Vanatta, Thomas 1817-1909

VANATTA, SHERER, MORTON, YOUNG

Posted By: Sherry Faidley Healy
Date: 3/13/2012 at 18:12:06

The Newton (Iowa) Journal Wednesday Dec 29, 1909

Death of Thomas Vanatta

In the passing of Mr. Thomas Vanatta our community has lost a rare character indeed. Ninety-two years is a long time to live and few there are who reach that age. Mr. Vanatta has been in Jasper county since 1854 and has watched the development of this section of the country for a longer time than any other person, who is living today, no doubt He retained his faculties and bodily strength to a remarkable degree. He had a genial disposition and his presence always made the hours pass more pleasantly.

Thomas Vanatta was born in Beaver (now Lawrence) County, Pennsylvania, April 11, 1817. There he grew to manhood and on December 28, 1837, was married to Martha Sherer, whom he had known since childhood, their parents having lived on neighboring farms. For nearly sixty years the Lord preserved their lives to each other, a blessing granted to but few people.

Mrs. Vanatta died November 4, 1899, at their home in Newton, Iowa.

Uncle Tommy and Aunt Martha, as they were familiarly called, came to Iowa in 1846 and settled in Muscatine County. In 1854 they came to Jasper County and went to a farm in the college farm neighborhood four miles north of Newton.

They moved to Newton in 1881 and in a few months occupied the house on east Main street in which they lived until the death of Mrs. Vanatta.

Twelve children were born to them, three of whom survive their father. Nancy, now Mrs. Nancy S. Morton of Newton, Hanna A., now Mrs. Abe Young of Lyons, Kansas, Richard M. who is now in the west.

For several days before he died Mr. Vanatta had been feeling a little indisposed but was able to be up and around the house. The evening before his death he asked to be helped to his bed. He passed away at 4 o’clock the next morning December 21, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Young.

For several years he had spent the winters in Kansas where the climate was more mild and agreed with him better than in colder Iowa.

Mr Vanatta had been a Christian since boyhood and had been a faithful member of the Presbyterian church for over seventy years.

The funeral was held on last Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Presbyterian church, conducted by Rev. David Brown, of Cedar Rapids, formerly pastor here and an old friend of the deceased, Rev. Balcoff assisted. The singing was by a quartette composed of Mr. and Mrs. Will Carrier, Mrs. James Cunningham and Mr. T. G. Bryant, with Miss Grace Geddes as organist. The pall bearers were: Charles Charlesworth, L. M. Bigelow, O. N. Wagley, W. O. McElroy, Lambert Hall and S. G. Russell.