William H. Stover (1841-1918)

STOVER, SISLER, WILSON, POTTER, KOOS, BUCKLIN, VAN SLYKE, ISLEY

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/11/2009 at 22:47:36

Jackson Sentinel
October 25, 1918

Honored Veteran and Old Settler Passes Away

William H. Stover, a veteran of the Civil war, answered the last roll call Sunday evening, Oct. 18, being called by the Great Commander.

He was born June 22, 1841 in Spruce Creek, Huntington county, Penna., and passed away as above stated Oct. 13, 1918, at the age of 77 years, 3 months and 21 days.

Mr. Stover was the second child of David and Catherine Sisler Stover. In the spring of 1850 he came with his parents from Pennsylvania to what was then known as the far west. The journey was a strange one. Crossing the Alleghany Mountains in a canal boat mounted on car wheels, they ran into the basin at Johnstown and were towed from there to Pittsburg. Then on a steamboat to St. Louis and up the Mississippi river to Savanna, Ill. from there to Mt. Carroll, Ill., in wagons, and moving from there to Bellevue, Iowa.

When about 13 years of age his mother died, leaving a large family of motherless little ones, Mr. Stover having to make his home with an aunt near Andrew.

In the hour of the nation’s peril he offered his services, enlisting for three years in Co. I, 24th Ia. Vols., September, 1862. Oct. 20 the regiment went south, wintering near Helena, Ar. In the spring of 1863 they started and were with Gen. Grant in that famous Vicksburg campaign. Crossed the Mississippi below Vicksburg May 1, 1863, and were engaged in the battle of Champion Hills May 16. Also in the battle of Port Gibson May 20. The regiment took part in the Red River campaign under Gen. Banks in 1864, then left for Washington, D. C. for the Shenandoah Valley, crossing the Gulf of Mexico and up the Atlantic. Sept. 19, 1864, they engaged in the battle of Winchester under Gen. Sheridan, and Oct. 19 in the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., together with other battles fought in the Valley.

In 1865 he was honorably discharged from the army, and always bore the name of being a brave and jolly soldier, cheering many a homesick and lonely comrade.

After the war he came to LaMotte. He and his brother John were then closely associated in all of their work, and were known for miles around as the “Stover Boys” with their breaking plow and threshing machine.

He also lived and made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Wilson, who were like parents to the motherless young man.

On March 5, 1871, he was united in marriage to Alice Adelia Potter, who preceded him in death only twelve days. The loss of this devoted wife, together with his feeble body, was more than he could bear, and God came to take him to her where they might be reunited forever. For more than forty-two years they labored together on the same farm on which they both passed away, always making their home a home for any who might need help.

There are left to mourn this good, self-sacrificing man, whom everyone could call his friend, only one daughter, Gazelle, now Mrs. C. H. Koos, her husband and the little granddaughter that he took so much pride and comfort in. Almost his last words were “I hear a little girl that wants to go to bed.” To the daughter was given the great privilege of never being parted from her parents during her entire life, and being able to care for both during their last sickness and death.

He also leaves four sisters, Mrs. Rebecca Bucklin, of Walker, Ia.; Mrs. Nettie Frost of Bellingham, Wash.; Mrs. Mary Van Slyke of Randolph, Neb., and Mrs. Jennie Isley of Cedar Falls, Ia., together with the sisters-in-law, Mrs. O. M. Streight and Mrs. J. W. Sage of Plattsmouth, Nev., sisters of Mrs. Stover, and for whom he always expressed affection as for his own, with other near relatives.

The funeral was held from the home Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 2 p.m. the services being as nearly as possible the same as for Mrs. Stover. Rev. L. L. Lockard came from Anamosa to speak words of comfort, the choir from Bellevue, with Mrs. Schirmer at the piano and Mrs. Ahlers again singing the hymn Mrs. Stover loved so well “I Have Found the Savior Precious” so touchingly rendered for the bereaved ones.

The honorary pall bearers were old soldiers, John Nicholson and James Fonda of Bellevue, H. H. Hutchins of Maquoketa and John Barnholt of LaMotte. The acting pall bearers were J. W. Sage and Harold Streight of Plattsmouth, Neb.; Frank Bucklin Walker, Ia., and Robert Sisler of Maquoketa relatives; A. R. Thompson, Andrew, and T. J. Lambe, LaMotte, life-long friends of Mr. Stover.

And so ends the life of a good father, husband, brother and friend.

The world has lost a cheery, jovial man, whom all found pleasure in meeting; the home another dear treasure whose place can never be filled.