Doolittle, Arthur Clayton (1859-1937)

DOOLITTLE, THOMPSON, BAHRENFUSS, SHAFFER, MILLER, HAMAAN, ROE, SHAFER, SHAFFER, THOMPSON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 5/31/2017 at 10:30:55

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Monday, July 12, 1937

Grief Stricken Man is Dead

A. Clayton Doolittle, 78, a resident of Hamilton county since 1864, ended his life by hanging Saturday afternoon in the tool shed at Cass Center cemetery, where he was caretaker.

Friends said they thought Mr. Doolittle became despondent through grief over the death of his wife last February. Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle had been married 62 years and were devoted companions.

Since Mrs. Doolittle's death a granddaughter, Mrs. Raymond Roe, and her husband lived with Mr. Doolittle.

Saturday morning he went, as usual, to Cass Center cemetery where he had been caretaker for many years. When he didn't come home to dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Roe became worried and Mr. Roe went to get him. He found Mr. Doolittle sitting in his car, near the cemetery.

"Grandpa, aren't you coming home to dinner?" Roe asked.

Mr. Doolittle replied that he wouldn't come home until his daughter, Mrs. Elva Bahrenfuss came to get him.

Roe hurried home and telephoned Mrs. Bahrenfuss at her home in Blairsburg township, north of Stonega. Realizing at once that something serious was wrong, Mrs. Bahrenfuss and her daughter, Florence, drove to the cemetery but didn't see Mr. Doolittle.

Looking into the tool shed, Mrs. Bahrenfuss saw her father and rushed out crying, "He's dead! He's dead!"

The daughter, thinking that perhaps her grandfather might yet be alive, went in, but he was dead, apparently having taken his life shortly past noon.

Dr. W.B. Lewis, coroner, was called, but no inquest was held.

Surviving Mr. Doolittle are two daughters, Mrs. Bahrenfuss and Mrs. A.P. Miller, who lives in Mulberry Center. Two children, Mrs. E.J. Shafer and baby, preceded him in death.

He also leaves 15 grandchildren, six great grandchildren, one sister, Mrs. Mary Bass Thompson, who is visiting in Seattle, and one brother, Ernest Doolittle, of Davis City. A half brother, Earl Doolittle, lives here and a half sister, Mrs. Ollie Miller, lives in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Funeral services were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Foster funeral home with the Rev. Fred Riggs, United Brethren pastor, officiating. Burial was made in Cass Center cemetery.

Born in Broadhead, Wis., March 30, 1859, Mr. Doolittle came to Hamilton county with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Socrates Doolittle, in 1864, making the trip in a covered wagon. They settled just south of this city, but later moved to the Cass Center neighborhood.

Mr. Doolittle was reared to young manhood in and near Webster City and as a boy helped his father prepare the prairie lands for farming. He attended rural schools near here for a time and was married Aug. 29, 1875 to Miss Harriet Thompson.

For a time they farmed in Cass township and later moved to the old home place north of Stonega where they lived for many years. Twenty-nine years ago they moved to the farm, just north of this city, where they had since lived.

Mr. Doolittle was a member of the United Brethren church and he and his wife were active in all of its organizations as long as their health permitted.

His wife died at the family home Feb. 24.

Mr. Doolittle was one of the few local residents who had seen Webster city and surrounding territory develop from original prairie land to its many fine modern farms and thriving agricultural industries. Until the past few months he had taken a keen interest in civic and community affairs, keeping in touch with activities by means of newspapers and radio.

Since his wife's death, it was said, he lost interest in life and had often mentioned to his family that he longed to be with her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Friday, July 16, 1937

Arthur Clayton Doolittle was born March 30, 1859 to Socrates and Olive Doolittle at Broadhead, Wis. He passed from this life's turmoil and burdens July 10, 1937, at Webster City. His earthly journey is measured at 78 years, 3 months and 10 days. Shortly after the Civil war his parents came by way of the prairie schooner to Hamilton county, Iowa, settling at Webster City. His mother died when he was a lad of 8, and was the third person to be buried in our Graceland cemetery.

Mr. Doolittle, himself, as a boy broke many acres of the virgin prairie of our county. He had seen the community grow from that raw prairie state with its log cabins to the fine farm land of today with many beautiful modern homes. He was married Aug. 29, 1875, to a neighbor girl, Harriet Thompson, whose family had come to Iowa from Illinois the previous year.

After a short time working out, they purchased the farm northeast of Webster City on which their daughter, Mrs. Bahrenfuss, lives. Twenty-nine years ago he retired from active farming, purchasing acreage north of Webster City on the White Fox road. This had been his home since that time. It was from here that last February the loved companion of 62 years passed over Jordon's river, leaving him sad and lonely, burdened so deeply with his great loss and sorrow and loneliness. To this home four daughters were given, Esther died as a child of three years of age. Mrs. Matie Shaffer died, leaving her own two small daughters to be reared by Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle as though they were their own children. The other two daughters, Mrs. Grace Miller and Mrs. Elva Bahrenfuss, with the two granddaughters, Mrs. Hamaan and Mildred Shaffer, remain to mourn deeply today the great loss which come to them so soon after the home going of the loved mother. Beside his children, the 15 grand children, and 6 great grandchildren, he is survived by a sister, Mrs. Mary Thompson, of Webster City, and a brother, Ernest Doolittle of [unreadable] and a half brother, Earl Doolittle, of Webster City, and a half sister, Mrs. Olive Miller, of Oklahoma City, Okla.

Besides the loved ones of the home and those of the family kin, his many years of residence here had made many friends whose hearts today are mourning because of the death of this old friend and neighbor.

While they lived on the farm northeast of Webster City, the family worshipped in the Mulberry Center church of the United Brethren in Christ. After moving to Webster City, they met with the church in town. Shortly afterwards they made their confession of the Christ as their Savior and publicly confessed Him by uniting with that church. Since that time as long as health and physical strength permitted he and his wife were loyal devoted members of the church of their choice.
-Contributed

[he is buried at Cass Center Cemetery northeast of Webster City, Iowa]