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KERN, Simon E. 1845-1929

KERN, MCCLUNG, RELYEA

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/28/2015 at 21:46:57

Death Calls Pioneer Grundy Citizen

S. E. Kern Dies At Iowa Soldiers' Home

Came to Grundy County in An Early Day and Was Among Oldest Residents

Simon E. Kern, of this place, passed away at a few minutes past nine o'clock Monday morning, Jan. 28th, 1929, at the Soldiers' Home hospital in Marshalltown of prostatic trouble complicated with the flu, which attacked him about ten days previous to his death.

The remains were brought here from the Soldiers' Home and the funeral services will be held this (Thursday) afternoon at 2 o'clock from the M.E. church, Rev. F. O. Winslow officiating.

Interment will be in the Grundy Center cemetery.

Mr. Kern was born March 4th, 1845, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and would have been 84 years of age next March 4th. Upwards of forty years ago he came to Iowa and for a time taught school in Tama county. Later he came to Grundy county and lived on a farm for a number of years and for the past several years after his retirement from the farm he has made his home in Grundy Center, although in later years he has been in the habit of spending a goodly portion of his time at the Soldiers' Home.

Mr. Kern was a veteran of the Civil war, having served with Company E, 107th Pennsylvania infantry. He enlisted Sept. 3, 1864, at Greensburg, Penn., and was discharge June 6th, 1865, at Arlington, Virginia. He was one of the few remaining members of Wilson Post, No. 71, G.A.R., of this city. The other living members of Wilson Post are W. R. Laybourn, who resides at Long Beach, Calif.; H.B.Kelly, who is spending the winter in California; Geo. W. Walker and J. R. Martz of this city. The latter will be the only member of the Post who will be able to attend the funeral.

Mr. Kern was married twice. His first wife was Miss Jane McCloud. To this union one child was born, Archie. The mother died when the child was two weeks old. Some years later Mr. Kern was married to Mrs. Wm. Relyea and she passed away about eighteen years ago. The only surviving member of the family is Archie Kern, who lives on a farm near Grundy Center.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 31 January 1929, pg 1

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Obituary of S. E. Kern

Simon E. Kern, was born near Connellsville, Pa., March 4, 1845, and passed out of this life at the Iowa Soldiers' Home, Marshalltown, Jan. 28, 1929.

Mr. Kern came to Tama county as a young man, and taught school for some years in that vicinity. On Nov. 19, 1881, he was married to Miss Sarah J. McClung, of Traer. To this union one son, Archie, was born and the young mother passed away within two weeks of his birth.

Mr. Kern then left his son with his wife's brother, John McClung, and went to South Dakota, where he homesteaded, and remained for about six years. For many years Mr. Kern has been a resident of Grundy county, until 1912 when he entered the Soldiers' Home at Marshalltown. During these years he has been a familiar figure on our streets, and was highly respected by all who knew him.

When but a boy, he enlisted in the service of his country, during the Civil war, and gave faithful service. He was wounded during those days of service, but he seldom spoke of any personal service or sacrifice.

He was not only a good soldier for his country, but he was "a good soldier of Jesus Christ." His thoughts were clean and of a high order, and his deeds of life reflected the fine Christian character which was his. He loved his church; this church of which he was a most faithful and beloved member. Whenever any of the members or pastor gave him a call or showed him any particular attention, he was always most appreciative of them. Mr. Kern can best be described as a type of an old fashioned christian gentleman who lived what he professed. It is a high honor for a son to have had such a father, a church to have possessed such a member, a community to have had such a citizen.

There are left to mourn this loss, one son, Archie Kern, and three grandchildren, all of Grundy Center.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 7 February 1929, pg 1


 

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