H. William Holcomb 1851-1921

HOLCOMB, NELSON, WEIR, OSBURG, BROOKS, EMERY

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 11/13/2011 at 00:55:47

Holcomb
H.W. Holcomb was born in Bleking, Sweden, December 14, 1851 and with his parents came to America when not yet two years of age, landing in Knox County, Illinois June 20, 1853. Here he grew to manhood and was united in marriage to Miss Phernella Nelson at Knoxville on August 19, 1875. To this union thirteen children were born, seven of whom still survive.

Mr. Holcomb came to Iowa more than thirty years ago and has for many years been a resident of Estherville and vicinity. He suffered from an attack of pneumonia many years ago and has never been a well man since being a constant sufferer and ever growing weaker and more helpless. For two years he has been confined to his house out in East Lawn. For the past two weeks he has been daily expected to pass away, in fact he was longing for release from his pain. Saturday [March 26, 1921], shortly before noon he quietly fell asleep only to open his eyes in another world, the unseen.

He was brought up in the Swedish Lutheran church and after reaching the age of manhood united with the Methodist Episcopal church and has since been a faithful and consistent member of the same. He was a constant reader of his Bible and was very familiar with both the English and the Swedish texts. He was overjoyed when his pastor would call to visit and pray with him. His favorite text was Romans 8:38, 39.

He had almost reached the three score years and ten allotted to man, being 69 years, three months and twelve days old at the time of his death. He leaves to mourn his death his wife, Mrs. Phernella Holcomb; seven children, Mrs. Henry H. Weir of Windom, Minn., J.E. Holcomb of Butler, Ill., Mrs. Theodore Osburg of Dunnell, Minn., Mrs. William Brooks of Dierdrich, Idaho, Mrs. G.W. Emery of Arnolds Park, Iowa and Miss Lulu Holcomb and Willie Holcomb of Estherville; a brother of Swea City and a sister of Altona, Ill. besides these there are twenty grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon in the Methodist Episcopal church with Rev. J.W. LaGrone in charge. The body was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery [East Side] in the family lot. The many friends and acquaintances of the family deeply sympathize with them in this their great loss. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, March 30, 1921)