Frank Jennings (1920)

JENNINGS, SMITH, BALDWIN, BRITTAIN

Posted By: Ida Morse (email)
Date: 8/20/2006 at 11:38:38

Earlham Library Obituaries, July 1920
Earlham, Iowa

OBITUARY

Frank Jennings was born at the family home in Dallas County February 11, 1875, and died in the hospital at Des Moines, Thursday, July 29, 1920, aged forty-five years, five months and eighteen days.

He received his education in the country schools near his home, later entering the high school at De Soto for a year, then the high school at Van Meter, but feeling that work at home was too heavy for his father he left the school before completing the high school course, to assist in the farm work at home.

He was converted when about twenty years old and later united with the United Brethren church under the pastorate of Rev. Curtiss. His friendship was prized by all that knew him and it seems to us that well might be said of him “I like to live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man.” A friend to all, he carried the golden rule into all his dealing with men and many have found him willing to go beyond and doing what he would not expect or ask that others should do to him. A man of deep conviction he held a high standard of religious life, often expressing himself as not reaching in his own life what he felt ought to be the standard of Christian manhood, but in his last hours, he sought and found the piece for which he longed, and felt himself accepted of God, and expressed himself as ready to go If need be.

He was an active member of the Masonic Lodge of Van Meter. Five years ago he came to his present home and began to build for himself a home. Of these years I need not speak for as we look about upon the fields with their crops and improvements they speak of the care and thought with which he labored and the returns that came for that labor, but in the midst of his labor he was stricken with a severe attack of appendicitis, submitting to an operation on July 21st, but medical skill could not avail and on the 29th he answered the call of death, leaving to mourn his passing a father, mother and sisters, Miss Ruth; Miss Alice; Mrs. Howard Smith; Mrs. Dalsy Baldwin all of Van Meter; Mrs. Joseph Brittain of Earlham, and a brother, Ralph also of Van Meter, beside a host of other relatives and friends.

The funeral was held at the family home Sunday afternoon, Rev. Elliott of Des Moines and Rev. Spiller conduction the services. The Masonic Lodge attended in a body and took charge of the services at the cemetery.

Note: Burial in Van Meter Cemetery, Dallas Co, Ia
Source: Dallas Co. cemetery records.