William Sylvester Sumner (1906)

FOUNTAIN, SUMNER

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 10/20/2014 at 07:20:26

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, November 8, 1906
Page 8

William Sylvester Sumner was born in Essex county, New York, September 9th, 1828. Died at Winterset, Iowa, Nov. 1st, 1906. Age 78 years, 1 month, and 22 days. Childhood and early manhood were spent in New York, where his marriage occurred May 26th, 1852, to Mary L. Fountain, who with three sons and one daughter survive him. He came west in 1861 to Galesburg, Illinois, and one year later made a home near Oneida, Ill. He lived in Illinois nineteen years, coming to Winterset in 1881, which has been his home until his death.

He united with the church in youth, and always since then has remained a constant follower of the Master, dying in the faith which was ever his in life.

Mr. Sumner was a man of strong convictions, and always had the courage to defend his position. It was the writer’s privilege to follow him where he resided in Illinois, though some years later, and we found the sweet influence of his noble Christian character, and the effect of his untiring Sunday School work still present in the community.

Madison county has lost one of its very best citizens, and the Sunday School work in the county, township and city will have a vacant chair in their meetings.

The funeral services were held from the home, conducted by Rev. E. E. Bennett. Text: “We spend our years as a tale that is told.” Ps. 90:9. The remains were laid to rest in the Winterset cemetery.
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The Madison County Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, November 08, 1906
Page 3, Column 3

Death of Prominent Citizen

Wm. S. Sumner succumbs to heart trouble after extended illness at age of seventy-eight years. Wednesday night of last week occurred the death of one of Madison county’s most respected citizens after an extended illness with heart trouble, at his home west of the city. The funeral was held from the house, Friday of last week.

William Sylvester Sumner was born Sept. 9th, 1828 in the Adirondack mountains in Essex county, N.Y., and grew to manhood there. While a resident of that state he married Mary L. Fountain and they celebrated their 53d anniversary of their marriage in May of this year. To them were born four children, who together with the wife and mother survive him. Wm. C. Sumner, of Winterset, one of the directors of the First National Bank, Arthur Sumner, one of Madison county’s substantial farmers, Raymond Sumner, an electrical engineer, residing at Oakland, Cal., and Miss Gertrude Sumner, of Winterset. The entire family were at the home at the time of his demise.

Deceased moved from New York state to Oneida, Illinois in 1861 and made his home there until he moved to Madison county in 1882. From that time until about six years ago he was engaged in farming, when he practically retired and took up his residence in this city.

Mr. Sumner has always been one of the city and county’s most highly respected citizens, known to all as a man of unquestioned honor and highest integrity. His acquaintances all share in admiration of his good qualities, conservatism, kindliness, industry and high ideals of life. He was beyond question in every way a type of the best citizenship. He was a member and worker in the Presbyterian church here and had been interested in church work his entire life time. He is the last of a line of sturdy honest men, three brothers having departed this life before him, one being Henry B. Sumner, who died here three years ago.

Gravesite
 

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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