L.D. SHAFFNER

SHAFFNER, ODELL

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 1/7/2002 at 15:54:32

Leon Reporter
May l6, l895

L.D. SHAFFNER died at Grand River, Iowa, May
l0, l895, aged 37 years.

Such an announcement as the above is so
common in the papers of today
that it scarcely attracts attention, yet this
announcement to the people
of Grand River and other vicinities is more
than of ordinary
importance. The people of this place have
lost one of their best
citizens, the church one of its most
prominent members, the order of
Masons one of their most attached brethren,
whose place it now seems
there is no one to fill.

MR. SHAFFNER's parents came to Burrell
Township, Decatur County, Iowa,
from Ohio in l854, where he was born in l858,
and where he was raised to
the years of manhood. Having no other
advantage than such as was to be
had in the then new and sparsely settled part
of Iowa, which all old
settlers know was of the most meager
character, but as such surroundings
are calculated to develop all the sturdy and
sterling qualities there is
in a boy it cannot be considered a great
disadvantage. In l879 he was
married to MISS MARY ODELL who lived in the
same community. There were
born to them five children, two of whom died
in infancy and three of
whom survive him, two daughters and one son,
namely ALMA, WINONA and
MENDEL who are left to comfort their mother
in her loneliness.

In l888 he was converted and joined the
Methodist Church at Davis City
where he then resided, since which time he
has lived a consistent
Christian life. In early life he engaged in
farming but his health
being delicate he was not able to endure the
rugged toil which that
occupation required, and he was forced to
give it up for some calling
which did not call for such severe toil. He
traveled for a time for a
medicine firm and other occupations not
requiring severe toil. About
l89l he came to Grand River as a member of
the general merchandising
firm of Covington & Shaffner where he
remained until his death. Along
the last of April of this year he went to
Chicago to buy goods for the
spring trade and was gone a few days, and
when he returned he was
somewhat unwell, caused as he thought by
exposure and overwork while
gone; but upon his return he went to work in
the store unpacking goods
that had commenced to arrive a couple of
days.

At the end of that time he took to his bed
from which he never arose.
His disease had developed into pneumonia.
Everything was done for him
that science could suggest, but all of no
avail. On the early morning
of the l0th of May he expired in the midst of
his family. His remains
were taken to Terre Haute where the funeral
services were held, Rev.
McCracken the Pastor at Grand River,
officiating. He was buried in the
cemetery at Terre Haute near the scenes of
his childhood and his early
life where his ancestors lie buried. His
funeral was held under the
auspices of the Masonic Fraternity of which
he had long been an
enthusiastic member, being Warden at the time
of his death. DOW
SHAFFNER as he was familiarly and lovingly
called by his friends, was in
all respects a good citizen in business,
honorable and just, cheery and
genial with all he met, public spirited,
always endeavoring to forward
every project for the public. In friendship
true and faithful, as a
member of the church was what would be called
a working member. He had
been for some time Superintendent of the
Sabbath School, and was always
in his place. He was very little troubled
about doctrine, but lived a
consistent Christian life, always in his
place at church no matter who
preaches. We can truly say we have lost a
useful member of society just
in his prime and we do not see how his place
is to be filled.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 6, 2002