CHESTER, Simpson Joseph 1841 - 1925

CHESTER, HENDRICKS, HERRING, WILKINS, TROWBRIDGE, MCKEMEY

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/25/2021 at 20:23:27

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Thursday, December 3, 1925
Page Two, Column 1

Just Among Ourselves

... --S. J. CHESTER is very ill at his home, 202 West Broadway. ...

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"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Friday, December 4, 1925
Page Eight, Column 1

Just Among Ourselves

... --The condition of S. J. CHESTER remains about the same. ...

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"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Monday, December 7, 1925
Front Page, Column 5

LT. S. J. CHESTER IS DEAD AFTER SHORT ILLNESS
Civil War Veteran and Holder Of Important Offices, Passes Away At 84 Years Of Age

Lieut. Simpson J. CHESTER, Civil War veteran, holder of many important political offices, and prominent for years in Jefferson county history, died at his home, 302 West Broadway at 7:15 oclock Saturday night, following a brief illness of pneumonia.

Funeral services will be held at the home at 2 oclock tomorrow afternoon and will be in charge of Dr. H. B. Scoles of the First Methodist church. The same songs will be sung that were used at the funeral of Mrs. CHESTER six weeks ago. Interment will be at Evergreen cemetery.

Lieut, CHESTER was born near Warsaw, Ind., March 16, 1841 and came with his parents to this county in 1851, the family settling on a farm in the Richwoods neighborhood. He grew up on the farm and when the Civil War broke out, enlisted in the famous old Glasgow Company G, Thirtieth Iowa Volunteer infantry, being appointed second lieutenant before the company was mustered in. He entered the service September 23, 1862, was promoted to the first lieutenancy August 4, 1863 and took part in the following engagements: Haines Bluff, Arkansas Post, Vicksburg, Jackson, Cherokee Station, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge and Ringgold. He was severely wounded in the lung at Vicksburg and had to resign on account of the disability September 21, 1863, but before he really was well recovered, enlisted again.

Home From War

He came home from the war and married Miss Olive E. HENDRICKS September 21, 1864. She died July 13, 1878, leaving four small children, Mrs. C. A. HERRING, Mrs. Mildred WILKINS, now dead, Mrs. C. W. THOWBRIDGE (sic - TROWBRIDGE) and Frank Welvin CHESTER, now in Miami, Fla. He married Miss Elizabeth McKEMEY December 4, 1879, and she came into the home and was a most devoted mother to the young family. She died October 26.

Lt. CHESTER came to Fairfield in 1872 from the farm and entered the grocer business with George Davenport in the building now occupied by the Williams meat market. W. D. Shirk afterward took Dr. Davenport's place in the firm. In 1879 Lt. CHESTER was elected sheriff and served four years. He was postmaster under President Harrison, and then was made deputy U. S. Marshall with headquarters in Ottumwa. In 1902 with C. W. TROWBRIDGE, his son-in-law, he took charge of the Leggett house, continuing there until 1910. He and Mrs. CHESTER went to California for a year, returning to go into the Frazier hotel in Ottumwa with Mr. TROWBRIDGE and continuing there until 1918.

He made a number of trips to California, and for some time was in poor health. After his term as postmaster, he went to Carthage, Mo., and engaged in zinc mining with his brother, Dr. V. L. CHESTER and is still remembered in that city.

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"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Wednesday, December 9, 1925
Front Page, Columns 3 and 4

(Note: The photo below appeared over the paragraph in this story; by default, photos are at the bottom of Board postings.)

The above picture of Lieut. S. J. CHESTER, who was laid to rest here yesterday, was taken by the editor of this paper in the morning of March 16, last year, the Lieutenant's eighty-fourth birthday. He then was in the best of health and Mrs. CHESTER who died six weeks ago, stood on the front porch of the home, 302 West Broadway, in a cheerful mood and made remarks on the proceedings. That night a big dinner in honor of Lieut. CHESTER was given at the home of C. A. HERRING, with many merry guests in attendance.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Lot Old.P.188 with both wives.

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