dean Mallory, Jeff Walters and Walter Eppens.
The following obituary was read:
Sergeant Harry Robert Gray, son of William and Stella Gray, was born May 1, 1895 and died at the Base Hospital at Ames, Iowa, Oct. 14, 1918, being 23 years, 5 months and 13 days old.
He grew to manhood in the neighborhood in which he was born. He completed the work in the country schools, and then entered the high school at Elkport and completed the two years of high school work offered there.
Following that, he taught in the country schools for two years at the same time taking summer school work at the State Teachers College at Cedar Falls. He then entered the high school at Elkader, and there completed the remaining two years of high school work in one year. During this same year he also served as deputy county superintendent of schools.
In the fall of 1915 he matriculated into the State Agricultural College at Ames, and has three semesters of work to his credit there.
This spring he came home to run his father's farm. During the summer, after trying to enlist the navy but failing, because of the draft regulations, he volunteered, and on August 14th was inducted into military service by the exemption board of Clayton county and was sent to the Motor Transport school at Ames.
Within three weeks of entering the school he was appointed sergeant, being the first one of the draft of 250 men to receive such promotion.
About ten days ago he was taken ill, which illness developed into pleural pneumonia, and he was not able to withstand the strain.
He was married Nov. 10, 1917, to Miss Fannie Moreland, of Colesburg, who with his father and mother, and sister Ina, besides other near relatives and friends mourn the death of the loved one.
During the two months spent at Ames, in the service, he and his wife attended the Presbyterian church near the campus. When the pastor, Rev. Innes, learned of Robert's illness, he visited him often, and under his ministrations Rob was led to a confession of Christ as his personal Savior. After the arrival at his bedside of his father and mother, under Rob's pleading, the father accepted Christ, and father and son and wife, Fannie, were baptized by Rev. Innes in a most impressive service.
During the Monday morning Rob said to the nurse "Tell my folks that I want prayer kept up at home." Also he said, "I regret that I must die and not give more of service to my country."
(Note: The card of thanks again names him as Sergeant Harry Robert Gray, and was signed by Mrs. Robert Gray, Mr. and Mrs. Will Gray and daughter Ina.)
Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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