Lauren Chase Eastman 1844-1924

EASTMAN, ROGERS, GARDINER, CHASE, LAMB

Posted By: Michael J. Kearney (email)
Date: 11/19/2005 at 20:23:39

The Clinton Herald Thursday February 28, 1924 p. 6 Lauren Chase Eastman, 80, lumber man and philantrophist of Laurel, Miss., and Clinton, Iowa, died here today. He came here a month ago with Mrs. Eastman and their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Rogers, of Laurel. Mr. Eastman was taken ill a week after his arrival. The body will be shipped to Clinton tomorrow for burial. L.C. Eastman, one of Clinton's most respected and honored citizens, passed away this morning at 5:40 o'clock in Pasadena, Calif., work having been received by wire shortly before the noon hour today. Funeral arrangements will be announced later. Mr. Eastman had been ill for several days, threatened with pneumonia and heart complications, but his naturally fine constitution had held the inroads of disease in abeyance so well that hope had been expressed for a favorable outcome. He and Mrs. Eastman went to Laurel, Miss., before the holidays, thence to California where they intended to pass the remainder of the winter. Although he had been considered a man of unusual health and vigor, both physically and mentally, it has been realized that he never reacted from the shock that came when a beloved grandson, Lauren Rogers, a young man of great promise, died suddenly following an operation for appendicitis at Laurel, Miss. The ideals of the elder gentleman had been centered about this young man and the home that was in the process of erection at Laurel, for Lauren Rogers and his bride was turned into a splendid library richly endowed by Mr. Eastman. He has in many ways enriched communities with which he has been identified and there are hundreds of persons who will fell that a personal friend has been taken from them. Lauren Chase Eastman was born June 19, 1844, in Penn Yan, New York, the son of Moses W. and Matilda (Chase) Eastman. He was of Puritan descent on both sides, his ancestors coming from England about 1630, and several members of both families served in the Colonial and Revolutionary wars. He received a common school and academic education at Penn Yan and during the Civil war served in a New York regiment and then entered business employment. In 1869 he came ot Clinton, and on April 10, he entered the employ of C. Lamb & Sons, lumbermen, as head office man, and was with them in that capacity for thirty-six years, until January 16, 1905, during which time he witnessed the growth and decline of their enormous saw-milling business. He was vice preesident of Eastman, Gardiner Company, incorporated under the laws of Iowa, and which is engaged in the operation of large lumber mills at Laurel, Miss. Besides his connection with this company, he was concerned in various Clinton enterprises. On October 17, 1866, Mr. Eastman was married at Penn Yan, New York, to Sarah Elizabeth Gardiner, the daughter of Stimson B. and Nancy B. Gardiner, who came to Clinton in 1867, where Mr. Gardiner was prominent in lumber interests. to Mr. and Mrs. Eastman were born two children. Nina L. was born May 15, 1871, and married Wallace B. Rogers who is now in Laurel, Miss., connected with the Eastman-Gardiner Company. Ida Gardiner Eastman was born April 20, 1873, and died February 5, 1902. Mr. Eastman was a member of the First Presbyterian church and when in Clinton was a constant attendant at the services there. He was a member of Emulation lodge 255, A.F. & A.M., and other York rite Masonic bodies and also was prominently identified with DeMolay consistory, A.A.S.R. Masons, being a thrity-third degree Scottish Rite Mason, a past master of kadosh of DeMolay consistory and a past venerable master of Iowa Lodge of Perfection.