SAMUEL WAKEFIELD 1832 - 1915

WAKEFIELD, OLDS, SELLERS

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/25/2021 at 19:04:50

The Daily Gate City and Constitution-Democrat
Keokuk, Iowa
June 5, 1915

SAMUEL WAKEFIELD
ANSWERS LAST CALL
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Old Keokuk Resident Passed Away at
St. Joseph's Hospital
on Sunday
Morning
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AILING SEVERAL YEARS
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Came to Keokuk in the Year Eighteen
Fifty-seven - Was Many Years
in the Employ of the Railroads
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It has been with sincere regret that the many Keokuk friends of Samuel W. Wakefield have heard of his death, which occurred at St. Joseph's hospital at 8:00 o'clock on Sunday morning. Mr. Wakefield was past eighty-four years of age and death was the result of a general breaking down of health incident to his advanced age.

He had only been at the hospital for the past ten days, but his health had been failing for the past three years. In Mr. Wakefield, Keokuk has lost one of her most highly esteemed citizens. A resident of this city for nearly sixty years, he won a host of warm friends and the death of this old railroad man has called forth many expressions of sympathy.

The decedent first came to Keokuk in 1857 and worked as an engineer on the old Keokuk, Fort Des Moines and Minnesota railroad. Later he was promoted to the position of master mechanic, and when the road became the Rock Island he continued in its employ until some fifteen years ago when he retired.

Born in New Hampshire.
Mr. Wakefield was born on April 30, 1832 in Sullivan county, New Hampshire, near Newport. After being employed as an engineer on eastern railroads, he came to Keokuk May 27, 1857 and had resided here since that time. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clark Wakefield, early settlers in Sullivan county. He was married to Miss Carrie Olds, shortly before coming to Keokuk. Mrs. Wakefield passed away about twenty years ago.

The only survivor is a daughter. Miss Nell Wakefield of Chicago. She will arrive here tomorrow to arrange for the funeral services. Distant relatives still reside in the east.

According to Mr. Wakefield's last instructions, the body was taken to Davenport yesterday for cremation. The ashes will probably arrive here tonight. There will be no funeral services other than those to be conducted by the Masonic lodge, of which decedent was an old member. The ashes will be laid to rest in the family lot in Oakland cemetery. The details of the burial have not been arranged as yet.

Before he passed away, Mr. Wakefield arranged all the details for his cremation and burial.

Was Prominent Mason.
Mr. Wakefield was active in the Masonic fraternity. He was made a Mason in the year 1858 in the old building at Seventh and Main streets, and has affiliated with that fraternity all the succeeding years of his life. The splendid principles of the order had always been uppermost in his social and business associations. On his birthday anniversary two years ago the members of the Masonic fraternity presented Mr. Wakefield with a handsome ebony cane as an appreciation of his many years of service in the order.

Among the many incidents connected with his life in Keokuk is the fact that he was at the throttle of the engine which pulled the first train of cars out of Keokuk to Bentonsport on the old Keokuk, Fort Des Moines and Minnesota railroad. Three years later he took a train through on the same road to Mount Zion, a few miles belond (*beyond) Bentonsport, to which point the building of the road had been completed. This was on August 1, 1860.

When he first came here he worked as an engineer under Morris Sellers, then master mechanic. Later he was promoted to this position himself and served in that capacity until he retired from railroad life. In early days he met and associated with many of the pioneer railroad men of Iowa, some of whom were later called back east to prominent positions.