Spooner, Merit H.

SPOONER, DAVISON, RIPLEY, MATHEWS, HARDEN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/15/2003 at 08:31:38

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

MERIT H. SPOONER

When after years of long and earnest labor in some honorable field of business a man puts aside all cares to spend his remaining years in the enjoyment of the fruits of former toil, it is certainly a well-deserved reward of his former industry.
“How blest is he who crowns in shades like these
A youth of labor with an age of ease,”
Wrote (sic) the poet, and the world everywhere recognizes the justice of a season of rest following an active period of business life. For many long years Mr. Spooner was in the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company as station agent at Camanche, but is now living a retired life.

He was born in Otsego township, Otsego county, New York, March 15, 1817, and is a son of Elijah and Lois (Davison) Spooner, natives of Massachusetts and New York, respectively. In early life the father engaged in farming for some years, and later followed the mason’s trade. At the age of twelve years our subject was bound out as an apprentice to learn the shoemaker’s trade, and after thoroughly mastering the same he worked at that occupation some years in
Lyons, Iowa, and other places. It was in 1860 that he came to this county and took up his residence in Lyons, but in the spring of the following year removed to Camanche, being appointed ticket agent for the Chicago & Northwestern Railway company at that place. In that capacity he served the company faithfully and well for thirty-six years, and in recognition of such services he was given a pension, which he now enjoys.

In 1842 Mr. Spooner was united in mariage (sic) with Miss Delia Ripley, a native of Watertown, New York, who died in 1898, at the age of seventy-one years, her remains being interred in the Camanche cemetery. She was a faithful member of the Methodist church and a most estimable lady. Unto our subject and his wife were born four children, namely: Charles, the eldest was killed on the railroad. Emma has been twice married, and is now the wife of H. T. Mathews, of Dixon, Illinois. By her first union she had two children, one of whom is deceased, while the other, Harry E., resides in Mexico. Willard is married and living in Mexico. Mary is the wife of Moses Harden, and resides in Denison, Iowa.

Mr. Spooner is one of the oldest Odd Fellows of the state, having been a member of that order for nearly half a century, and he has filled every chair in the subordinate lodge. He is also a member of Camanche Lodge, No. 60, A. F. & A. M., and has filled the various offices in that organization. He cast his first presidential vote for Martin Van Buren, the Democratic candidate, but since the organization of the Republican party has been one of its stanch supporters. Although now eighty-four years of age, his mental and physical powers seem unimpaired, and he is one of the men who make old age seem the better portion of life.