OKONES, Cornelius J. 1834-1914

OKONES

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 5/13/2015 at 11:15:22

Death Near Wellsburg

C. O'Kones Dies Following Short Sickness

C. O'Kones died Tuesday evening. Mr. O'Kones who was an old soldier and past eighty yrs. old was confined to his bed only a few days. The O'Kones funeral will be at Wellsburg Saturday afternoon.

Obituary will appear in the next paper.

--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 15 January 1914, pg 1

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Old Soldier Answers Last Call

In the death of C. O'Kones last Tuesday night Grundy county loses another of its old soldiers and one of its early settlers. Mr. O'Kones came to Grundy county shortly after he received his honorable discharge as a Union soldier. He enlisted in the war from Freeport, Illinois, the year after he came to this country.

Mr. O'Kones was born in Loquart Eastfriesland Germany. If he had lived until the 24th of next May he would have been eighty years old. Mr. O'Kones was married in 1861. The union continued for more than a half century. Mr. and Mrs. O'Kones came to this country in 1863. Their infant child died at sea. The young couple located at Freeport and that remained their home until three years later when they came to Grundy county and located on a farm in Shiloh township. In 1875 Mr. O'Kones and family left Grundy county for Nebraska and they returned to Wellsburg in 1897 and lived here until the time of their death.

Mr. O'Kones was the father of 6 children, four of which are living. The surviving children are Mrs. H. Bleeker of Castlewood, S.D., Mrs. Anna Snapp of Steamboat Rock and John and Harm who live near Wellsburg.

Mr. O'Kones had been suffering years. Since the death of his wife from heart trouble for a good man he failed rapidly. He was taken to his bed on Saturday and died at the home of his son John at 11:15 the following Tuesday. Funeral services conducted by Rev. Thelken were held at the church at Wellsburg Saturday afternoon and there was a very large attendance.

Relatives from a distance who were here at the funeral were Mrs. Bleeker and sons Sam and Alec from Castlewood, Gerhart Rusing from Castlewood, Niel Griffeth and K. O. Janssen from Wright county.

--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 22 January 1914, pg 1