John Lucas 1853-1920

LUCAS, WILBUR, VAN VALKENBURGH, VAN VALKENBERG, VAN VALKENBURG, TASWELL, HEAL

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 8/22/2010 at 09:07:13

Pioneer Man Passes Away
John Lucas One of Emmet County’s First Settlers Dies in This City
Came Here in Sixty Three
Mr. Lucas Underwent All the Trials and Tribulations of the Pioneer Citizen

John Lucas a pioneer resident of this county passed away at this home on Main Street on July the 9th. Mr. Lucas came to Emmet County with his parents in 1863 and has resided here since that time. He was united in marriage to Viola Wilbur of Jackson County, Minnesota, April 8th 1874 and they have resided here or near here since that time. There is probably no one in the County who has seen or felt more of the early hardships of pioneer life than has John Lucas. They were isolated from civilization here for years in the early times and underwent all the hardships of the early winters.

To Mr. and Mrs. Lucas there were born nine children, six sons and three daughters. Of these, five sons and one daughter still live. They are William of Sheridan, Wyo., Charles and Roy of Estherville, Burt of Cedar Rapids and Percy of Austin, Minnesota, and Mrs. Ray Van Valkenburgh of Estherville. Besides his wife, Mrs. Viola D. Lucas and the six children just mentioned, he is survived by eleven grandchildren, three brothers and three sisters and many other relatives scattered throughout the great Northwest. Mr. Lucas died in a local hospital at an early hour last Friday evening. Funeral services were held from the Methodist Episcopal church on Tuesday afternoon, July 13th, with the Rev. J. W. LaGrone, the pastor in charge. During the last hours of Mr. Lucas but while he was still in full possession of his intellect and powers of reason he called for Rev. Mr. LaGrone who responded immediately and talked with him and prayed with him. Mr. Lucas was himself of the Baptist faith as was his mother before him. The body was buried in the Eastside Cemetery. The many friends and acquaintances of the family deeply sympathize with them in this their great loss. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, July 14, 1920)

Emmet County Loses Old Settler
John Lucas Passes Away July 9 – Burial Was at Eastside Cemetery

John Lucas was born in Kane County, Illinois, October 29, 1853, and died in Estherville, Iowa, July 9, 1920, at the age of 66 years, eight months and ten days. Mr. Lucas was one of a very large family and had most intimate associations with those early pioneer days of Emmet County and the immediate vicinity of Estherville as may be seen from the following very interesting sketch of his mother’s life as printed in an old history of Northwest Iowa: “Mrs. Ann Lucas, a pioneer settler, is a resident of section 20, Emmet township, Emmet County, Iowa. She is a native of England and was born in the year 1832. Her parents, Charles and Betsy (Taswell) Heal, emigrated to American in 1844 and located in Kane County, Illinois. Her mother is still living, but the father was frozen to death in 1852. The lady whose name appears at the head of this sketch was married to John A. Lucas, February 13, 1850. Soon after her marriage she came to Winneshiek County, Iowa, and made that her home for eight years, when they removed to Emmet County, locating on the place where she now lives in 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas had a family of thirteen children – Henry, John, Eliza, James, Silas, Betsey, Caroline, Emely, Miranda, Daniel, Charles, Elva, and Hiram. Mrs. Lucas is a lady of estimable character and in religious sentiment a Baptist, in which society she welds a strong influence in her township. The Lucas family were truly pioneers in this locality, and Mr. and Mrs. Lucas endured many hardships and privations. In early times during the Indian outbreaks, Mr. Lucas enlisted in the service and the constant danger from Indian attacks caused the stoutest heart to blanche with fear. At one time the settlers all fled to Estherville and there constructed fortifications. Mrs. Lucas was often necessarily left alone while her husband was in the service, and several times was obliged to face the terrible blizzards of those days, in which it would have been almost certain death to have lost her way. In those days supplies and provisions could only be secured in Mankato, Minnesota, or at Fort Dodge and Sioux City, Iowa, and often weather or high water made it impossible to reach those points, which were one hundred miles away. For weeks at a time they would grind wheat in the coffee-mill, or lived on boiled wheat and the fish caught in the lakes. Thus it will be seen that John Lucas was born and reared amidst the most extreme pioneer conditions and spent his entire life in the vicinity of Estherville.

On April 18, 1874, Mr. Lucas was united in marriage with Miss Viola D. Wilbur in Jackson County, Minnesota. He brought his young bride to his home in Emmet County and with her he lived in happiness and joy until his death separated them on July 9th. To this union were born nine children – six sons and three daughters. Of these five sons and one daughter still live. They are William of Sheridan, Wyo., Charles and Roy of Estherville, Burt of Cedar Rapids and Percy of Austin, Minnesota, and Mrs. Ray Van Valkenburgh of Estherville. Besides his wife, Mrs. Viola D. Lucas, and six children just mentioned, he is survived by eleven grandchildren, three brothers and three sisters and many other relatives scattered throughout the great Northwest. Mr. Lucas died in a local hospital at an early hour last Friday evening. Funeral services were held from the Methodist Episcopal church on Tuesday afternoon, July 13th, with Rev. J. W. LaGrone, the pastor in charge. During the last hours of Mr. Lucas but while he was still in possession of his intellect and powers of reason he called for Rev. Mr. LaGrone who responded immediately and talked with him and prayed with him. Mr. Lucas was himself of the Baptist faith as was his mother before him. The body was buried in the Eastside Cemetery. The many friends and acquaintances of the family deeply sympathize with them in their great loss. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, July 14, 1920)