Kneedy, Elias Ernest (1869-1954)

KNEEDY, COLEMAN, JOHNSON, TAYLOR

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:00

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Monday, January 18, 1954

Elias Ernest Kneedy, 84, former Webster City pastor, died at 9 a.m. Sunday at his home, 617 Merritt street in this city. He had been in his usual health until the past week.

Funeral services will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Church of Christ with the Rev. M.V. Chastain officiating and with burial in Graceland cemetery. McCauley-Chapman funeral home will have charge of the services.

Mr. Kneedy was born at Mount Carroll, Ill., Sept. 29, 1869, the son of Henry W. and Clara Kneedy. In 1871 he came to Iowa in a covered wagon with his parents who settled near Radcliffe. He attended rural schools and grew to young manhood in that community, teaching school for several years.

In 1895 he was united in marriage to Leona Coleman. Mr. Kneedy was graduated from the law department of Drake university in 1896, and the family moved to Webster City where in 1900 he became the pastor of the Church of Christ. He resigned the pastorage the next year, however, due to his wife's serious illness and subsequent death.

June 21, 1904 he married Grace M. Johnson of this city, and the couple lived in Watertown, South Dakota where he practiced law for five years and was also pastor of the Church of Christ. In later years he attended and was graduated from Carnegie Tech, specializing as an insurance adjustor.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and two sisters.

Survivors include his wife and three sons: Clare of Texas, Herbert of San Francisco and Robert of Spencer; two sisters, Mrs. Rena Taylor of Ames and Mrs. Dorothy Kneedy of Chicago and one brother Vernon Kneedy of Red Oak, Iowa.

Mr. Kneedy was a member of the Church of Christ and a member of Acacia Masonic lodge of this city. He held membership in the B.P.O. Elks 838 at Watertown and was a member of the Scottish Rites, 32nd Degree Masons of Aberdeen.