JOHN C. STOCKTON

STOCKTON, ELLIS, MCCREADY

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 3/2/2002 at 21:32:23

Decatur County Journal
Thursday, March 23, l9l6

JOHN C., son of Judge LACON D. and ELIZABETH
STOCKTON, was born in
Burlington, Iowa, April 24th, l846, where he
received a liberal
education. When only l4 years of age he
entered a printing office with
his uncle in Ohio, spending his school
vacation learning the rudiments
of the printer's trade, which was to be his
chosen profession.

Arriving at manhood's age, he spent a few
years in traveling through
many states of the union, paying his expenses
by working at his trade of
printer, whenever funds ran short. In this
way he gained an education
and polish that only travel and close
observation can give.

In l869 he came to Leon and identified
himself with the Decatur County
Journal, remaining here for about three
years, when he went to Sherman,
Texas, where he took charge of a paper for
about three years.

In l874 he married ELSIE A. ELLIS of Leon,
Iowa, with whom he got
acquainted while living in Leon. They
returned to Leon about
l870(copied as written.), and again he became
identified with the
Journal and later with the Reporter. In l887
he started and for some
years was editor of a "Greenback" paper,
known as "The Fact."

As a writer he was versatile and forceful,
and was recognized as one of
the foremost editors of the state. In the
fall of l896 he was elected
clerk of the district court of this county,
and ably filled the office
for four years. After retiring from office
in l90l he gave his
attention to newspaper work and farming.

His wife died in June, l900, leaving him with
one son, LACON, a
daughter, MISS STELLA, dying in l90l at the
age of 25 years. In May,
l902, he married MISS BELL MCCREADY, by whom
he had another son, JOHN
R. In the fall of l905 during the great
printer's strike in Chicago,
MR. STOCKTON went to that place and took
employment in the printing
establishment of Rand & McNally, where his
merits were soon recognized.
He was placed in charge of the (can't read)
department.
His strong personality enabled him to pass
among the striking printers
without molestation or harm. He filled this
position for about eleven
months, when he voluntarily resigned and
returned to his home.

For the past year he has been in failing
health and preacefully passed
to his reward, March l5, l9l6, aged 68 years,
l0 months and 2l days. In
church affiliations he was a Methodist; his
motto, "Do Right." A man of
more than ordinary abilitiy has gone from our
midst, but his memory is
embalmed on the pages of history. He leaves
a devoted wife and two
sons, LACON and JOHN R., to mourn his loss,
but their sorrow is not as
those who have no hope.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
March 2, 2002