HARRIS GAMMON

ROBINSON, GAMMON, THOMPSON, THOMPSON, SEYBOLD, ORTT

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 3/19/2002 at 20:02:08

Decatur County Journal
Thursday, March 25, l920

HARRIS GAMMON, fourth son of GEORGE W. and MARTHA ROBINSON GAMMON, was born near Albia, Monroe County, Iowa, June 7, l854, and after a very brief illness passed away at his home in Leon, Iowa, March l7, l920, aged 65 years, 9 months and l0 days. He came with his parents to Decatur County, Iowa, in April, l865. Here on a farm home four miles southeast of Leon, he grew to manhood. He had the advantages of a good country school, attending the east Eden School, which at that time was considered one of the best, if not the best country school in Decatur County. HARRIS GAMMON was a good student and some years later was one among the many teachers who received a good education in the Eden Prairie School and who went out to teach in different parts of the county and other places. He taught several terms of school, then later on, about the year l887, he went west and spent several years in western Colorado, returning to Iowa and his old home in the early part of the year l902.

During his absence, both his parents passed away and he has since resided with his sisters, MRS. MARY THOMPSON and MISS ANNA GAMMON, living on a farm four miles southeast of Leon, the greater part of the time, having just recently moved to Leon to the home which they purchased last fall. Hardly a week had passed since they came to stay. He was taken ill on Monday evening and suffered until Wednesday morning, when he passed away at 7 a.m.

His sudden death was a great shock to his relatives and friends and he will be sadly missed, especially so by the sisters with whom he has been so closely associated in the home for so many years. He leaves four brothers and three sisters to mourn his departure. Those who have preceded him in death are his parents, who passed away in l894 and l895; one brother, WILLIAM, who died in boyhood; his eldest brother, JULIAN, of Ramah, Colorado, who passed away in l902; a sister, MRS. MINERVA SEYBOLD, who died in l900. Those who survive him are MRS. MARY THOMPSON, MISS ANNA and WAYNE GAMMON, of Leon, Iowa; MRS. BELLE ORTT of Yukon, Oklahoma; LEM GAMMON, of Ramah, Colorado; LEE GAMMON, of Button Willow, California and TILGHMAN GAMMON, of Los Angeles, California.

HARRIS GAMMON was a man of quiet and unobtrusive nature. He was a great reader, a student and well informed. In conversation he could give information on most any subject that was discussed. He read both books and papers and kept informed on current events of the day and what was taking place in our national affairs. He especially loved historical reading and was a student of Shakespeare even when he was a young man. He took life in a philosophical way, performing his part as each day brought its work, and met death when it came without a murmur.

So another respected citizen and neighbor, and loved one passed to his rest. In the words of Bryant, from his beautiful poem, "Thanatopsis," Yet not to thine eternal resting place shalt those retire alone. All that tread the globe are but a handful to the tribes that slumber in its bosom. As the long train of ages glide away, the sons of men, the youth in life's green spring, and he who goes in the full strength of years, matron and maid, the bowed with age, the infant in the smiles and beauty of its innocent age cut off, shall, one by one, be gathered to thy side, by those who, in their turn, shall follow them. So live that when the summons comes to join the innumerable caravan that moves to the pale realms of the shade, where each sall take his chamber in the silent halls of death, thou go not, like the quarry slave at night, scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams."

Funeral from the home Sunday afternoon March 2lst, conducted by Rev. Crewdson and Rev. Green. Burial in Meek Cemetery on Eden Prairie.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
March l8, 2002