William H. H. Dabney (1890)

DABNEY, LEE

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 12/21/2007 at 09:51:50

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, October 3, 1890
Page 5

Death of a Former Citizen

Word was received here Wednesday that W. H. H. Dabney died the evening before in Pottawattamie county. Mr. A. R. Dabney and wife started to see him Tuesday morning on learning that he was approaching his end. For sometime he has been failing rapidly, having become a victim of that dread disease, consumption.

Mr. Dabney was one of the pioneers of Madison county, having come here when a boy with his parents and settled in the western part of the county, in what is now Jackson township. There he lived till sometime after reaching manhood. He engaged several years in freighting goods across the plains by team, and afterwards settled in Winterset, where he lived till ten or twelve years ago. He married a daughter of E. B. Lee, formerly of Douglas township, and a sister of Ham Lee, of Jackson.
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Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, October 10, 1890
Page 4

Obituary

W. H. H. Dabney was born in Georgetown, Vermillion County, Illinois, on the 31st day of December, 1823 (check this date). In 1836 he removed with his father to Dallas County, Iowa and in 1856 he removed to Madison County, Iowa, where he made his home until some ten years ago, when he removed to Pottawattamie county.

In 1866 he was married to Mary B. Lee, daughter of E. B. Lee, formerly of Douglas township, and sister of Ham Lee, now of Jackson township. In 1868 he was converted and identified himself with the Methodist church at Winterset during the ministerial administration of Rev. H. H. O’Neal.

He was an affectionate husband and an indulgent parent, was active and energetic in business, kind-hearted, generous and hospitable. He had great respect and veneration for his parents and was ever ready and anxious to make personal sacrifices to aid and assist them in their declining years in every way possible.

When his father, Henry Dabney, died in 1870 he at once became the chief adviser and source of aid and comfort of his widowed mother, and was in many respects a father as well as a brother to his orphan brothers and sisters. In February 1889 he caught a severe cold which rapidly developed into consumption. The best medical skill, change of climate, most careful nursing and attention were powerless to afford him permanent relief. He died at his country home near Oakland, Pottawattamie county, Iowa, at one o’clock and twenty minutes a.m., October 1st, 1890, surrounded by his wife and family, two brothers, the family physician and a few intimate friends. He was conscious to the last and talked freely with those about him until a few minutes of his death. He died without apparent pain and life departed almost as easily and quietly as if he had been passing into the repose of sleep—he realized that he was about to die and bid good-bye to all present. A short time before his death his brother holding him by the hand asked him what he should say to absent friends for him, he repeated: “Give them my love and tell them that I hope to meet them all in heaven.” For several months immediately prior to his death he fully realized that he had not long to live and spoke frequently and in detail of absent relatives and friends, about the settlement of the estate, how to be prepared for burial, the funeral services, where to be buried &c. &c. He leaves surviving him a wife, one daughter, (Married), two sons, eight brothers and two sisters.
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Note: Census records indicate that William H. H. Dabney was born ca 1835. Also, Dallas County was not available for settlement until 1846.

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