John Wesley Wallace Laird (1942)
LAIRD, RAYBURN, WEST
Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 8/7/2006 at 16:07:35
The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, May 20, 1942Riley Schoolmate Dies at St. Charles
J. W. W. Laird, long-time resident of the Pleasant Valley community in Warren county, near St. Charles, died last Thursday. He was 87 years of age.
Mr. Laird enjoyed the distinction of having attended school in Indiana as a boy with James Whitcomb Riley, the famous Hoosier poet. He spent his active years as a rural school teacher in Warren county.
He had also served as county superintendent of schools in Pottawattamie county, and as city superintendent at Oakland and Carson.
He is survived by a daughter, Grace, and a son, Paul, both of St. Charles.
Funeral services were held from the St. Charles Methodist church last Saturday, in charge of the Rev. Mr. Kirby, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Arnold. Burial was made in the St. Charles cemetery.
_________________________The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, May 21, 1942
Page 4, Column 3J.W. LAIRD, 88, DIES THURSDAY
Two Weeks Illness Proves Fatal To St. Charles Resident
J. W. Laird of St. Charles died at his home Thursday morning, following an illness of two weeks, caused by a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 88 years old.
Mr. Laird was born in Indiana in 1854, and was a schoolmate of James Whitcomb Riley at Greenfeld, Indiana. He graduated from the State Teachers college at Kirksville, Mo., and was admitted to the Bar at Centerville, Ia. He then went to Pottawattamie county where he taught school. He was elected superintendent of Pottawattamie county and served two years, and later was superintendent in the towns of Oakland, Carsno, Treynor and Macedinia in that county.
He also was in the newspaper business before coming to Warren county and St. Charles in 1905, where he has farmed and taught in the rural schools of Jackson township until the consolidation of the St. Charles and St. Mary’s schools in 1918. He was clerk of Jackson township 18 years.
He was a member of the Masonic lodge since 1885 and received his 50-year certificate in 1935. He also was a member of the order of Eastern Star at St. Charles.
Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at the Methodist church, conducted by the Revs. Kirby and Arnold. Burial was made in the St. Charles Cemetery were the ritualistic service of the Masonic lodge was given.
He is survived by two children, grace and Paul, will lived with them at home. Mrs. Laird preceded him in death on October 16, 1939.
_________________________St. Charles News
St. Charles, Iowa
May 21, 1942John Wesley Wallace, son of John Philander and Martha West Laird, was born near Liberty, Union county, Indiana, July 29, 1854, and passed away quietly at his home near St. Charles, May 14, 1942, at the age of 87 years, 9 months, and 15 days. He was the oldest and last survivor of a family of 6 children, his youngest brother having preceded him in death less than a year before.
At Carson, Iowa, on June 30, 1887, he was united in marriage with Laura M. Rayburn, a teacher in the schools of that town. To this union were born two children, Grace and John Paul both at home, and this family circle remained unbroken for more than 52 years until the death October 16, 1938, of the devoted wife and mother.
In 1875, he moved to Macon county, Illinois, and in 1880 to Pottawattamie county, Iowa. After a year's residence, he moved to Missouri, where for 5 years he taught school and attended the State Teacher's College at Kirksville, Missouri, where he graduated.
For the next 16 years his activities centered around the educational and newspaper work in southwest Iowa. He served one term as County superintendent of Pottawattamie county, and more than 10 years as superintendent of the town schools of Oakland, Carson, Macedonia and Henderson in the same county.
He was also editor, part owner and publisher of the Carson Critic, Pottawattamie School Journal, and at one time edited the Greenwood Tribune. He was admitted to the Iowa Bar Association, having passed the state examination in Centerville in 1881.
In 1902, he moved to a farm near Chillicothe, Mo., and in March 1905, came to Jackson township in Warren county, Iowa, where he has since resided. Here he farmed and taught in the rural schools until they were consolidated in 1920.
He served 18 years as township clerk of Jackson township, retiring because of his health in 1935. He was keenly interested in world affairs. His mind remained undimmed until a stroke on April 29th clouded his memory forever.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star Chapter at St. Charles and received a fifty years Masonic certificate from the Grand Lodge of Iowa in 1935.
He was honest, fearless and generous in all his dealings, and his influence for good will live long after he is gone.
He leaves to mourn his passing his two children, eight nephews and nieces, many other relatives and a host of friends.
The funeral was held Saturday afternoon at the Methodist church with the pastor, L.M. Kirby preaching the sermon; Rev. John Arnold also assisted in the service. Mr. Laird was laid to rest in the St. Charles cemetery
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