ALSTON, Henry Clay 1862 - 1932

ALSTON, RICHARDSON, VAUGHN, BARNES

Posted By: Richard K Thompson (email)
Date: 8/22/2012 at 21:11:44

Note - large portions of the Fairfield Daily Ledger obituary for Henry Clay ALSTON were evidently taken virtually word for word from the published "History of Jefferson County - 1912, Volume II, Pages 303-305.", the obituary transcription below represents the full text of the obituary with the surnames transcribed in CAPS to make finding the surnames easier. It should be noted that the 1912 biography was written in the present tense for that time period. The writer of the obituary who used that text proceded to make certain name and wording changes to be in the past tense regarding Henry's family, life in Fairfield, and life in California.

//rkt August 22, 2012

------------
Fairfield Daily Ledger
Fairfield, Jefferson county, Iowa
Wednesday, September 21, 1932
Pg. 8 Col. 3

HENRY ALSTON DIED TUESDAY IN CALIFORNIA

Was Prominent Business Man in Fairfield For Many Years

Henry C. ALSTON, who spent his entire life in Jefferson county until recent years, passed away at his home in Los Angeles, Calif., at 11:45 o'clock yesterday morning, according to word received in Fairfield by his many friends and relatives.

Mr. ALSTON has been in failing health for over a month suffering from heart trouble but was not seriously ill. His death came as a great shock, not only to his Fairfield friends, but to his many acquaintances in California.

Funeral services will be held at one o'clock tomorrow afternoon in Los Angeles with burial there. He is survived by his wife, who was formerly Anna B. RICHARDSON, also a life time resident of this county, and one sister, Mrs. Mary BARNES of Los Angeles.

--Born In Fairfield-- (EMPHASIS ADDED)

Mr. ALSTON was born near Fairfield October 31, 1862, a son of William and Martha (VAUGHN) ALSTON. Little is known concerning his maternal ancestry for his mother died during his infancy. The father, who was born in England, in 1811 came alone to America and settled in Illinois in 1849. For a time he worked in that state and then went to Alexander, Iowa, after which he came to Fairfield about 1843. This district was then largely wild and unimproved and from the government he entered a tract of land about three miles west of the city. The greater part of his life was spent in Fairfield, his time and attention being largely given to the development of a farm a mile and a half from the city and in addition he also conducted a general store for a number of years, continuing actively in that business until about 1875 when he retired from the mercantile field. Later he concentrated his energies upon the real-estate business, dealing extensively in land and negotiating many important property transfers. For a number of years he served as a member of the city council, to which position he was elected on the democratic ticket, having always been a stanch supporter of the party. His death occurred March 9, 1896. Of this family of ten children the following reached years of maturity: William E., who died but a few years ago in Fairfield; Mary, wife of P. C. BARNES who now lives in Los Angeles, California; and Henry C.

--Interest Were Varied-- (EMPHASIS ADDED)

Henry C. ALSTON had spent his entire life in Jefferson county until about four years ago when he and his wife moved to California. After attending the public schools here he continued his education in Burlington Business College. He made his initial step in the business world as an employe in the Fairfield Furniture Factory, where he remained four years. Subsequently he was engaged in the dairy business two years and afterward devoted fourteen years to the laundry business, establishing the first steam laundry of this city. That undertaking brought him a substantial measure of prosperity and after his retirement from that field of activity he worked in real estate with good success. He is likewise well known as an orchardist, as the president of the Fairfield Gas and Electric Light Company and as a stockholder in the Iowa Malleable Iron Company and the First National Bank of Fairfield. His interests were thus varied and important but his resourcefulness and energy enabled him to meet every condition that happened to arise and to readily and correctly solve the business problems which were always to be met in the conduct of any commercial or industrial undertaking.

--Wed Fairfield Girl--(EMPHASIS ADDED)

In 1884, Mr. Alston was united in marriage to Miss Anna B. RICHARDSON, who was born in Jefferson county in 1865. Both Mr. and Mrs. ALSTON held membership in the Presbyterian church. His political and allegiance has been given to the democratic party and his fraternal relations were with the Knights of Pythias. While in Fairfield he was also a member of the Commercial Club and cooperated in its various projects for the improvement of Fairfield in many ways.

* Transcribed for genealogy purposes. I am not related to the person(s).

Note: Buried in what is now known as "Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)". Interred in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Invocation, Dahlia, Crypt 4787. Access to the burial location is extremely limited due to several very notable burials in the same Great Mausoleum.