Henry Oscar Sillge 1861-1943

SILLGE, CARPENTER, ROGERS, HANSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 12/19/2010 at 14:17:17

Pioneer Harness Man Dies
Had Been Critically Ill for Several Weeks; Came to Estherville in 1882 from Wisconsin
H. O. Sillge, pioneer, Estherville merchant, passed away at 1:10 p.m. yesterday after a long illness. He had been in failing health this winter and had been critically ill for the past two weeks. He was 81 years of age.

Henry Oscar Sillge was born August 10, 1861 in Wauzeka, Wis. In 1882 he came to Estherville with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Sillge and other members of the family and with his father set up in the shoe and harness business. This he continued after his father’s death to make a total of 52 years as an Estherville business man. He retired in 1934.

Second only to his pride in his trade were his loyalty and interest in the local Odd Fellow lodge and in the Estherville fire department. He was a charter member of both organizations. He had gone through the various chairs of the Odd Fellow lodge and was secretary for many years. He was treasurer of the fire department through almost its entire existence, resigning only a short time ago. He was a member of the Woodman lodge and of the Elks’ lodge until last year.

At the age of 14 he was confirmed in the German Lutheran church.

Left to mourn his death are his widow [Minnie Carpenter Sillge]; two sisters, Mrs. George Rogers of Estherville and Mrs. Alvina Hanson of Tampa, Florida; two brothers, William M. Sillge of Wauzeka, Wis., Ed Sillge of Estherville and six nephews and nieces.

Funeral arrangements are not complete as yet, but they will probably be Friday with burial in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Known throughout the community for his honesty and integrity in all his business relations, Mr. Sillge will be mourned by hundreds whom he served in his trade and whom he served in his trade and with whom he was associated socially. A quiet, unassuming exterior hid the heart of a kindly gentleman of the old school. He was well read and to the last maintained an interest not only in all local affairs but in the present world crisis. One of his hobbies was a scrap book in which can be found the growth and development of the Estherville community and items of his personal participation in its activities. The very items in the book are an index to the high caliber of his moral and business standards. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, March 25, 1943)

Oscar Sillge (By Jas. E. Jenkins)
A number of old Estherville friends have called me over the phone to ask if I had heard of the passing of our old friend, Oscar Sillge – wouldn’t I “write something about him, to revive and perhaps sweeten old memories.” This is an honor, indeed, and while I feel these friends have overestimated my ability to write what might properly be written of this quiet, kindly friend, neighbor of over 60 years, this “small town” citizen who was representative of the best of the “large towns” – this typical “John Doe” of the highest type; yet I feel it proper in sending condolences to the family to add that in the passing of Oscar Sillge the community has lost a part of itself, something of its entity; and the old town will never be the same to those of us who watched the newcomers come and go, and got to rely upon and have faith in those who stayed; and who suffered with us the ups and downs of the pioneer days. At this time, as might be known, Oscar was there, on the spot, reliable, trustworthy – and finally indispensable. And he never disappointed those who were disposed to be fair and reasonable – and who wanted what was best for the community.

And while we are all sorry to have him go to his reward, there will be general feeling among old friends that this reward must be something extra-special to equal his love for his “old home town” and the friends whose greetings had been his daily delight for half a century. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, April 8, 1943)