Prince, Edward P. (1875-1954)

PRINCE, HART

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 1/14/2015 at 16:46:47

Daily Freeman Journal, Thursday, June 24, 1954

Edward P. Prince Dies Here

Bank President, Widely Known Lawyer Was 78

Edward P. Prince, 78, president of the First State Bank here for the past 19 years and an attorney in this community since 1905, died at his home 1612 Willson Avenue at 3:40 p.m. yesterday.

Mr. Prince had been in failing health for the past five years.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Universalist church and the Rev. James L. Neighbours will officiate. The body will be taken to Des Moines for cremation with burial to be made later at Graceland cemetery. The body will lie in state at the Universalist church from 12 o'clock until 2 p.m. Saturday. Foster's funeral home will have charge of the services.

Edward P. Prince was born Dec. 5, 1875 at Bloomington, Ill. He was graduated from law school at Illinois Wesleyan in 1902, later taking post-graduate work at the University of Chicago. After practicing for a short time in Chicago, he moved to Webster City in 1905, becoming associated with the late Judge J. L. Kamrar in a law partnership. He was senior partner in a law firm with Grover Neese in 1914, then was called into service during World War I, serving overseas, being discharged later as a sergeant major.

He returned to Webster City and resumed his law practice. He is believed to have been the first commander of the American Legion in this city.

He was united in marriage in 1924 to Miss Nellie Hart of New Orleans. She preceded him in death in 1934. In 1935, when the First State bank was organized, Mr. Prince was elected president, a position he held at the time of his death.

He was past president of the Rotary club, the eldest past exalted ruler of the local Elks lodge and was a member of the Masonic lodge, being a Shriner, a 32nd degree Mason and a Knights Templer. For more than 22 years he was a member of the Hamilton county hospital board of trustees, a position he resigned last March due to his health. He served as board chairman for several terms. He also served as county attorney of Hamilton county for two terms.

Mr. Prince was active in the Universalist church and had served on the board of trustees for many years.

He is survived by one brother, Horace Prince, of Winterhaven, Fla., and two nephews, Leonard and Paul Prince. Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and one sister who died in infancy.

A kindly, personable man whose judgment was never questioned and who took a keen interest in the advancement of Webster City, Mr. Prince was widely respected by all who came in contact with him through the nearly half a century, of his residence in this community.

Friends of Mr. Prince, who prefer to do so, may make contributions to the cancer fund.