George W. Stumbaugh

STUMBAUGH, COWDEN, BRECKENRIDGE, COX, HAUN

Posted By: Georgia Ann Varner (email)
Date: 5/8/2016 at 14:25:29

From a Clinton Iowa Newspaper.

Another one of the early settlers of Lyons has passed away--Mr. George w. Stumbaugh who has not been in good health for years, and who latterly failed fast. He died last Monday morning, and was buried on Wednesday afternoon. The Odd Fellows, of which Order he was an honored member, attended in a body from the Lodge of this city, accompanied by brothers from other places in the vicinity, and a large concourse of other friends were present at the funeral services, and followed his remains to the grave. Rev. Mr. Cowden preached the sermon upon the occasion.

The Clinton Herald says of Mr. Stumbaugh:

The deceased was born in Franklin county, Pa., and was about fifty-eight years old at the time of his death. He emigrated to Scott county in 1845 or 1846, and lived as Superintendent on what was known as "Pinnacle Farm," belonging to his brother-in-law, Col. Breckenridge. In 1846 he associated himself with S.P. Cox and W. G. Haun, removed to Hauntown, in this county, and carried on milling and distilling, together with a country store, on a large scale, the firm being Stumbaugh, Cox & Co.

In November, 1850, their mill and distillery were destroyed by fire, and in 1852 Stumbaugh & Cox built the first steam saw mill in the county at Lyons, which was subsequently burned. They rebuilt their mill, but the financial crash of 1857 carried them down, with many others. Mr. Stumbaugh then turned his attention to the grocery business and regained part of his lost fortune, which by hard work and economy placed him again with a competency. With a view of bettering his finances he bought a large farm in Scott county which increased his labors, and by exposure he contracted the disease that finally terminated his life. Mr. Stumbaugh laid out the addition to the city of Lyons that bears his name, and was a prominent member of the Odd Fellows' Order. He was a good citizen, a kind husband and father, and leaves a wife and three grown children and a large circle of friends to mourn his departure.

Mr. Stumbaugh had an extraordinarily wide acquaintance, and was held in high esteem by the hundreds who knew him. His family are all living in Lyons, except the son on the farm near Princeton.