George Everett Bumbarger (1892)

BUMBARGER, RUNNELL

Posted By: Cay Merryman (email)
Date: 7/23/2004 at 22:25:36

January 1892

Somewhat contrary to expectations with reference to time, yet without surprise in any other particular, Geo. E. Bumbarger passed quietly away last Friday morning. Perhaps a little more than one year ago Mr. Bumbrger went back to Ohio, his native state to visit relatives and friends. Just before starting on that visit he had contracted a heavy cold which grew more and more........during his whole stay, and about the time of his return a deepseated cough and other symptoms of consumption were plainly visible in his system. Being a man of iron nerve and very industrious, he pursued his vocation in life as best he could for a time, but constantly grew worse. Finally last summer he was induced to try the atmosphere of the mountains and he went to Colorado, then to Meyer, Arizona, spending some time at the later place. Failing to recuperate his health as he desired he came back home a few weeks ago to die. For a brief period before death he had seemingly been gaining ground under a new and novel treatment learned from a neighbor. The writer remembers a conversation held with Mr. B. in the Reporter office the day he came home from the west. He said: "I had intended to protract my stay longer, but last Friday night I awoke from sleep and found no more rest that night. Someone seemed to be talking to me, and something said to me, as I tossed upon my bed, 'go home to your family and be with them at the last.'" As he spoke a tear stood in the poor man's eye and his lip quivered as if in deep emotion. He loved life so well - had such an unbounded interest in his family and home, yet realized fully that he must soon say adieu to it all and go out into a great unknown. He evidently had then before him the thought that all means for the restoration of his health had been exhausted in vain, and that he must die.

The funeral services were held Sunday under the auspises of the I.O.O.F., of this place, aided by members of the Patterson lodge. He had been a member of the former. The M.E. church was crowded to its utmost capacity to hear a funeral discourse pronounced by Rev. Williams and pay respect to the dead and sympathize with the bereaved. The casket was a beautiful plush one, on the foot of which was a wreath of roses and the three links. A silver plate upon the center bore the inscription "Our Brother" The altar decorations were very appropriate. Fully 600 people passed by the casket and viewed the remains. The I.O.O.F. ceremony at the grave was witnessed by an unusually large crowd, where upon all that is mortal of Geo. E. Bumbarger was gently laid beneath "the sod and dew to await the judgement day."

BIOGRAPHY George E. Bumbarger was born in Lithopolis, Fairfield county, Ohio in 1851. Came to Iowa in 186? and was joined in marriage to Miss Roxie Rundell in 1879. Their happy union resulted in a family of eight children, one of whom preceeded the father, leaving the mother and seven children. He united with the Christian church in 1879 of which he remained a member until his death, which occurred Jan. 29, 1892 at his home southeast of St. Charles. Since his removal to Iowa his industry and perseverance has been remunerative and he leaves his family well supplied with this world's goods.