Eyerly, Josiah B.

EYERLY, PIPER, LAPELLA, FERRIN, GAMBLE, LOW, TOWNSEND, GRANDRATH

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 12/3/2008 at 19:58:08

EYERLY, J. B.
Firm of Blanchard & Eyerly, real estate and abstracts, residence corner Race and South streets. He was born 28 Oct 1834 in Richland Co., OH. To Keokuk Co., IA in 1845 with his parents. He enlisted in Co B, 13th Iowa V. I., served three years and thirty-four days and was on duty this entire time. After being in the service about six months he was promoted to First Lieutenant. The last year he was on detached duty as Mustering Officer for the district of Vicksburg, MS. In 1865 he was elected Treasurer of Jasper Co., serving two terms, is City Clerk. He owns 680 acres of land in Jasper Co., also property in the city. He has been City Treasurer two terms. He married Charlotte A. PIPER in Oct 1867. She was born in Oct 1843 in Lenawee Co., Mich.. She died in Feb 1878. They had one child, William b. in Jun 1868. He is a Republican. ~ "Newton Township Biographies," The History of Jasper County, Iowa, (Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878)
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Eyerly, Josiah B. ~

But recently the gentleman whose name heads this sketch was a familiar and prominent figure in Newton, where his business relations for many years had been such as to make him known to many people and to gain for him a standing as one of the foremost business men of the County. He had reached an honorable age and lived a life full of usefulness and activity, never giving up to the messenger of disease as long as it was in human power to resist, and his taking away left a void in the hearts of friends and members of his family which can not be filled, for there can never be another Josiah B. Eyerly.

Josiah B. Eyerly was a native of Ohio, and was born at Lexington, in Richland County, October 28, 1834, and at the time of his death, on March 11, 1907, had reached the age of seventy-two years, four months and fifteen days. Eight of his brothers and sisters survived him: Rev. E. S. Eyerly, of Nortonville, Kansas; D. H., of Hershey, Nebraska; Harlan, of North Loup, Nebraska; George W., of Winterset, Iowa; Mrs. J. H. LaPella, of Earlham, Iowa; Mrs. Alice Ferrin, of Welmore, Kansas; Mrs. Hattie Gamble, of Oklahoma, and Mrs. Mollie Low, of Stuart, Iowa.

The parents of Josiah Eyerly came to Keokuk County, Iowa, in 1845, where they resided on a farm until 1855, when they moved to Monroe, Jasper County, and their son, not then twenty-one, came with them. For a time served as postmaster at Monroe, during the first year of the war. In 1861, when the third company was organized in Jasper County, he enlisted as Private under Capt. Thomas H. Miller, in Company B, Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was soon promoted to sergeant, and in April 1862, was made sergeant major of his regiment, on May 28th of the same year being commissioned as first lieutenant of his company. For more than three years served gallantly in the army, always doing his duty as a soldier and an office and taking, part in many of the hardest engagements of the war. On November 1, 1864, he was mustered out, and he then spent nearly a year in the service of the government in reconstruction work. He then returned to his home.

In 1865 Mr. Eyerly was elected Treasurer of Jasper County, on the Republican ticket, and served for two terms, with a high record for efficiency. He moved to Newton when his term commenced. On October 1, 1867, he was united in marriage to Charlotte Piper, who died on February 26, 1878, leaving one son, William Eyerly, now living in Newton. On the 27th of August 1879, he was married to Zerua Townsend, who died on April 24, 1886. On September 24, 1889, he was married to Celia Grandrath, who bore to him four sons, Joe G., Fred S., Frank R. and John B., all living.

After retiring from the County Treasurer's office in 1880, Mr. Eyerly remained in Newton, and for a time was engaged in banking, then for a number of years served as city clerk. After retiring from this latter office he engaged in the real estate business. In all his operations he was successful and was in all his dealings actuated by the highest honesty and uprightness, which gained for him the full confidence of the people. To him the word friend had a sacred meaning, and to any one whom he called by that name he gave the highest devotion and was loyal to him at whatever cost. But admirable as were the characteristics which this man showed in his more public life, in his home the best qualities of his heart and soul were most manifest in the tender love and care which he gave to his wife and children, whom he almost idolized and who returned his affection in like degree. Truly they suffered a great loss when this best of husbands and fathers was taken from them, but they hope to meet him hereafter and to renew their old association where parting shall be no more.

Mr. Eyerly was a loyal Mason, being a member of all the degrees from the blue lodge to the Commandery, and in his life he exemplified the noble principles of that order. He was one of Newton's men of influence, and that influence was always exerted on the side of right and justice. Generous to a fault, he always responded freely and bounteously to the appeals of the need. In his life he left a high example and manly fortitude and virtue to his sons, and even better than the heritage of wealth which he left them is the heritage of the memory of his noble character. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 688.