CUTTS, Joe 1885-1914

CUTTS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 5/13/2015 at 11:44:43

Joe Cutts Dies Saturday Morning

Lived 36 Hours Without Regaining Consciousness

Funeral Held Monday One Of The Largest Ever Held In This City

Joe Cutts died at one o'clock on Saturday morning from the effects of the automobile accident which took place shortly before noon last Thursday. The nature of his injury, in the judgement of the three physicians who attended him, made death inevitable. From the time he was picked up unconscious from where the wrecked car threw him his hours were numbered. Death took him at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Fearer to which place he was removed following the accident. His remains were brought to the home of his uncle, J. H. Sperry in this city Saturday where they remained until the time for the funeral service.

Funeral services were held at the Methodist church beginning at 1:30 Monday afternoon. The services were in charge of Rev. Dilman Smith, pastor of the Methodist church and Rev. J. C. Curry of the Baptist church. Special music was provided. Seats and standing room in the large church could not accommodate those who wished to attend the services. More than a hundred were unable to get into the building. It was without a doubt one of the largest funerals ever held in this city.

The pall bearers were chosen from among Joe's best friends. They were Guy Bailey, Garfield Burkhart, Emery Davis, Oscar Fritzel, E. F. Wiese and Clyde Smith.

There was a mass of flowers contributed by scores of intimate friends and relatives. Conspicuous among them was a beautiful heart creation, the loving gift of the gun club of which Joe was a member. A pillow made of flowers was another offering which came from another company of Joe's friends.

Automobiles were used in taking relatives and others to the cemetery where the remains were laid by the side of the father and mother.

Had Joe Cutts lived until the 25th of next month he would have been twenty-nine years old. He was born on a farm in Fairfield township but his family moved to this city when Joe was six years old. He grew to manhood here, attended the public school, graduated from the high school in 1905 and for a number of years following he was a road salesman for the Iowa Dairy Separator Company of Waterloo.

In 1909 Joe and his mother moved on the Cutts farm east of town and Joe had charge of the place. The mother died just two years ago. Joe continued to manage the farm until a year ago since which time he made his home with his uncle J. H. Sperry where he was welcomed as a member of the family.

Though Joe had only reached the spring time of his career, when he passed over the border he left behind him an army of friends every one of whom would gladly give a goodly portion of his best years to have him back with them again. Joe was that kind of friend and it was that quality of friendship he drew from those with whom he associated. He was generous, free, open and above board. He had the glad hand of fellowship for all men. He despised a crook, a coward and a hypocrite. If all men were like Joe Cutts was would need no courts of justice. The Golden Rule was his guide in dealing with others. Joe was a man. He had his faults and he had his critics the most of whom were not fit to black his shoes. It is often said that you can judge a man from his associates. This is only partly true. A better judgement of a man can be formed by learning what his associates would do for him. While Joe had many friends he didn't live long enough to find one among them who refused to grant him any favor which he asked if it was possible to grant it; neither did he live to see the time when a favor asked of him was denied if he had the means of granting it.

The Cutts family and the community never had a better has within a few years become nearly extinct. The father died eight years ago and the mother followed him six years later and the only son joined them early Saturday morning. Only the daughter Mrs. L. V. Elliott of Fayette, Pa. remains.

Relatives from a distance who were here at the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. L. V. Elliott of Fayette, Pa., Mrs. G. Wright and Miss Paulger from Cedar Falls, Henry Elliott and wife from Waterloo, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Elliott from Dike.

Joe and Miss Ada Mutch were engaged to be married. The wedding was to have been the second day of the coming April. Miss Mutch and Joe's surviving relatives have the united sympathy of the community in their trying bereavement.

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