Locke Sr., William H. 1828-19088

LOCKE, GAFFET, BAIR

Posted By: Linda Linn (email)
Date: 1/9/2012 at 20:56:18

Humboldt Independent
6-18-19

W H LOCKE.
William H. Locke Sr. was the son of Henry B. and Mary A. Locke and was born in South Kingston, Rhode Island,
October 4th , 1828. He lived there till 1856, when he removed to Willimantic Conn. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. H. 18th Connecticut Infantry and served through the war he was orderly sergt. from the date of his enlistment to November 9th, 1862, when he was promoted to the grade of 1st Lieutenant of his company. He was taken prisoner in Virginia June 15, 1864, and was at different times an inmate of military prisons at Richmond, Danville, N. C., Macon.Ga , Charlestown, South Carolina, Columbia, N. C., Raleigh, N.C., and Goldsborough. He was paroled at the latter place March 1st. 1865. Being soon discharged on account of ill health he returned to his Connecticut home where he remained till July of that year, when he came to Humboldt, then Springvale and with his family took charge of the Fremont house then the best hotel in north western Iowa on the ground now occupied by residence of our merchant citizen E. A. Wilder. After two years here he went to what is now Rutland township and took a homestead just west of where the village of Rutland now stands. Here he worked at the business of carpenter and plasterer. He was married in November 1849, to Sarah F. Gaffet , who was raised near his old home in Rhode Island. In l867 he was elected county recorder and served in that office two terms. He was justice of the peace in Rutland township for about sixteen years. At, one time he acceptably filled the office of county superintendent of schools for a vacancy that had occurred. He was appointed census taken on two different occasions.

He was one of the charter members of Eastern Star Lodge No 195 A. F. and A. M. which was organized at Dakota City in the spring of 1867. He was its first worshipful master and Past Master C. P. Snook who was the first Senior Deacon of the same lodge officiated at the funeral of his former Master. Of the original charter members and officers of the lodge only C. P. Snook and A. M. Adams of the INDEPENDENT are left.

Bro and Comrade Locke died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. R. C. Bair. two miles south of Rutland on the morning of June 6th, 1908. He would have been 80 years of age the Fourth of next October. On Sunday, June 7, the body was escorted from the home to the M. E. church at Rutland, by Eastern Star Lodge where the funeral service was conducted by Rev. C. W. Clifton of Havelock. The church was tastefully decorated with the national and emblematic colors. After the church services the possession moved to Union Cemetery near Humboldt where the body was deposited in the family lot southwest of the circle where the bronze soldier constantly keeps guard over all the soldier and other dead in sacred plot. The pall bearers were T. E. Joiner, Geo. H. Lovien, J.N. Prouty, A.S. Hedge, F.F. French, and A.M. Adams all old comrades of Albert Rowley Post G. A. R. No, 193 and members of Eastern Star Lodge A. F. and A. M. No. 195.

Gravestone Photo
 

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