Milton D. Bevan 1837-1902

BEVAN, SARGENT, WHITE

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 7/2/2010 at 21:44:14

Rev. M. D. Bevan at Rest
The Well Known and Beloved Pastor and Soldier Died Easter Sunday
Rev. Milton D. Bevan died last Sunday morning at 4:30 o’clock at his residence in the city of empyemia. Since the beginning of his last sickness Mr. Bevan had been in a critical condition and his death expected although all Estherville hoped and prayed that the honorable old gentleman might be spared to assist, as he did in times past, with a noble example and kindly advice in inspiring in the hearts of men greater and higher ideals and better things. But death has carried him to his great reward. The funeral services were held at the residence at 1:30 o’clock p.m. and at the First Baptist church at 2:30 o’clock. The services were a fitting tribute to the universal love and esteem in which the veteran was held. An appropriate passage from the scripture was rad by Rev. Knowlton, and Rev. Ginn offered a most touching and suitable prayer. Rev. McLeod gave an excellent address on Ministers’ Personal Acquaintance with Rev. M. D. Bevan. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. D. McMasters of Tama, Iowa. Obituary address was delivered by Rev. Braithwaite of Swea City, who also had charge of the funeral services. Choice musical selections were sung. The G.A.R. and W.R.C. assisted in the services, and the remains were laid to rest at Oak Hill cemetery.

The floral tributes were among the finest ever seen in Estherville.

Rev. Milton D. Bevan was one of five sons and three daughters of Samuel and Eliza Ann Bevan, six of whom are still living. He was born on a farm in Atlanta, Illinois, February 23, 1837, where he grew to manhood.

Mr. Bevan was converted and united with the Atlanta Baptist church at th age of 16 years.

He graduated from the Collegiate and Theological department of the Shurtleff College at Upper Alton, Illinois, September 1860.

May 2, 1864 he enlisted in Co. D. 14, Illinois infantry, and was honorably discharged September 23rd same year.

He was ordained as a Baptist minister in the year 1869 and his pastoral work covered the following fields and years:

1873, pastor of Greenville, Illinois, Baptist church
1874 – 1888, pastor of Normal Baptist church, Normal, Illinois (note: probably 1878 not 1888)
1879-1880, pastor of Springfield Baptist church, Missouri
1881 – 1882, recalled by Greenville, Illinois, Baptist church
1882 – 1885, on advice from his physician he gave up active pastor work on account of poor health
1885 – 1893, pastor, Atlantic, Iowa, Baptist church
1893 – 1900, pastor, Estherville, Iowa, Baptist church

Mr. Bevan baptized not less than 300 persons and performed no less than 136 marriage ceremonies.

The Reverend was married to Miss Lillia A. Sargent, July 9, 1872, to which union five children were born, all of whom are dead except Attorney Sargent Bevan of our city. His wife died on Oct. 23rd, 1880. On December 16, 1885, he was again joined in holy matrimony, this time marrying Miss Annie E. White, who survives him.

The departure of Rev. M. D. Bevan has left a vacancy in the community which cannot be readily filled. He was a large-hearted, hard-working, public-spirited to an exceptional degree, and a person who was felt and appreciated in the upbuilding of our city. Born and raised on a farm, he possessed all those sterling qualities of manhood which are in those whose childhood is spent in the environments of country life. Since his residence in Estherville he had become the pastor of the people and while the First Baptist church had him as a member and official pastor he was no less the pastor and friend of every Christian and citizen in Estherville. The First Baptist church will especially feel his loss as he was the prime factor in that church, just as he was before resigning his pastorate in 1900. As Rev. Bevan was one of the principal speakers at nearly all important programs given in Estherville in the last four years his absence from those gatherings will make his loss the more appreciated. The venerable minister has gone to his just reward. Peace to his spirit.

Estherville community truly sympathizes with Mrs. M. D. Bevan, Sargent Bevan, and brothers and sisters in the loss of this beloved member from the household. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, April 2, 1902)

Rev. M. D. Bevan requested that $2,300 of his money be distributed among charitable institutions, Estherville Baptist church getting $300. His theological library was given to Des Moines College. Mr. Bevan in this action has shown the same kindly spirit which has been the controlling factor in his life. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, April 9, 1902)

Dr. Bevan Leaves Large Amounts to Church Institutions
The late Dr. Bevan, before his demise, requested that the bequests which he would make be carried out. There is no will and part of his bequests are made to different church societies. Following are the amounts left:
Iowa Baptist State Convention - $500
A.M. Baptist Pub. Society - $500
A.M. Baptist Home Mission Soc’y - $500
Estherville Baptist Church - $300
Besides these bequests he left to the Des Moines college his entire theological library which is one of the largest in the city. Dr. Bevan was, during his lifetime, one of the largest contributors to different societies in the church and his requests that the different amounts named should be given, are in direct obedience to this policy. The Baptist church in this city is one in which he was much interested as he was highly instrumental in the erection of it. (The Evening Tribune, Estherville, IA, April 3, 1902)

Dr. M. D. Bevan Dead
Passed Away Yesterday Morning After an Illness of Three Weeks
Was Prominent Devine
Succumbed to an Attack of Pneumonia of a Virulent Type
Funeral Held Tomorrow
The Death of One of the Best Known Ministers of Northern Iowa
Dr. Bevan is dead. This startling truth, while though expected by a large number of his friends, came as a shock to the community at large. He had been suffering for a long time from the dread disease pneumonia but the fact of his staying the disease off for so long a time gave hope to his friends and relatives. But the angel of death has claimed him and at 4:30 Sunday morning, when the day was just beginning to break, death with his awful cycle entered the home and robbed Estherville and the world at large of one of her best and noblest men.

Dr. Bevan has been a man among many. He has labored among the people of the city with an untiring interest since his residence here. His thought has been the thought of the many and his work has been the work of everyone. He has devoted his every moment to the alleviation of the suffering and to the noblest of Christian work.

Milton D. Bevan was born at Atlanta, Illinois, on the 23rd of February, 1837. All the days of his youth and his earlier manhood were spent in the city of his birth. It was here that he was first identified with the Baptist church in his ministry. In the year 1850 he entered Shortleff College at Upper Alton, Ill., and finished the coursed in the classical and theological schools.

On the 2nd of May 1864 he enlisted in Co. D. 145 Illinois infantry and served with distinction in the ranks until he was discharged in September of the same year. As a veteran he is closely identified with the Atlanta Post and the Estherville Post. From 1868-69 he was engaged at the Newton Theological Seminary in seminary work and in the year 1869 he was ordained at the Atlanta Blooming convention.

He began active service in the ministry by being called to the Baptist church of Greenville, Ill. In 1869 and continued in the service of this church until the year 1873 when he was called to the pastorate of the Normal Baptist church where he worked until the year 1878. In the year 1879 he was called to the pastorate of the Baptist church of Springfield, Mo., where he continued until he was recalled to the pulpit at Greenville, Ill. In 1882 at the advice of his physician he gave up work temporarily and devoted time to study and regaining his health until 1885 when he accepted a call to the pulpit of the Baptist church of Atlantic, Iowa. In this charge he remained until the year 1893 when he moved to this city where he has resided since. His great and good work of Christ in this city is attested by the fact that he has converted over 300 souls to the religion of the church.

On July 9th, 1872 he was united in marriage to Lillie M. Sargent. Of this union five children were born and of the five only one, Sargent, survives. Mrs. Lillie Sargent-Bervan passed away October 23, 1880. He was again united in marriage December 16, 1885 to Miss Annie E. White who survives him. The closing of this career of Christian purity and brotherly love occurred at 4:30 o’clock on the morning of Easter and if the name of Easter is in any way symbolic, surely it was a most blessed passing away on the day commemorative of the Savior’s resurrection.

Thus was born, has lived and died one of the men to whom we are indebted. We are thankful to him for his presence, for his ever ready word of condolence and his strict adherence to the rigid principle. He was one of a thousand, a true exemplification of the stanza, “princes and lords are but the breath of kings but an honest man is the noblest work of God.”

In this city he labored with the people of his church as few would do. He saw to the needs of sick in flesh as well as sick in spirit and the memory of his deeds will regain a monument to one of “God’s own noblemen.”

He leaves to mourn him a wife and his son, Sargent, and to them is extended the heartfelt sympathy of a legion of friends.

The funeral services will be held at the residence at 1:30 and at the church at 2:30 and the remains will be interred in Oak Hill cemetery. (The Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, April 4, 1902)