George Wesley Neville 1874-1901

NEVILLE, SKYLLINGSTAD

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 11/15/2010 at 20:34:25

Dies of Smallpox
George W. Neville Passes Away Suddenly at Spooner, Wis.

Like a thunderbolt from a clear sky came the sad news Thursday [December 5, 1901] evening of the death of George W. Neville of this city. He sold out his restaurant business here on November 1st and on the 5th left for Spooner Wis., where he had taken a homestead a few months previous. His wife went to Milford to live with her parents until Mr. Neville had erected a house and then she intended to join him and they were to make Spooner their future home. He had his house well underway when an epidemic of smallpox visited that vicinity. He was taken down with this dreadful disease on November 29th, at the home of his uncle, S. M. Howard, who resided near Spooner and wrote his relatives that he had been quarantined but did not think his case was a severe one. The letter reached here Thursday morning and in the evening a telegram came announcing his death. It was a great shock to the family. Mr. Neville left at once for that place to learn the circumstances surrounding his sudden demise. It seems at no time was he sick in bed but was up and around the house, although broken out considerable. He ventured out of doors Wednesday afternoon for a short time and retired in the evening at his usual hour, rooming with a young gentleman from here who had accompanied him to Spooner some time ago. About five o’clock the following morning he awakened this young gentleman (we cannot recall his name) and asked for a drink of water and said his mouth tasted bad. At six o’clock Mr. Howard called at the room to learn how he was feeling and found him dead. It is believed that he had taken a little cold on venturing out the day previous and the disease struck to his heart, which had always been considered very weak. In fact he never could get any life insurance on account of the weakness of his heart. Dying from a contagious disease he could not be brought home and the saddest part was having to bury him away from home and relatives. Mr. Neville, his father, could do nothing to assist in the burial so he returned home. The remains were interred in the cemetery near Spooner on Sunday afternoon.

George Neville was one of the most highly respected young men of Estherville and one of the most generous boys that ever lived. He was born in Floyd county, Ia., on January 21, 1874, and was 27 years of age at the time of his death. He was married to Miss Anna Skyllingstad of Milford, on Feb. 22, 1899, and had lived in Estherville for nineteen years. He was a social member of the Modern Woodmen Lodge at Huntington, but carried no insurance in the order. Besides a wife and little daughter he leaves a father and mother, two brothers and three sisters to mourn his untimely death. The sympathy of his many friends in this town and county is extended to the bereaved relatives in their hour of profound sorrow. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, December 11, 1901)

George W. Neville Dead

Last Thursday afternoon the sad news came to Mr. O. Neville that his son, George Wesley Neville had just passed away in Burnette county, Wisconsin after a three days sickness with small pox. The news produced a profound and sympathetic impression in this city where George has lived for the last nineteen years and where everybody held him in high esteem. Mr. O. Neville left Friday for Wisconsin where he will attend to the burial and look after the effects of his deceased son. Owing to the nature of his death it will be impossible to bring the remains to Estherville now.

G. W. Neville was born in Floyd county, Iowa, January 25, 1874. His early life was spent on the farm. When George was eight years of age his parents moved to Estherville where they have since made their home. George’s early life here in Estherville was not different from that of the ordinary young man of Estherville. He attended school and was obedient to duty. In 1892 Mr. Neville took a course in the Athenaeum Business college of Chicago. February 22nd, 1899 he married Miss Anna Skyllingstad of Milford, Iowa. One child blessed this union. The last business venture of Mr. Neville’s in Estherville was the proprietorship of the Saratoga Café. He disposed of his interest in the Café about the first of November and left November 5th for Spooner, Wisconsin, where he took up a timber claim. Mrs. Neville and the baby remained with her parents in Milford, Iowa. He was a member of the Modern Woodmen of American and was liked by everybody. Active and bright he exhibited good business qualities and had he been spared he would have made a successful business career. Taken from life in the nick of manhood, dead before he had the proper surrounding in which to show his ability, George W. Neville is laid to rest.

We extend to Mrs. G. W. Neville and little baby and to the parents and brothers and sisters of the deceased our most hearty sympathy. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, December 11, 1901)

George Neville Dead
Died of Smallpox in Burnette County, Wisconsin, Dec. 5th

Thursday night Mr. and Mrs. O. Neville, of this city, received a telegram announcing the death of their son, George, in Burnette county, Wisconsin, to which place he had but recently gone from here. He was a victim of smallpox which had been prevalent in that locality for some time but until recently had been called Cuban itch by some doctors and by others chicken pox. The news was a great shock to the family here as well as to the community in which George had lived for nineteen years, in fact growing to manhood in our midst. He had not been sick over a week and none of the time was considered dangerous. He was able to be about most of the time, but Thursday morning was taken worse and went to bed and in the afternoon he died without a struggle. Of course it being smallpox his wife and none of his relatives could be present at the burial, but his father went there and got the full particulars as given above. A wife and a daughter less than two years old, now in Estherville, his parents, three sisters and two brothers are left to mourn his demise.

George Wesley Neville was born in Floyd county, Iowa, Jan. 21, 1874, and removed with his parents to Estherville in 1882 where he has since lived most of the time. In 1892 he went to Chicago and attended the athenacum business college after which he returned to Estherville and went into business with his father remaining in business here off and on until the first of November of this years when he sold out and went to Burnette county, Wisconsin to look after his land.

February 22, 1899, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Skyllingstad, of Milford. To this union one child was born.

He was a member in good standing of the M.W.A. lodge at Huntington.

In his every day life he was a manly man, generous, kind hearted and honored by his associates who extend to the relatives their heartfelt sympathy. (Emmet County Republican, Estherville, IA, December 12, 1901)