Nims, C. L. 1844-1935

NIMS, COLLIPRIEST, STOVER, MCKINSEY, ELLITHORPE

Posted By: Jo (email)
Date: 5/31/2007 at 23:23:25

C. L. NIMS, 91, NATIVE OF MAQUOKETA, IS DEAD: RAN STEAMBOAT IN EARLY DAYS

Maquoketa, Ia., April 1 - (Special)
C. L. Nims, 91, native Iowan died at his home northeast of Maquoketa, Sunday noon, after an illness of several weeks. Death was due to the infirmities of old age. C. L. Nims was born Jan. 26, 1844, on a farm south of Maquoketa, which his father, Amasa Nims, had obtained from the government as a homestead. Not long afterward the family moved to a farm on the Maquoketa river, east of Maquoketa, where he spent most of his life.

Always more interested in river life than in farming, he gave the earlier years of his life to following a river man's occupation. He operated a small steamship up and down the Maquoketa river which at that time was a navigable water-way, and transported grain and other produce to market. He built many barges for river traffic, and it was not until the roads were built that he gave up river life for the farm.

He married Miss Harriet Collipriest Dec. 10, 1879, and she died Jan. 10, 1918. Since that time his daughter, Miss Jessie, has maintained the family home on the old farm where he had lived since before his marriage. Surviving also are two other daughters, Mrs. Marion Stover and Mrs. Alice mcKinsey, both of Maquoketa, and four sons, Clyde and Alva G. "Tom" of Maquoketa, Gilbert of Ekalaka, Mont., and Verne of Burwell, Neb.

He is the last surviving member of his family, a sister, Mrs. Addie Nims Ellithorpe, having died March 21. He was one of the last native pioneers, and had retained his keen mind and memories until the last week of his illness.

His parents were two of the five founders of the local Methodist church in 1839.

DEATH DATE: April 1, 1935
SOURCE: Private collection of newspaper clippings