YOWELL, W. J.

YOWELL, WELSH, LAKE, KILPATRICK, FAUBION, HINTZ, SIEGAL, WIGHTMAN, FARMER, WALKER

Posted By: Oregon Rain
Date: 3/21/2007 at 00:13:12

Submitted by WF
SIDNEY ARGUS - HERALD
Sidney, Fremont co., Iowa
April 18, 1929

--"AGED MASON HAS BUT A BRIEF STAY AT HOME. Transplanted To Strange Scenes,
Former Active Citizen Passes Out. MEMBER OF ORDER 55 YEARS".--

Barely six weeks after he had gone to live at the State Masonic home at Bettendorf, near Davenport, W. J. Yowell, 85, died at that institution Sunday, April 14.

He went to the home February 25. Mr. Yowell was born at Lexington, Kentucky, in 1844, and at the age of 3 years he came to Illinois with his parents on the first lap of a pioneer journey which was to terminate at Sidney on April 15, 1865 -- the day on which Lincoln died -- the date being impressed on Mr. Yowell's mind by the sight of flags flying at half-mast on the first day he saw Sidney. His journey from St. Joseph to this place was made by stage coach, at that time running on regular schedule north and south.

He remained in Sidney about a month, going from here to Hamburg where he worked as a clerk in the store of A. S. Walker, who was a former ssociate at Lexington. Mr.Yowell joined the Masonic lodge at Hamburg, being one of the charter members, and remained a member of that lodge even after coming back to Sidney for a permament location in 1885.

He served as county auditor two terms -- 1885 to 1889 -- and then he entered the abstracting business, which he continued up to the time of going to the Masonic home.

Mr. Yowell was united in marriage to Elizabeth Pauline Farmer on December 25, 1867. To their union four children were born. An only daughter, Bessie, wife of W. B. Wightman, died at Shenandoah May 4, 1921. Three sons, Angelo, Thomas and James, survive. Mrs. Yowell passed away at Sidney on June 6, 1921. He was one of a family of ten children, four of whom are yet living, James of Springfield, Missouri; George of Phillipsburg, Kansas; Ann and Emmer Yowell, living at Denbigh, North Dakota.There are six grandchildren, of whom he was very fond.

This paper begs leave to quote a sentence Printed at the time of his going to the Masonic home, and which he might read while yet in the land of the living: "Men like W. J. Yowell, whose conduct in life has never been questioned, and whose attributes of honesty and integrity are the true essence of virtue, although they may not be with us now, are ever with us in
spirit and in memory."

Funeral services were held from the Christian church of Sidney, of which denomination deceased was a member at Hamburg, Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. R. M. Siegel. Jerusalem lodge of Masons, Hamburg, had charge of the service at the grave, E. G. Hintz delivering the funeral oration.

Pall-bearers were past and present officials of the courthouse. Relatives from out of town attending the funeral were Ann and Emmer Yowell of Denbigh, North Dakota; Mrs. and Mrs. Ed Welsh and Mrs. J. B. Lake, Shenandoah; Mrs.Jane Kilpatrick of Malvern; Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Faubion and daughter of Anderson.