Kingman, Alvarado
KINGMAN, KELLY, BERGMAN
Posted By: Linda Linn (email)
Date: 8/2/2010 at 08:30:38
The Spirit Lake Beacon, Oct. 18, 1907
THE PASSING OF A PIONEER
KINGEMAN. In Spirit Lake, October 14, Alvarado Kingman, aged 76 years. The thinning band of pioneers yields another of its members to the inexorable decree. From the depleted ranks of the Grand Army is mustered out another comrade.
Alvarado Kingman was born in Conneaut, Ohio, April 20, 1831. In 1850 he went to Sparta, Wisconsin, where he married Miss Esther Ann Kelly, with whom much of the light went out of his life in 1890. In May 1858, Mr. and Mrs. Kingman came to this community, making a home on the west side of Spirit Lake where they lived for more than thirty years upon one of the loveliest home sites known to nature. In 1861 Mr. Kingman enlisted in Company I seventh Iowa cavalry, known as the Sioux City cavalry, and assigned to frontier duty at a time of serious trouble and peril from Indian raids. While there was less of the dangers of the battlefield here than in the south, there was much more of hardship on account of the necessary scouting over the unsettled prairies along a long line of exposed frontier. At the time of the intense excitement created by the Minnesota massacre of 1862, this company was divided into squads and stationed at Spirit Lake, Okoboji and Estherville, the post at this point being in charge of Sergeant A. Kingman. This company subsequently was detailed for duty under General Sully and saw service on the upper Missouri.
After leaving the Army, Mr. Kingman joined his family in the home on Spirit Lake, and turned his attention to farming. Among the pioneers he was always prominent in farming and otherwise. His home was the abode of hospitality and at his fireside good cheer abounded. Upon the death of Mrs. Kingman, in 1890, the old farm was soon sold, and since the ageing pioneer has found abundant shelter in the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. F. Bergman, and in the hearts of his children and friends. In that home his comfort has been first consideration. His mind and heart as well as his body have been ministered unto all through the years as the shadows have longer grown and infirmity has impaired the vigor of manhood. As the record is closed there are so enemies of this dead and many friends regret this closing of life even at three score and sixteen years. AL Kingman was a kindly soul. His quaint speech and cheery comradeship, with his upright life and loyalty to life's duty, will live ling in memory. The children bereft by this death are, Mrs. L. H. Farnham, Mrs. A. F. Bergman and Abbie Van Steenburg, all residents here. They mourn their loss but feel no shadow of remorse, for they have all been daughters ot fill a father's heart with love and gratitude. In recent years no person has given Mr. Kingman more of comfort and companionship than his granddaughter, Miss Esther Bergman.
Mr. Kingman had not been strong for years. He fought tuberculosis most of his life, and saved himself from its ravages until old age, but it was the final cause of his death. In the days when the end drew near he talked of death as calmly as he talked of life. How good it is of God to remove the terror of dissolution and provide peace of mind when the great change is at hand. We fear death all our lives but when it comes it is not what we have dreaded. There was little clouding of the mind, and interest in family and friends was manifest to the last. And when the duty finally came he died so peacefully, it was "like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams."
Funeral services were held at the Bergman home Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., conducted by Rev. John A. Kettle, and were largely attended from town and country. The Burial was in Lakeview Cemetery.
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