Charles L. Root 1856-1922

ROOT, WIBURG

Posted By: Michael J. Kearney (email)
Date: 11/25/2005 at 17:56:10

The Advertiser Tuesday February 28, 1922 Charles L. Root, one of Lyons' most prominent business men and long-time residents, passed away very suddenly shortly before 3 o'clock this afternoon. Mr. Root's death occurred in the Wulf barber shop on Main street, between Sixth and Seventh streets. He had been ailing the past two weeks, but was able to be around. Shortly after entering the barber shop this afternoon he collapsed, his death quickly ensued. The remains were taken to the Borman undertaking establishment.

The Advertiser Wednesday March 1, 1922 p. 6 Funeral services for the late Charles L. Root, will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the family home, 212 South Seventh St., Rev. Walter M. Swann, pastor of the Lyons Community church officiating. The services at the grave will be in charge of the Masonic Order. Burial will be in Oakland cemetery. In the death of C.L. Root, Clinton and Clinton county lose one of their most valued residents. Mr. Root's death occurring as it did very suddenly Tuesday afternoon, February 28, 1922, will be learned of which deep regret in more than a half dozen states in which Mr. Root, as President of the Root Land Company, had for more than forty years conducted extensive operations. Mr. Root was also identified with a number of banking houses, insurance companies and many other business interests throughout the middle west.
Biographical
The late Mr. Root was always proud of the ancestry and traditions of his family, which was of French origin with subsequent interfusing of solid Saxon characteristics and traits that have been finally developed under the culturing hand of a kind providence amid the favorable conditions and progressive life of a new world. Although the family was not transplanted to this country as early as 1620 when the Pilgrim fathers arrived, ancestors came to this country within 15 to 20 years thereafter and their descendants have always braved the hardships of the pioneer in the progress of civilization from the Atlantic coast. This pilgrim spirit pursued by his father, who started the first bank here, now the First National of Lyons, and was otherwise identified with the early business history of this locality, was continued by Mr. Root in the development and improvement of wild land in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota, where countless numbers of settlers and now prosperous farmers look back with keen gratification and appreciation of the start and other help received by him. Charles L. Root was born in Chester, Massachusetts, on October 8, 1856 and at the time of his death was 65 years old. He pursued his education at Cornell College and was graduated at Northwestern University in 1878. Subsequently he read law under the direction of A.R. Cotton, and was admitted to the bar in 1879, after which he began to practice at Lyons. In 1893, he organized the Root Land Company, and under that name has carried on a very extensive real estate business. He purchased the Dennis Warren plat, of one hundred and twenty lots, and has since disposed of most of it, and it is among the finest residence portions of the city. He was associated with his brother in the boot and shoe business, in both Lyons and Clinton, for a few years, but since 1890 he had dealt extensively in farm lands in northern Iowa, and northeastern Nebraska. In 1891, he built the Root block on Main street.
His Career
From 1890 to 1894 Mr. Root served as mayor of Lyons and the latter year was elected on the Republican ticket to represent his district in the Twenty-fifth General Assembly. He was also alderman at large of the city of Clinton in 1896 and 1897. During his college days he became interest in military exercises, hoping thereby to benefit his health, and in 1889 he organized the C.L. Root Co., a drill corps of which he was made Captain. This company won the championship of Iowa in the year 1889 at Council Bluffs; 1890 at Marshalltown; 1891 Cedar Rapids; and in 1893, at Chicago at dedication of the Logan monument. At the first call for troops for the Spanish-American war he received orders to have his company in readiness. He dischared all married men and minors of his finely drilled military organization. In three days he recruited his company to the standard and reported in Des Moines, Ia., where the company became part of the Forty-ninth Iowa Volunteers. Captain Root has full charge of his company for two months. He tendered his services in the volunteer service. But the United States Board of Surgeons would not pass him on physical examination. He applied to the state board, but they refused to pass him. He then tendered his services to the secretary of war. Captain Root was married December 17, 1884, to Thora Wiborg, daughter of Mrs. E.G. Wiborg of Lyons. Left to mourn are his wife, two sons, Aurelius C., Charles W., one grandson, Charles Willis, all of Clinton; two brothers, H.D. Root of Lyons, A.A. Root of Cleveland, O., and one sister, Mrs. Belle Stiles, of Topeka, Kan. One brother, J.C. Root, who was the founder of the Modern Woodmen and the Woodmen of the World, and one sister Hattie preceded him in death. He was an active lodge man and a member of Lyons Lodge No. 93, A.F. & A.M., DeMolay consistory, Kaaba Shrine, Pioneer Camp No. 1, I.O.O.F., Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World, Modern Woodmen, Elks, honorable memberof the Spanish War Veterans, a fact of which he was very proud; G.L. Root Drill corps, Company L, Clinton and Lyons chamber of commerce and Wapsipinicon club.