Dennis, Benjamin H. 1830-1900

DENNIS, JACKSON, CAREY, DAVIS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 4/26/2005 at 18:01:16

The Newton [IA] Record Thursday, February 8, 1900
Obituary of B. H. Dennis
Dennis, Benjamin H.

The sudden death of Mr. B. H. Dennis on Wednesday of last week was a shock to a large circle of friends, many of whom knew nothing of his illness even, and none were aware of his being seriously ill. The immediate cause of his death was neuralgia of the heart, from which at times he was a great sufferer, but a most patient one. For over thirty-five years Mr. Dennis had been a resident of Jasper County and for the past twenty-two years living in Newton. His social disposition and generous, kindly way won for him the friendship and esteem of everybody, and his death caused the profoundest sorrow. He will be missed among those with whom he has come in contact daily for so many years, and in the church where he has been a regular attendant and where his wise counsels have ever been for its best interests. We have long known Mr. Dennis, prizing his warm friendship and honoring him for his worth as a Christian man.

Benjamin H. Dennis was born in Brown County, Ohio, May 27, 1830, and remained at the home of his birth until 1852, when he came west, settling first in Lee County, this state. A year later he moved to Wapello County, where he soon afterward married Matilda Jackson. In 1864 they came to Jasper County and settled on a farm near Killduff. Three sons and two daughters were born to them; one daughter died in infancy, the others ­ Wesley, William and Dean Dennis and Mrs. Minerva Carey ­are residents of this county. His companion died January 7, 1871. On the 23rd day of February 1873, Mr. Dennis was again married to Miss Mary J. Davis, daughter of C. M. Davis, one of the pioneers of this county, the union proving a very happy one. They moved to Newton in 1878 and built a beautiful home in which the first sorrow came January 31st, when death took from it Mr. Dennis himself, leaving his faithful wife to travel alone the remainder of life’s pilgrimage. His age was sixty-nine years, eight months and four days.

In 1856 he was converted and united with the M. E. Church, and gave the days of his strong, young manhood to the service of Christ. After coming to Newton in 1886, his wife, being a member of the Christian Church, he also untied with that church, and remained a faithful member until his last hour. He was an elder for more than ten years, a helper in every good work, punctual in attendance, and liberal with the means that, God had given him for the support of the gospel. The widow and the children have the sympathy of all in the loss of a devoted husband and affectionate father.

Brief services were held at the home at 9:30 Friday morning, after which the remains were taken to Mt. Zion Church, south of Newton, where a large congregation of old friends and neighbors were assembled for the funeral services, which were conducted by his pastor, Rev. J. C. Hanna, the choir and pall bearers being also from the Christian Church of this city. After the solemn services, all that was mortal of Mr. Dennis were laid to rest beside the loved one gone before, in Mt. Zion Cemetery.

Originally submitted on Mon Nov 11 15:54:16 2002