John E. Darby (Rev.) (1890)

DARBY

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 12/17/2007 at 09:48:57

Winterset Madisonian – October 24, 1890
Winterset, Iowa
Page 4

Death of an Old Citizen.

On last Friday evening, October 17, occurred the death of Rev. John E. Darby, of Penn township. Mr. Darby was one of the early settlers of Madison county, coming here from Holmes county, Ohio. For most of his life he was a Methodist preacher, a part of the time in the traveling connection, but mostly sustaining either a local or a superannuate relation. He also taught school in Winterset and elsewhere in the county, but for thirty years or more his home has been on the farm where he died, in Penn township. In March 1856 he presided at the first meeting ever held in Madison county to organize the republican party in the county. In 1863 he was elected representative from Madison county to the state legislature.

Mr. Darby was a man of the most upright character, kind and charitable in all his ways, and always on the right side in every moral or public duty or patriotism, never swerving from his exalted idea of right and truth.

About eight years ago he was afflicted with a partial paralysis, since which time he was a constant sufferer till the day of his death. At his death he was advanced in years, we believe past eighty, though we are not informed exactly. He leaves an aged wife, several children, some of whom are already getting old, and several grand children.
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The Christian Advocate – August 5, 1891
Dexter, Iowa Library Obituary Collection

John Elias Darby, son of John Elias and Ruhama Darby, died at his resident at Penn Center, Madison county, Iowa, on Oct. 17, 1890. He was born near Catskill, Greene county, N. Y., on March 3, 1815, and he moved with his parents to Ohio in 1828. At sixteen years of age he was converted and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was licensed to exhort on Dec. 5, 1834, by the quarterly conference of Millersburg circuit, Michigan Conference. The same quarterly conference granted him license to preach on Feb. 4, 1837. He was ordained deacon at Ashland, Ohio, on Aug. 16, 1846, by Bishop Morris; and elder at Winterset, Iowa, on Sept. 6, 1863, by Bishop Ames. He supplied Adair charge in 1864 and 1865. He was received on trial in the Des Moines Conference at Boonesboro, Iowa, on Aug. 26, 1866, and appointed to Adel charge, which he served two years. He was received into full membership in this conference at Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Aug. 22, 1868, and appointed to De Soto charge, where he remained two years. In September, 1870, he superannuated, and retired to his farm. In 1871 he supplied Stuart charge. His itinerant life of a few years was characterized by the faithful discharge of his duty, and was owned of God in the salvation of souls.

On Oct. 8, 1837, he married Miss Lucy A. Tuttle, who died on May 13, 1849. Six children were born to them, of whom three are living. He was married on Aug. 3, 1850, to Miss Sarah Battershell, of Berlin, Holmes county, Ohio, by the late Rev. Chas. B. Brandebury, of the Central Ohio Conference. She, with an adult son and daughter, survives him.

He was a representative in the State Legislature from Madison county in 1863 and 1864. He was a strenuous advocate, of the abolition of slavery, and a devoted temperance worker when it required more than ordinary courage to maintain his position and conviction. Highly respected and deeply beloved by all who knew him well, after years of suffering and growing infirmities, yet always sustained by the faith of the gospel he loved to preach, surrounded by his aged companion and children, he passed on and up to God in full hope of a blessed reward. A. W. Armstrong.

Note: Burial was made in the Old Penn Center cemetery.

Gravestone Photo
 

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