David Applegate (1891)

APPLEGATE, DENISON, STEWARD

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 12/23/2007 at 14:51:12

The Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, May 15, 1891
Page 3

County and City

David Applegate, one of the old residents of Douglas township, died at his home in Stringtown, Friday evening the 8th inst., after a lingering illness. Mr. Applegate settled on the farm where he made his home till his death about 1858. He has always been known as an upright citizen, a man of strong and radical convictions, a good neighbor, a kind husband and father. He leaves an aged widow and three sons, Andrew, Allen and Benton, all men in midlife or older. We do not know of any other relatives in this part of the country. A more esteemed obituary will follow.
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The Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday May 29, 1891
Page 4

OBITYUARY NOTICE

An Account of the Life and Character of David Applegate.

Died, at his home in Douglas township, Madison Co., Iowa, May 8th, 1891, David Applegate aged 74 years.

He was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, April 10th, 1817, here he grew up to manhood, learning the smith and wagon trade. He was reared up on the farm, laboring with hard and honest toil for the support and comfort of life. On January 26, 1843 he was joined in marriage to Miss Mary E. Denison. In this union 4 children were born to them, one dying in infancy, and three boys surviving. Andrew, Allen, and Benton, growing up to manhood and have passed the middle age of life, all living near the bereaved home.

In the summer of 1858 he came with his family to Douglas township, Madison county, Iowa, and settled on the farm where he lived till death, battling with the toils and privations of a pioneer life in the very early history of Madison county, working some at his trade and various other employment incident to a new country and the improvement of his home, and many of the early settlers of the county can call to mind his helps, kind and good deeds in a frontier life. In the late war, moved by a spirit of loyalty to his country and true patriotism and love of the flag, he enlisted as a soldier Aug. 10, 1862, in Co. A. 39th Iowa infantry, and was honorably discharged in June, 1865. His war record, owing to poor health was not being engaged on the battle field, but was serving his country as nurse in the hospital at different places during the war. While serving in the hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, he was partially stricken down with sunstroke. He was also in the hospital as nurse at Nashville during the noted Hood and Thomas battle. He was engaged at Morehead city at the close of the war and was a kind and faithful attendant upon the suffering and dying soldiers and many of the brave, loyal boys can speak of his tender care, sympathy and help in their sufferings.

In the winter of 1866 he professed saving faith in his Saviour, joining the M. E. church and was a true advocate of the christian religion, often in the class and prayer meetings bearing testimony to the power of saving grace and relied upon the promises of God's word. He was humble and penitent, yet joyous in the christian life. During the later years of his life much of the time not being able to attend the public worship, he kindly invited christian people to his home, taking part with them in the prayer and class meeting being joyful in hope of a home in heaven.

In the fall of 1888 he was stricken with paralysis on the right side, from that time going gradually down in bodily strength and became quite feeble, yet being a man of unusual courage, energy and determination of mind and body, he went along through life looking after the interests of home and family, not with a selfish motive to gain wealth, but to aid all with whom he mingled.

About two months before his death he was taken with la grippe, terminating in pneumonia, suffering much and gradually going down to death's door, in this interval of his life he was a model of christian patience and resignation to the divine will, expressing himself willing and prepared to go and seemed to be so thankful to everyone waiting upon him. We were frequently at his bedside suring his sickness and as long as he had strength to speak would thank us for our kindness and want us to come again to see him. His faithful physician and brother, Dr. Applegate of indianola, Iowa, was with him the last four weeks of his life, doing all that physical aid could do, another brother from Kansas and Mr. Joseph Steward, a brother-in-law from Warren county, Iowa, were faithful attendants the last two weeks of his life, and other friends from a distance, with his beloved wife, children and grandchildren and many kind neighbors were his faithful attendants during the last six weeks of his life, and yet with all this aid, tender and loving care, death came.

On Friday evening, May 8th, at six o'clock, while nature was putting forth her spring life in bud and bloom, and the sweet song of birds singing their carol notes of joy, without a struggle, calmly and sweetly he passed to the spirit land, leaving a wife, three children and nine grand children.

Father Applegate was a kind neighbor, good and esteemed citizen, a true advocate of justice and right, a loving and tender husband and father, lover of home, living on the place he died thirty-three years; forming a large circle of friends and acquaintances and for over forty-eight years hand in hand in all the conflicts of life, journeyed with his loved companion. They had the chain of wedded life, so let us who live after them try to imitate his many good deeds. Before closing this tribute to our departed friend we recall one incident in his last hours. His little granddaughter, Beulah, of four summers came to his bed side, he not being able to speak to her raised his weak and trembling hand and placed it upon her curly head. She then took hold of his hand upon it imprinted the last kiss to grandpa. Oh! what a contrast was this of tender youth and hoary age. My appeal is to you dear young friends who read this obituary to love and revere old age. God belss our aged father and mother and may their mantles of usefulness and good deeds fall upon one shoulders and let us bestow it upon all with whom we mingle in life.

On the following Sabbath the funeral services were conducted at the bereaved home at three o'clock p.m. The services were conducted by Revs. Thompson and Sawhill of the U. P. church and was a very impressive and solemn occasion. It was the largest funeral ever known in the community, over two hundred persons passed through the room and took a last look at their neighbor and departed friend. The body was then conveyed to the cemetery and a floral tribute of beautiful flowers prepared by loving hands was placed upon the caket and all laid in the tomb.

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