Henry L. Allen
ALLEN, WESTBROOK
Posted By: CJeanealogy (email)
Date: 5/8/2018 at 17:04:38
The Marion Register Wednesday November 23, 1898
The Late Henry L. Allen.
The funeral services of the late Henry L. Allen were held Monday afternoon, November 21st, and in spite of a driving rain followed by sleet, were attended by a large number of people, many of them coming from several miles in the country. The services were conducted by his pastor, Rev. F.W. Luce, D.D. The singing was by a quartette composed of J.H. French, tenor, Mrs. V.G. Shumack, soprano, Mrs. J.W. Bowman, alto and E.J. Esgate, bass. Miss Edith Bailey presided at the organ. The pall bearers were Z.B. Elsberry, S.W. Rathbun, L.E. Sheets, Geo. W. Toms, W.J. Collar and W.M. Downey.
The sermon was from 2nd Timothy 4 6:7. It was a fitting discourse on the true estimate of life and death. Though it contained a glowing eulogy of the deceased, a true record of Mr. Allen's life where he has lived will bear out all that was said and more. He was as true, honorable and sincere a man as we had in our city, and in his untimely death the community has lost one of its best citizens, his family as true a husband and father as ever lived, and the First Methodist Episcopal church one of its most consistent members. The following obituary was read by Dr. Luce preceding the funeral sermon:
"Henry L. Allen, was born in Crown Point, New York, on the 14th day of June, 1849, and at the age of 49 years, 5 months and 5 days, while in the midst of life's duties on his farm near this city was called without a moment's warning to exchange worlds. Truly "in the midst of life we are in death."
At the age of nine years he moved from the place of his birth in New York, to Vermont, where, being orphaned, he was adopted by a family named Westbrook.
Thirty years ago he came to Blackhawk county, Iowa. After three years he removed to Delhi, Delaware county, Iowa, and had his residence in the family of the Hon. Dr. Albert Boomer, to whom he was as a faithful son, and was beloved by the now aged doctor and his good wife, as one of their own family. After remaining four years in Delaware county, in 1875 he came to Linn county, and on Christmas of the same year, he was married to Miss Arion E. Allen, by the Rev. S.A. Lee. He and his wife began keeping house in the home where they have spent hapily[sic] all their married life, and from which he went to "the house not made with hands eternal in the heavens."
Brother Allen was converted and united with the Methodist Episcopal church at Delhi in 1873, and since that time he has been a consistent and practical christian. He was one of those choice characters whose Christian conduct is so even and constant that its true worth is not fully realized until they are removed from us. He was not demonstrative in his religious work, on the contrary he was quite reserved. But he had and practiced the practical virtues of Christian life and character, which are the true evidences of Christlikeness. No one ever came to Henry Allen in a time of trouble and need without receiving at his hands the most complete relief, both in sympathy and material aid, that his resources would admit. He was one of those altogether too rare men, who, if you do them a kindness you are in danger of receiving double in return. He practiced the belief that he was in the world for what he could put into it for the good of others, and not for what he could get out of it.
He was scrupulously honest in all his dealings. He was a warm and true friend, loyal and faithful citizen, but he appeared at his best to those who knew him best. And in his home, he was the kindest and truest of husbands, and one of the most loving and tender of fathers. Beside his grief stricken widow, he leaves his two daughters, Lonie M. aged 18 and Gracie A. aged fourteen, to mourn his sudden departure. No other immediate relatives remain on this side of the river of death, excepting the aged parents of Mrs. Allen.
While we sorrow to day, "we sorrow not as those having no hope." For he is not dead, the tenement in which he lived has suddenly crumbled, but they who live and believe in Christ shall never die."
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