Archibald B. McCandless 1828-1907

MCCANDLESS, BYERS, LEE, MORRE, REYNOLDS, MOORE, ALLISON, GIVEN

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 8/31/2022 at 14:08:27

Columbus Gazette, Columbus Junction, Iowa
Thursday, May 30, 1907
page 1

Dr. Archibald B. McCandless was born in Allegheny county, Pa., in a farm near Imperial, July 17, 1828. His death occurred in Oklahoma where he had gone two weeks before on a visit, Wednesday, May 22, 1907. Dr. McCandless was the tenth of a family of thirteen children. Of these only one survives; Mrs. Elizabeth Byers, Coraopolis, Penna. He had meager advantages in his boyhood days, like most of the farmer youth of that time. After studying medicine with his brother, Alexander, in Pittsburg, he took a course of lectures at Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia. In December, 1853, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Lee, daughter of Samuel and Jane Lee, at their home on the farm near Cambridge, Ohio. After practicing his profession at Bloomfield and Norwich, Ohio, until 1864, they removed to McComb, Illinois, where three brothers had preceded him.

In 1866 they moved to Monmouth and in May, 1869, to Columbus City as successor to Dr. Wm. Robertson. They occupied the residence built by Dr. Cleaves, now owned by John Tedford, during their sixteen years residence in Columbus City. For many years the doctor owned the City drug store under the firm name of A. B. McCandless and Sons. He was an active member of the U. P. church, an elder and precentor as well, during most of his residence there. To him and his wife were born thirteen children, nine of whom grew to maturity. There are: Dr. Samuel Lee, who died in 1877 at the age of twenty two. Dr. A. W., of Chicago. Dr. A. H ., of Rock Island. H. A., of Perry, Oklahoma. Dr. C. R., of Davenport. Mrs. F. G. Moore, Perry, Oklahoma. Mrs. J. W. Reynolds, Fullerton, California. Dr. Robert E., who died in Oklahoma in 1902. Geo. T., Kansas City, Missouri. Mrs. McCandless, the mother of these children, died July 17, 1878, the fiftieth anniversary of the Doctor's birth.

On September 12, 1882, he was married to Mrs. Belle Moore, daughter of Rev. James Brown, who was pastor of the U. P. church at that time, Mrs. Moore had one daughter, now Mrs. O. J. Allison, Holton, Kansas. All the children are married and all were present at the funeral except Mrs. Reynolds. She started from her home in California, but failing to make proper railroad connections, she was too late. She is now at Holton, with Mrs. McCandless, who returned immediately after the funeral services were concluded. Her widowed sister, Mrs. Lida B. Given, and her invalid son make their home with her.

The funeral occurred from the U. P. church in Columbus City, Saturday, May 25. A large number of his old friends and neighbors attested their respect for him and sympathy for his family by their attendance. Services were conducted by the pastor, Rev. J. C. Marshall. The five sons were the pall bearers. His last sickness was of short duration, but his appetite had failed some time before and the children urged him to go to Oklahoma for a visit, hoping the change would do him good. No alarm was felt about his condition until Sunday, May 19. Gradually he grew weaker and passed away, peacefully as if going to sleep, on the 22nd.