Joseph Cullen Root 1845-1913

ROOT, INSLEE

Posted By: Michael J. Kearney (email)
Date: 11/25/2005 at 17:53:42

The Clinton Herald Friday December 26, 1913 p. 6 Joseph Cullen Root, resident of Lyons when he founded the Modern Woodmen of America, the largest fraternal insurance society in the world, and the Woodmen of the World, died Wednesday night at Hendersonville, N.C. At the time of his death he was soverign commander of the Woodmen of the World with headquarters in Omaha. Intestinal and kindred troubles are given as the cause of death. Word of his illness and death came in rapid succession and brought pronounced grief throughout the city. He had been traveling in the south in the interests of his order and his condition was not considered grave until a few days ago when his son, Harry, was summoned t his bedside. Another son, A.I. Root, was also at his bedside at the time of his death. The body will be brought to Lyons, via Chicago, arriving early Saturday morning and will be taken to the home of his aged mother, Mrs. A.C. Root, 112 South Third street. Brief funeral services will be held at the Congregational church in Lyons at 2:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon at which Rev. N.A. McAulay, pastor of the Presbyterian church, will officiate. The Rose Croix quarter of DeMolay consistory, A.A.S.R. Masons, led by Rev. George D. Rogers, will sing. Following the services, the body will be taken to Omaha and there will lie in state in the Omaha city hall. In addition to being the founder of the Modern Woodmen of America, in 1882, and the Woodmen of the World in 1890, until which time he was head councul of the Modern Woodmen of America, he was founder of the Young Men's association of Lyons, and at various times was a member of the library board in Lyons, mayor of Lyons in 1886 and 1887, councilman and tax collector. From 1884 to 1888 he was United States deputy collector for the second Iowa district.