John R. Horswell 1846-1923

HORSWELL, MURTON, HANSEN, HANSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 4/2/2011 at 17:36:44

John Horswell Passes Away
Pioneer Resident of County and Late of This City Succumbs to Flu
Was an Ordained Minister
Has Been Prominent Here in Church Work and for Years Was a Leading Farmer
Another of Emmet county’s highly respected and prominent pioneer settlers passed away at three o’clock this morning after a brief illness of the Flu. For the past few years Rev. J. R. Horswell has resided in this city, west of the river. Before that time he was a resident of Emmet township residing on what is still known as the Horswell farm. He has always been a close adherent of the M.E. church and a very active worker in all religious work. While engaged in farming he was a hard worker and always endeavored to improve farming methods and the products of the farm. In fairs and farm educational work he was always one of the leaders. He always took some interest in politics, but not to the extent of being a politician. He never sought office for himself. He was a great student and reader and was highly educated and a fine conversationalist on almost every subject.

The Rev. John R. Horswell was born in England on May 13, 1846, and was the son of Richard Horswell. In the year 1849 he came to Canada with his parents where they resided for twelve years. They then returned to England and remained there six years. They again settled in Canada and in 1869 the Rev. John R. Horswell came to the United States and settled in Humboldt. He in the fall of the same years joined his father who homesteaded. The Rev. Horswell was educated in the public schools and acquired an academic course in England. His first charge under his calling was at Humboldt, and in the early days he established many churches in that section of the state.

John R. Horswell was united in marriage on December 20 1871, to Miss Susan C. Murton at Kingston, Ontario. To this union there were six children born, four sons and two daughters. His good wife passed away only a short time before him. The arrangements for the funeral services have not as yet been completed. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, March 7, 1923)

J. R. Horswell Dies Very Suddenly
Community Shocked by Report That He Died Early This Morning
Rev. J. R. Horswell died at three o’clock this morning at his home on west Des Moines street, at the age of seventy-three years. While he has been gradually failing during recent years he was in about his usual health until a few days ago when it is though he had a partial stroke, and this together with a lung trouble that developed speedily into pneumonia was the cause of his taking away. Everything humanly possible was done to stay the course of the decease but his body weakened by his years and gradually declining health, could not withstand the attack and he passed out to his great reward.

Mr. Horswell was born at Plymouth, England, and came to this country with his parents when a boy. They afterwards returned to America, settling in Canada, where Mr. Horswell was married. His first residence in the United States was when he and his wife came to Storm Lake in 1871, where he assumed the pastorate of the Methodist church. From that time on he filled numerous pulpits, preaching for thirty years in the Des Moines Conference.

Twenty-seven years ago, on account of failing health, he found it necessary to give up the ministry, his last charge being at Stuart, Iowa. From this place he and his family came direct to Estherville, locating on the well-known Horswell farm at Emmet bridge, about five miles north of town. Here he lived and reared his family until about eight years ago when he and his wife moved into town, leaving the farm in charge of their son, Hugo.

With the passing of Mr. Horswell Estherville loses one of her most stalwart and noble citizens. A man of high ideals and splendid principles with a big program for his life and the courage and will power to carry it through. No one could look into his rugged face and steady eye without feeling the force of his character, without feeling that here was a man without guile or hypocrisy, to whom right and the cause of right was the dominant factor in his life. Such men the world needs and their passing always leaves a void that is hard to fill. He was a man whom to know was to love and his wise and sane counsel, helpful advice and kindly influence will be greatly missed by those whose privilege it was to know and associate with him.

He leaves to mourn his departure five children, Dr. U. M. Horswell of Wausaukee, Wis., Hugo of California, John of Harris, Iowa , and Mrs. H. H. Hansen and Joy Horswell of this city, besides numerous grandchildren and other relatives. Mrs. Horswell preceded him by a year and a half, dying September 21, 1921. The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock form the Methodist church. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, March 7, 1923)

John R. Horswell
John R. Horswell was born in Plymouth [England] May 13, 1846 and died in Estherville, Iowa March 7, 1923, having attained the age of 76 years, 9 months and 22 days.

When a child about three years he came with his parents to America and settled in Canada where they resided for twelve years and then with them returned to England where they again made their home for six years during which time young Horswell was put through the common schools and given an academic training , he also prepared for the ministry of the Methodist church and at the expiration of this period of preparation again returned with his family to Canada where he entered the active ministry in 1868.

During the year 1869 the Rev. John R. Horswell removed from Canada to the United States and entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church in Iowa making his first home and holding his first pastorate at Humboldt. Shortly afterwards the mission work along the Illinois Central Railroad was opened up and here Brother Horswell found his field of service and started preaching services from Manson to Alta. He was the first Methodist minister regularly appointed to Storm Lake where he was serving as pastor when he returned to Canada and in Kingston, Ontario, on December 20, 1871, was united in marriage to Miss Susan C. Murton whom he brought as his young bride to his work in Storm Lake. For thirty years thereafter, excepting two or three years at the time when the Northwest Iowa Conference was organized, he being a pastor within the bounds of that conference at the time of its organization and thereby becoming a charter member of the same, he was in the active ministry of the Des Moines Conference and served as pastor of such charges as Alden, Allerton, Bedford, Garden Grove, Russell, Osceola, Perry, Winterset and Nevada. Throughout his long period of pastoral service, his faithful wife was his strongest counselor and sure comfort. Their labors were not denied the full harvest for much was accomplished in the building of the Kingdom which constituted a most forceful factor in moral progress throughout the territory which they had served.

In 1895 Brother Horswell retired from the active pastorate entering the superannuated relation in his conference and immediately moved onto his farm in Emmet county which he had previously purchased. For eighteen years he lived and labored on this farm proving himself a most progressive farmer. He engaged in the raising of thoroughbred stock, he led in the organization of the Emmet County Farm Improvement Association, and later in the organization of the Emmet county Fair Association. He was especially interested in the Estherville Free Public Library. In fact, anything which seemed to him to promise helpfulness and a forward-look in its results had his unqualified backing and active support.

About eight years ago he and his faithful wife having grown to an age which entitled them to a less strenuous life retired from the farm and moved into Estherville where they could live quietly and more easily avail themselves of the blessings of the church and give themselves more devotedly to the worship of God and the service of the community.

The union of this worthy couple had been blessed with the gift of six children – four sons and two daughters – all of whom had already grown to maturity and had established homes of their own or had entered upon their respective careers. Early in the spring of 1920 the older daughter, Abigail, who had chosen the life of a teacher and who was at the time of her death holding a professorship in Upper Iowa University, becoming ill and finding no relief returned to the parental home and within a few days passed to her reward in the happy beyond, being the first to break the family circle. Immediately Mother Horswell seemed to enter a decline in health and appeared to be longing for that which this world could not supply and nineteen months later slipped away leaving only Father Horswell in the home. After five or six months of such loneliness his daughter, Mrs. H. H. Hanson, and her family came to live with him and to add light and joy in companionship during the remainder of his life.

During the past year Brother Horswell has been in fairly good health although it was plain to be seen that he was steadily growing more feeble. Yet he was almost invariably in his place in church and took a very active part in the public worship and in the Men’s Bible class in the Sunday school where his keep insight into Bible truths and his alert mind was ever in evidence. No department of the church will miss him more than the Men’s Bible class in the Sunday School.

On Sunday, February 25th, he was at the church services both morning and evening and entered the discussions of the class with his usual energy and alertness. When he failed to appear at the services on Sunday, March 4th, because of the snow storm and the attendant difficulty in getting around no one thought it strange, but it was indeed a profound surprise on the following Wednesday morning when it was reported that he had died after only three or four days suffering from grippe or perhaps a slight stroke. Thus a long and useful life had closed leaving behind blessings and happy memories for those who mourn his loss.

Not only was Brother Horswell interested in Emmet county and the people with whom he was closely associated, but his great sympathy and great interest extended to the far ends of the earth and one of his last and most notable actions was the establishment of a memorial to his beloved daughter, Abigail. This memorial consists of a fund of ten thousand dollars to be used in the building of a Christian school and dormitory, Lahore, India, and constitutes what he deemed his daughter’s rightful share in the Horswell estate. Hence while the ages roll onward and the Kingdom of God continues to spread in that benighted land over increasing numbers of Indian women will rise up to bless the name of Horswell.

Mr. Horswell came from a large family of brothers and sisters, most of whom still survive. Besides these he is mourned by his four sons, Dr. Murton Horswell of Wisconsin, John of Harris, Iowa, Joy of Estherville and Hugo of California; one daughter, Mrs. H. H. Hansen of Estherville to whom was given the responsibility and the joy of the last tender care of her father as also that of her mother. There are also a larger number of grandchildren and a host of friends, all of whom mourn his death marking it as a distinct loss to the church, the community and the county.

Funeral services were held from the Methodist Episcopal church on Friday afternoon in charge of the Rev. J. W. LaGrone, pastor. The Rev. J. J. Bushness, district superintendent; and the Rev. Herbert Marsh of Dolliver, Albert A. Howe of Terril and Arthur Bottom of Burt were present and assisted in the service. A double quartet furnished music for the service and the floral offerings were especially beautiful and abundant. The body was buried in the family lot at Oak Hill Cemetery. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, March 14, 1923)