George Henry West 1871-1963

WEST, MANIECE, COUSINS, CORESINS, LEMASTER, LEO, IHRIE, WIERSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 8/5/2011 at 23:05:28

Oldest Native Son of Emmet County Dies
George Henry West, 92, believed to have been the oldest native son of Emmet County, died yesterday about 4 p.m. in Holy Family Hospital, having been taken there about 1 p.m. from Good Samaritan Home where he had made his home for the past several years. His death was attributed to complications of advanced age.

Mr. West had seen three generations of his own family turn the barren prairie into productive fields in Emmet County. He saw the homes in which he had lived change from sod shanty to a log cabin to a frame house on his farm in Center Township.

Mr. West’s grandparents and his father came to this county in June, 1867 and settled on the farm now operated by Wayne West on Highway 9 east of Estherville.

George West was born May 25, 1871, the second child in a family of 14 children, seven boys and seven girls. He was the son of George West, Sr. and Anna Cousins [Coresins] West and received his education in the county schools.

He continued to live with his parents on the home farm until he was 28. He spent a short time in Raleigh and then returned to start a farm adjacent to his father’s.

He was married Jan. 1, 1908 to Anna Maniece West and he and Mrs. West continued to make their home on the same farm until June, 1947, when they retired and moved to Estherville. His son, Kenneth, now operates the home farm. Mrs. West died Oct. 13, 1952.

Mr. West was a lifetime member of First Methodist Church, was director of the rural school near his home for many years, a charter member of the local Modern Woodmen of America; charter member of the Emmet County Farm Bureau; served for many years on the board of directors of Estherville Cooperative Creamery, and was a member of the First Methodist church board.

He is survived by one son, Kenneth, rural Estherville; two daughters, Elizabeth of Spring Valley, Calif., and Mrs. Lewis (Florence) LeMaster, Estherville; three grandsons and three granddaughters. Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Anna Leo of this city and Mrs. Robert Ihrie of Sacramento, Calif. He was preceded in death by his wife, one daughter, Mrs. Irving (Margaret) Wierson of Story City, six brothers and five sisters.

Funeral services for Mr. West are to be Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in First Methodist Church, the Rev. William R. Noland officiating. Burial will be in East Side Cemetery.

Friends may call at Fuhrman Funeral Home all day Friday and until noon Saturday at which time the body will be taken to the church. The casket will not be opened after the services.

Active pallbearers are to be Jim Hartman, Robert Harman, Verne Von Hagen, Ralph Rouse, Edwin Thoreson and Elmer Adams.

Honorary pallbearers are to be R. S. Knight, Walter Schultz, Henry Mahlum, C. P. Jackson, August Rosenberger and P. E. Frettem. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, August 22, 1963)