LAMSON, Ward Nicholas Boylston
LAMSON, HUNT, HOWARD, ROSS, CLARK, SLAGLE, WARD
Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 10/6/2010 at 11:20:49
"The Fairfield Ledger", Wednesday, April 6, 1904
WARD LAMSON.
A Pioneer Fairfield Business Man Who Died Here this Morning.
Ward LAMSON, a resident of Fairfield for almost half a century and one of her best and best known business men, died this morning at 6 o'clock. He was stricken with paralysis early in December and never rallied. Mr. LAMSON's age was eighty-three years, seven months.
The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the old homestead at the corner of Madison and Main streets.
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"The Fairfield Ledger", Wednesday, April 13, 1904
LIVED A USEFUL LIFE
Ward LAMSON, who died in this city the 6th inst., had more than fifty years' unbroken connection with the business life and the practical affairs of Fairfield and Jefferson county. He came here in early manhood, founded a home, reared a most creditable family, established business connections which yielded a rich fruitage, attained a ripe old age, and was honored and respected by everyone who understood the man. He had positive convictions, and the courage to express them. He was absolutely independent in the positions he assumed, and ever ready to defend them. He had his own views of right living and right doing, and he adhered to them under all circumstances. He was liberal, broad-minded, considerate. He was kindly in his manner, generous in his dealings with others. He was not only philanthropic, but he was charitable. His public benefactions were only a small part of his contributions to the public welfare. His was a useful life -- to himself, his family, the community in which he lived, to society. His death will be genuinely regretted in this community, of which he had been an important part for so long a time.
Mr. LAMSON was born in Worcester county, Mass., September 7th, 1821. At the age of seventeen he came to Burlington, then in Wisconsin territory, and, with that self-reliance which stood him in such good play all the remainder of his years, entered upon an active business life. He came to Fairfield in 1843 and had resided here continuously since that time. He was engaged in various business enterprises during these years and was singularly successful. He had great faith in Iowa and her possibilities, made large investments in lands and was at one time perhaps the largest landholder in Jefferson county. Mr. LAMSON was prominent in almost every movement which had for its purpose the upbuilding or the welfare of the city or county. He was the actual founder of the Jefferson County Library association, now the Fairfield Free Public library, and his connection with that institution is best told in a statement of the library board made herewith.
Mr. LAMSON was married to Maria Albertine DANIELSON, who survives him, December 28th, 1853, their golden wedding anniversary coming during his last illness. Mrs. LAMSON was a member of the first party of Swedish people who found a home west of the Allegheny mountains, and is now one of its few surivors. They reared a family of eight children. Victor A., Ralph W., Mrs. Ed. HUNT, Mrs. E. A. HOWARD and Mrs. W. G. ROSS reside in this city; Mrs. C. C. CLARK makes her home in Burlington; Mrs. W. S. SLAGLE at Alton; and A. WARD at Mesa, Ari. (sic - Ariz.)
Funeral services were held at the old LAMSON homestead on South Main street Friday afternoon. They were conducted by Rev. William Salter of Burlington, whose acquaintance and friendship with Mr. LAMSON dated back to their lives as young men in Burlington. Rev. H. O. Spelman had charge of the services at the grave. The body was borne to the grave by members of the family.
Fifty-two years ago he and other young men in Fairfield, seeking a common benefit, determined to establish a public library. The intellectual hunger of the community was great, the individual ability to satisfy it was slight. With hearts prophetic of the future they watched over and nourished the little institution. Today is stands strong and vigorous, the evidence of their wise forethought and patient effort. In this group Ward LAMSON was a choice and select spirit. When sufficient money was secured, to him, without restriction, he accorded the high privilege of making the first purchase of books. In this important matter, questioning his own knowledge, he called to his aid his friends Hildrith the historian and Whipple the essayist, and by them the selection was made. With those books the Jefferson County Library association entered upon its career of usefulness. The upbuilding of this institution, depending for its existence on personal interest and free-will offerings, was severe labor. There were times when interest slackened, times when the business world was depressed, and at such times there were complaints and criticisms and dearth of friends. Through these periods the zeal of Ward LAMSON never languished.
The sun set, but set not his hope--
Stars rose; his faith was earlier up.
And his act followed close upon his faith. He gave freely of his means without exacting homage to the giver. It is also pleasant to recall that the major part of the book endowment fund came from his generous hand.
In 1899 the Jefferson County Library association deeded its property to the city of Fairfield, and the institution became in name and fact a free public library devoted to public use and supported by a public revenue. It was eminently fitting that Ward LAMSON's name was first on the list of trustees and that on the organization of the board he was chosen president. When the change from private to municipal control was advocated he seriously doubted its advisability. It was easily in his power to defeat the proposition. That he did not exercise the power is to the honor of his mental and moral attitude. He asked only that the institution be guarded against being made a medium for partisan or sectarian purposes and then he gave in as loyal an adherence to the new plan as he had before given to the old. An in his last illness, when consciousness was growing dim from the near approach of death, he was still solicitous for the welfare of the library which had claimed so much of his attention in the days of his youth and strength.
Of studious habit, of wide knowledge, of cool judgment, of positive convictions, Ward LAMSON was, in a word, a forceful man. His insight into men and affairs was deep and true. He sought for truth and what he believed to be right he dared always to defend. Himself tolerant to a degree, he desired most of all tolerance in others. He was charitable without ostentation and liberal to any cause he deemed worthy. The dominant note in his character was serenity and into every relation of life he bore a tranquil mind. In loving memory of the man and his work this entry is made in the records of the board.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.
Note: Ward LAMSON is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, in lot Old.P.036, with his fourth wife Maria.
Also note: The photo that accompanies this posting is not the same photo that appeared in the death announcement and subsequent story; the original photo did not copy well from the newspaper microfilm and could not be used here. Instead, the photo is an image of the painting of Ward LAMSON that hangs in the Fairfield Library, taken by Richard Thompson and used here with his kind permission.
Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
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