MERSHON, Samuel

MERSHON, ADAMS

Posted By: Wendy Bergerud (email)
Date: 9/1/2003 at 20:19:06

DEATH ANGEL CALLS PIONEER
Samuel Mershon, Resident of Glenwood Since Fifty-Five, Passes Suddenly.

Samuel Mershon, an aged citizen of Glenwood, died suddenly on Tuesday
morning at his home, about the hour off 6:30. Mr. Mershon, though not
in rugged health this winter, kept going about occasionally. He was
down town twice on Monday.
It appears that he may have arisen for the morning and was preparing
his toilet when the stroke came upon him. He fell, most likely soon
after opening the windows of his room.
The nurse who is caring for Mrs. Mershon, made the discovery, and
notified a neighbor. His son, Bernie, was notified at his restaurant,
and hurried with a doctor for his parents' residence. Before arriving
they were met and told that life had departed.
Mr. Mershon was a resident of Glenwood previous to the Civil war. He
had returned to his native state of Pennsylvania before the war began,
and joined the army from that state. He returned to Glenwood again
shortly after the war, and this city has been practically his home ever
since.
The funeral occurred Wednesday afternoon, March 22, at 2 p.m., with
burial in the Glenwood cemetery. Short services were held at the home
by Rev. W. M. Stevenson. This was done as Mrs. Mershon is an invalid.
The body was then taken to the Hol?ness church, where services were
conducted by Rev. Howard Mintle. The G. A. R. organization conducted
the services at the cemetery.
Samuel Mershon was born in Richmond, Penn., October 10, 1831, and died
at Glenwood, Iowa, March 21, 1916, aged 84 years, 5 months and 11 days.
His parents were of the Presbyterian church faith, and were of Scotch,
French and German descent. At the age of 7 years he was left an
orphan. In his early manhood he learned the trade of carpenter and
cabinet maker. He followed these trades until a fall occurred to him
while working on the Soldiers' Orphan home in Glenwood.
Mr. Mershon came to Osceola, Iowa, in 1855, and after a year's
residence there came to Glenwood by ox-team. He began work at this
trade in the then metropolis of Mills County, Pacific City. When work
ceased in that city by reason of the encroachments of the Missouri
river, Mr. Mershon loaded his household goods and family on a flat boat,
and went to St. Joe. He returned in 1857 to Plattsmouth, where he
pre-empted 160 acres, 8 miles out from that city.
In 185? he and family were residents of Peru, Nebraska. The next year
he and family returned to Pennsylvania, and in August of 1861, Mr.
Mershon enlisted in Co. B, 51st V.I.P. at Easton, Pennsylvania. He was
discharged at Georgetown, Pennyslvania, on January 15, 1863, for
disability. In March of 1865 he re-enlisted in Co., C, 16th Penn.
cavalry, and was honorably discharged August 11, 1865, under order S. O.
No. 199 H.
The subject of this sketch again returned to Glenwood in 1869. After
his injury, mentioned above, when he suffered broken arms and nose, he
became for a time a clerk for B. F. Buffington.
He started into business for himself in 1872. In 1883 he homesteaded
in Dakota, and for a time ran a grocery in Omaha on Cuming street.
Altogether he was in business for himself about 15 years, mostly in
Glenwood.
Mr. Mershon was a devoted church man and held at first a membership in
the Glenwood church. He helped in the building of the M. E. church,
which is now transformed into the Myers rooming house. Mr. Mershon was
one of the prime movers in the excursion to Nebraska City, Nebraska, via
Red Oak, whose purpose was to raise funds to help pay for the church.
The trip netted about $700 for the church building.
In later years he severed his connection with the Methodist church and
united with the Holiness church, of which he remained a member until death.
Mr. Mershon is mourned by his wife, who has been an invalid for some
time; two sons, Byron Mershon of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, and J. B.
Mershon of Glenwood; and one daughter, Mrs. Lillie May Adams, of
Lincoln, Nebraska. He also has living a half-brother, George Mershon,
at Easton, Pennsylvania.
Some coincidents concerning the time of Mr. Mershon's death might be
of interest. On March 18 Mrs. Mershon celebrated her 87th birthday, and
it was planned to celebrate the birthday of the daughter, Mrs. Adams, on
March 21, the day her father died. Another striking fact was that the
son died on his mother's birthday, march 18, and was buried on the same
date that his father died, March 21.
All of the children were present at the funeral.

CARD OF THANKS

We desire to express our gratitude to the neighbors and friends who so
kindly gave their willing service to us in the death and burial of our
husband and father, Samuel Mershon. -- Mrs. Catherine Mershon, Byron
Mershon, Mrs. Lillie May Adams, Mr. And Mrs. J. B. Mershon.

Received from Shirley McCord August 2001. No source indicated.