Morton Jared Luddington 1842-1923

LUDDINGTON, LENT, SHAW, DAYTON, BURNHAM

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 8/22/2010 at 16:23:04

Aged Estherville Man Found Dead In Tampa
Had Gone to Florida Expecting to Buy a Home in Which to Spend His Last Years

Mr. Morton Jared Luddington, age 81, was found dead in a rooming house Saturday morning at Tampa, Fla. When found there was about $6,000 worth of traveling checks on his person and it was also found that he had some $200 deposited in a bank in that city. He had but recently gone from this city and on leaving had told his children that he intended to buy a place and get to work on it.

Upon receiving the news of his death the children at once telegraphed for the body to be brought back to Estherville for burial and it is now on its way. Burial service will be held at once upon its arrival.

Mr. Luddington was born on June 11, 1842 at Syracuse, N.Y., and came to Emmet county in 1914, living in his home on North 11th St. He was married in 1865 to Martha Jane Lent of DeWitt, Iowa, who was his faithful helpmeet until March 24, 1922, when she passed away. Five children survive, Mrs. Mary Shaw of Superior, Mrs. Frank Dayton of Pueblo, Colo., Mrs. Arthur Burnham of Correctionville, and the Misses Irene and Alice Luddington of this city. Mrs. Luddington was a farmer and had lived before coming to Estherville, in Correctionville from1868 until 1907 and at Anaheim, Calif., from 1907 until 1914. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, February 21, 1923)

Tampa, Florida – Feb. 18.An aged white man, identified from papers found in his clothing as Morton Luddington, of Estherville, Iowa, was found dead in bed yesterday at 10 o’clock at rooming house at No. 508 Twiggs street. Apparently the man had been dead for several hours when a member of the family conducting the rooming house went in to his room to clean it up. That he died from heart failure or similar cause was the decision of Justice of the Peace J. E. Williams who was summoned to conduct an inquest. Judge Williams decided that an inquest was not necessary.

The body was turned over to B. Marion Reed, undertaker, and up to a late hour last night Mr. Reed had failed to get in communication with relatives or other persons at Estherville who knew Luddington.

Travelers checks in the amount of $6,000 were found sewed in an undergarment of the dead man, and about $20 in currency and silver was found in the pockets of his trousers, while a bank book showed that he had deposited $186 in the Bank of Commerce in this city. He appeared to be about 70 years old.

The travelers checks were issued from the Iowa State Bank at Estherville, and Mr. Reed yesterday wired that bank in an effort to secure information regarding relatives or other knowledge concerning the dead man, but received no reply last night. According to the people at the rooming house Luddington obtained a room there several days ago and had never conversed with anyone here regarding himself or his affairs. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, February, 28, 1923).