Lemuel Rothwell Bingham, 1831-1906

BINGHAM, TRACY, LUCCOCK, BANKER, FRAZIER

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 6/23/2009 at 17:51:56

L R. BINGHAM DEAD

Passed Away Sunday at Home on South Seventh Street.

Lemuel Rothwell Bingham, born in Ellsworth. Ohio, July 18, 1831, died at his home in Estherville, Iowa, January 12, 1908.

The subject of this sketch spent his youth and early manhood in his native state and at the age of twenty-one years, in the early days of the gold excitement on the Pacific coast, journeyed to California, sailing around Cape Horn as the most satisfactory route to the Eldorado of the west. His object in going to California in the early days of gold discoveries was to obtain money to pay off his father's indebtedness, incurred in his persistent efforts to support and rear a family of children evidence of his high sense of financial integrity and filial affection. He was successful and his mission resulting in the liquidation of his father's debts.

He returned to his Ohio home after an absence of four years, soon after removed to Blake's Prairie, Wisconsin, and in 1877 to Irvington, Nebraska, coming to Emmet county, Iowa, twenty-seven years ago last October. He was a deacon in the Congregational church and elder in the Presbyterian church for nearly fifty years. He was married December 29, 1857, to Martha Everts Tracy, surviving companion. Their golden wedding anniversary was recently celebrated at Oak Park, Illinois.

One son Lemuel died in infancy, a daughter Susie called home at the age of twenty-three. The following children survive: Emma, wife of Rev. G. N. Luccock, D. D. of Oak Park, Chicago, Mary, wife of Rev. Willis G. Banker, D. D., of Practor. Oklahoma; Lizzie Alice, wife of Prof. Chas. R. Frazier of Winona, Minnesota; Lewis, residing at Estherville; Walter, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, one brother William N. now resides at St. Paul, Minnesota.

Quotations from his letters home when a young man of 22 out in the gold mines of California: "I think I can say I feel the presence of God more lately, and the reason is I try to pray in secret more, and while I am away from earthly parents, make my Heavenly Father my only guide." "A young man's prayer meeting has been commenced, held on Friday evenings, eight or ten of, us attend. We are here from all parts of the states and though strangers until lately, we love to meet and talk and pray together. I am so situated that I can attend both the young men’s meetings and the weekly church prayer meeting."

The wife and companion of his youth and mature years, with Lewis and Mary, were permitted to stand by the bed side of husband and father until the weary eyelids closed and the happy spirit took its flight.

Mr. Bingham while in active life was a man of ability and strength of character, who scorned the dishonorable and was ever found on the right side of all questions of morality, temperance and religion. He felt it a duty in early life to consecrate himself to the service of God and lived an exemplary life to the end of a long and useful career and never tired and never grew weary in well doing.

Father Bingham as be was lovingly called has passed from us, yet his memory will live with us as a benediction and an incentive for good. In his beautiful old age he left behind him all of life's bitterness and strife, retaining nothing but its sweetness, and living among ns as an embodiment of all that was good and lovable. Blessed be his name and may his influence for good in this community he felt for generations to come.

Source: The Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa; January 15, 1908.