HERRING, Oscar Henry 1857 - 1934

HERRING, SIMPKINS, CHESTER

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 9/1/2024 at 22:45:16

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Monday, November 12, 1934
Front Page, Column 1

OSCAR HERRING DIES FOLLOWING SHORT ILLNESS

Services for Well-known Fairfield Man to be On Wednesday

Oscar Henry HERRING, well known Fairfield citizen, and political authority, died this morning at 10:30 of pneumonia and heart complications. Mr. HERRING was born January 12, 1857, in Richland, Iowa, and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse A. HERRING.

Mr. HERRING had been sick only a few days, having been down town on Thursday. He died at the Guy Samson residence on North Main street in this city.

Mr. HERRING's wife, May SIMPKINS, preceded him in death about five years ago. Two sons, Charles E. HERRING and Oscar Henry HERRING jr., also preceded him in death. His son, Charles, who was connected with the Department of Commerce, died in Berlin, as did his wife. He leaves one brother, Charles E. HERRING of this city.

Mr. HERRING was deputy sheriff of Jefferson county when S. J. CHESTER was serving as sheriff. From this position he went to Washington early in 1880 and returned to Fairfield in 1903. It was while in Washington, in 1880, that he met Miss SIMPKINS and that they were married.

Of recent years, Mr. HERRING has been city assessor of Fairfield.

As to politics, Mr. HERRING was one of the best informed men in Jefferson county. He could call to mind numerous dates of political importance, and could name the senators from nearly any state for years back. He had a keen mind and could recall many incidents.

One such incident of which he often told, was when he heard the assassins shot which resulted in the death of President Garfield.

The following is quoted from the files of the Fairfield Daily Ledger for July 2, 1934:

"Oscar H. HERRING this morning referred to the fact that fifty-three years ago today, July 2, 1881, at nine o'clock in the morning he was standing near the old Sixth street Pennsylvania station in Washington, D. C., and heard the revolver shot report that Charles J. Guiteau fired at President Garfield, who died from the effects on September 19th.

"Guiteau was tried for murder, convicted and hanged. The trial lasted several weeks, was remarkable in many features, one being that never perhaps had it an equal in persistent and torrential vocal abuse leveled at some witnesses. The especial objects were George B. Corkhill of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa prosecutor, and Judge John K. Porter of New York, his assistant.

"Mr. HERRING attended the trial a few times and states that Judge Cox, who presided, early ceased any attempt to curb or restrain the defendant from his violent conduct, and allowed him to proceed until he collapsed from physical exhaustion."

The funeral services will be held at the Charles A. HERRING home, 302 West Broadway, on Wednesday at 2:30, in charge of Dr. U. S. Smith. Burial will be in Evergreen cemetery. The body was taken to the Murray funeral home in this city.

~~~~

"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Thursday, November 15, 1934
Page EIGHT, Column 5

Funeral Services For O. H. HERRING Held Wednesday

A large company of friends gathered yesterday afternoon at the home of C. A. HERRING to pay their last respects to one of Fairfield's well known citizens, Oscar H. HERRING, formerly in the government service at Washington, D. C., and for many years city assessor of Fairfield.

The service was in charge of Dr. U. S. Smith, pastor of the First Methodist church and was opened with songs sung by Mrs. L. W. VanNostrand and Miss Cora Ball. The songs were "Abide With Me," and "Rock of Ages." Mrs. U. S. Smith was at the piano.

Dr. Smith read a number of passages of scripture, including the 19th Psalm. He based his remarks upon striking passages of comfort contained in it.

The pallbearers were: Perry Heflin, Jack Facer, William Wells Charles Gage, E. G. Fligg and Guy Samson.

Interment was in the HERRING family lot in Evergreen cemetery.

~~~~
Copied with permission from The Fairfield Ledger, Inc. IAGenWeb Bylaws PROHIBIT the COPYING AND RE-POSTING OF THIS MATERIAL IN ANY PUBLIC VENUE such as Ancestry or Find A Grave without WRITTEN permission from the submitter ~ copyright restrictions apply.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Lot Old.P.339. Wife Mary SIMPKINS HERRING was divorced from Oscar by 1920. She died in Berlin, Germany, as noted above, about 1929 and was buried there.