Frank H. Abell 1881-1950

ABELL, SMITH, WILSON, HANSON, WASSAM, WASSAW

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 1/15/2011 at 22:07:44

Frank Abell Dies at 69
Was Retired Local Farmer
Frank Abell, 69, retired farmer of the Estherville community, died yesterday noon at Marcus Snyder memorial hospital in Spirit Lake. Cause of death was heart attack, but he had been suffering from pneumonia and other ailments and had been hospitalized intermittently since May.

He had lived in Spirit Lake since retirement Dec. 1.

He was born Feb. 24, 1881, in Illinois, and at the age of six weeks, came with his parents to Ida county, Iowa. He received his education in the Ida county rural schools, living part of his early life near Battle Creek and part near Ida Grove.

He was employed as telephone lineman in the two cities for 15 years, and Feb. 5, 1908, was married to Cora Smith of Battle Creek.

The couple soon afterwards homesteaded for 14 months near Rapid City, S.D., then returned to Ida Grove where they farmed for two years, then farmed seven years south of Estherville and successively near Mason City in Cerro Gordo county, Charles City in Floyd county and Nashua in Chickasaw county and in 1934, moved back again to the place south of Estherville, farming there until Mr. Abell’s retirement Dec. 1.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Francis of Estherville, a daughter, Mrs. Auldon Wilson of Hawkeye; three grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Cora Hanson of Miles City, Mont., Mrs. W. W. Wassam of Iowa City, and Marietta Abell of Cedar Falls, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Estherville Methodist church with the Rev. John DeLong officiating. Burial will be at Oak Hill cemetery in Estherville. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, August 14, 1950)

Frank Abell
Frank H. Abell, 69, passed away Sunday noon, at Marcus Snyder Memorial Hospital. Death was due to a heart ailment following an illness of the last four months.

He was born February 24, 1881 at Dixson, Illinois, and at the age of six weeks came with his parents to Ida County. He was educated in the public schools of Ida Grove and Battle Creek, and was later employed there as telephone lineman for fifteen years.

On February 5, 1908 he was married to Cora Smith of Battle Creek, to this union two children were born: Roma, Mrs. Aulden Wilson of Hawkeye, and Francis of Estherville.

Since 1934 he farmed south of Estherville, retiring in December 1949. At that time he established a residence in Spirit Lake.

Surviving are his wife and children; three grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Minnie Abell Wassaw, of Iowa City, Mrs. Cora Abell Hanson of Miles City, Mont. and Marietta Abell of Cedar Falls, as well as several nieces and nephews. (Spirit Lake Beacon, Spirit Lake, IA, August 17, 1950)