Ebenezer Clark Belt 1840-1926

BELT, LEWIS, KLINE, OWENS, OZIAS, BROOKS, NICHOLSON, RICHMOND

Posted By: Dorothy Gosse (email)
Date: 8/28/2010 at 22:08:35

Ebenezer Clark Belt, second son of Aquilla Belt and
Henrietta Lewis Belt, was born near Warsaw, Indiana
May 3, 1840 and died in his home, 208 First Avenue
East, Oelwein, Ia, August 13, 1926 at the ripe age of
86 years, 3 months and 10 days.

He spent the first ten years of his life in the place of
his birth at which time his parents with their family
migrated to Iowa and rented a farm near Mt. Vernon in
Linn County. Here in the parental home he lived for two
years. In the meantime his father had taken up a tract of
land from the government in the extreme north end of
Buchanan county in the neighborhood of what is known
as Greeley's Grove or Coy town. Here the family built up
their homestead and permanent home. In this neighbor-
hood Mr. Belt spent the balance of his childhood days,
attended the district school and grew to manhood. As
a young man he was privileged to attend school at
Fayette in what is now Upper Iowa University. Following
this for some time he taught in the district schools about
his home.

At the age of 23, at Greeley's Grove, September 17, 1863
Mr. Belt was united in marriage to Juliette Lillie of
Independence. To this union four children were born,
two of whom are living, Cora Lillie Ozias of Stanley, Iowa
and Bert Lee Belt of Oelwein, Iowa. After their marriage
for a single year they made their home near Oelwein, Iowa
and then they moved to Marengo, Iowa County, where
they lived for six years. Then they returned to Buchanan
county and made their home on Pine Creek, six miles
northeast of Independence.

In 1891 they moved to Oelwein and Mr. Belt engaged in
the real estate business at the time personally managing a
number of farms that he had aquired. He literally grew up
with Oelwein and became one of the figures of its growth
and development. When the First National Bank was
organized he became a stockholder and its first vice
president. He continued his connection with that bank until
1908 when he with a group of other men organized the
Iowa Savings Bank which he served as president for an
extended term of years. He also had extensive interests in
the business blocks of the city.

E. C. Belt was more than a successful business man ---- he
was more proud of his Christian faith and character than he
was in the measure of financial prosperity he enjoyed. He
was a member of the local lodge of Masons, A. F. & A. M.,
also the local chapter of the Order of Eastern Star.

During his lifetime Mr. Belt remembered numerous good
causes with smaller and larger gifts and during his active
years was ever a generous supporter of his church. Six years
ago he suffered a severe paralytic stroke and since that time
has been slowly failing in health. He bore his more than
fourscore years with grace and dignity.

He leaves mourning his passing his wife and life companion,
his two children mentioned above, two granddaughters,
Mrs. R. M. Kline of Stanley, Iowa and Mrs. L. B. Owens of
Texarkansas, Ark. and six great grandchildren, three sisters,
Mrs. Marion Richmond of Carthage, Mo., Mrs. S. W. Nicholson
of Ladora, Iowa and Mrs. Eliza J. Brooks of Waterloo, Iowa and
other more distant relatives.

Funeral services were conducted at the home and in Grace
Methodist church Sunday afternoon, August 15 at 4:00 by
Rev. A. W. Henke, minister of the church. Interment was
made in Woodlawn cemetery, Oelwein. Iowa.

Oelwein Daily Register - Aug 1926