John Schoenenberger (1915 Alt)

SCHOENENBERGER, TRAVIS

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 12/14/2006 at 19:21:19

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
April 28, 1915

J. Schoenenberger Called By Death - Well Known Citizen and Pioneer Dies at His Home in Walnut Township

John Schoenenberger, pioneer settler and prominent in the affairs of this county for many years, died at this home seven miles south of Winterset at 8 a.m., Friday morning. For several weeks, the seriousness of his illness has been known and the end was not unexpected. He was an unusually strong, robust man and was never attacked by illness of any kind until this spring when a complication of diseases, including ureaemic poisoning baffled all human efforts.

He was one of the most successful farmers of Madison County, stood high in the estimation of his fellow citizens and enjoyed the warm friendship and a wide acquaintance throughout the county and to some extent throughout the state.

With his parents, Mr. & Mrs.(Mary Louisa Thimmes) Nicholas Schoenenberger, he came here from Fairfield County, Ohio, in the year 1855, when he was but five years of age.

He was married to Lavina C. Travis on March 10, 1875, in Madison County. Surviving are his wife, four sons: Walter James; Ralph Travis; Iver Earl and John Guy, and one daughter, Adelaide (Adda) L. (Nicholson).

In addition to various local offices of trust and responsibility, he was elected to the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly in 1906, where he honorably represented this district. He was unusually successful in his occupation of farming and stock raising and the farm home in Walnut township was one of the finest in the county. In his death the county loses a splendid citizen and his family, an ideal husband and father.

The funeral services held at the home on Sunday afternoon was one of the most largely attended ever held in the county. The vast concourse of people assembled from far and near to pay the last tribute of respect to one they loved and honored, indicates the place he held in the hearts of his fellow men. The funeral discourse was delivered by the Rev. Fredrick Donovan and the body was laid to rest at the Winterset Cemetery.