STRONG, RAY

STRONG, CHAPMAN

Posted By: Carla Hillgren (email)
Date: 3/18/2019 at 09:21:02

Decatur County Journal
July l9, l906
RAY STRONG, a former resident of this county, died Tuesday of last week
at Spearfish, S.D., and the body arrived at Van Wert, his former home,
Saturday morning. No physician's certificate stating the cause of death
accompanied the remains and his relatives, becoming suspicious, summoned
Coroner Fred. A. Bowman, of Leon, to make an investigation.
Coroner Bowman went to Van Wert Saturday afternoon, and with the
assistance of Doctors Layton, Foxworthy and greenman, held a post mortem
examination. They found that death had resulted from natural causes.
The funeral occurred Sunday afternoon at three o'clock.
A telegram was received by relatives Monday, from C.M. Matthews, of
Spearfish, stating that death had resulted from congestive chills and
that a capable physician had given him every attention.
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AL-COE RAY STRONG, the sixth child of MR. and MRS. R.B. STRONG was born
near Grand River, Decatur County, Iowa, November l9, l885, and died at
Spearfish, South Dakota, July ll, l906. He was 2l years, 7 months and
22 days of age. The entire community around Van Wert was shocked and
saddened when the message bearing the sad news was received by his
sister, MRS. DELMA CHAPMAN, who lives near Van Wert. MR. STRONG lived
with his parents in the vicinity of, and in Van Wert, until he was l4
years of age, when he enlisted in the United States Regular Army, and
was sent to the Phillipines, where he served two years, under Colonel
Bell, and received an honorable discharge, when he returned home. He
remained with the family for a while and then went to South Dakota.
The remains of RAY STRONG were sent here from Dakota, arriving Saturday.
He had been gone from home seven years, or since he was l4
years old. His mother, five brothers and two sisters were gathered from
their homes in different states to lay his body away. Rev. Van Horn, of
Osceola, Pastor of the Christian Church, conducted the services. The
house was almost full of women and children, the men being obliged to
stand or remain outside. The sorrowing friends have the sympathy of the
community as the family was for several years residents of this
community and for that reason, he requested his attendents in his last
hours to send his remains here to be buried.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
September 26, 200l