WOODROW, Harrison (1839-1917)

WOODROW, WHEELER, WEARIN, DYSON, DUERR

Posted By: Kathy Weaver (email)
Date: 11/10/2018 at 11:49:12

Malvern Leader
Malvern, Mills County, Iowa
Thursday Oct. 4, 1917

PASSING OF H.H. WOODROW

Well Known Resident Of Malvern And Pioneer Of Mills County Answers Death’s Roll Call September 29

Death again entered our midst the past week and took from us Harrison H. Woodrow, one of the best known men of central Mills county as well as one of the early pioneers. He had been in poor health for some years past having suffered a partial stroke of paralysis so that while his death came rather sudden and was a surprise to most of those who knew him it was not altogether unlooked for.

Some time ago Mr. Woodrow suffered the loss of his sight so has not been about town as much as of old and yet until within a day or two of his death he was able to walk out about the place with friends and enjoyed visiting with them.

He was anticipating celebrating his 78th birthday on Friday the 28th and expected his daughters in to spend the day with him but the day preceding he was taken much worse so that he was barely able to recognize those who came and he grew steadily worse until about eight o’clock Saturday morning he peacefully breath his last.

Harrison H. Woodrow was born in Tazewell County, Ill., September 28, 1839, so was just past seventy eight years old. He was reared on a farm in Illinois where he remained until sixteen years of age when he came to Mills County, Iowa, coming out with Milton, Harvey and Newton Summers in September, 1855, or just about 62 years ago. He located with them in White Cloud township buying land where J.N. Summers now lives. He sold this in 1868 and bought the fine farm one mile east of Malvern which he still owned at the time of his death and where he made his home until 1910 when they moved to their home in Malvern.

He was very patriotic and first joined a company of Home Guards at the outbreak of the Civil War and with the late Judge Tubbs as captain marched to Sioux City where they were called by an Indian uprising. It is interesting to note that there were no bridges between here and Sioux City at that time but the company had to wade or ford all the streams.

He enlisted in 1862 in Company K of the 29th Iowa and served during the remainder of the war and was mustered out at the close, at New Orleans with the rank of Sergeant and received his honorable discharge at Davenport in 1865.

He returned at once to Mills County and the following year, October 11, 1866, was united in marriage with Miss Hattie Wheeler at her home in Glenwood. They came at once to their farm in White Cloud township making their home in the little log house until they bought the place east of town to which they moved and lived there for 42 years.

To them were born four children, one son Lewis W. now of Leavenworth, Washington, and three daughters, Cora E. wife of W.H. Wearin of Carlton, Nebr., Lola, wife of J.W. Dyson of Lyons, Nebr., and Lulu, wife of F.J. Duerr of Council Bluffs, all of whom were in attendance at the funeral.

Their home was ever a home of hospitality as many can testify who have visited there and enjoyed it.

Mr. Woodrow was always progressive in his work and was one of the first to advocate improved methods of farming and the breeding up of better grades of stock. He was one of the organizers and stockholders of the Mills County Agricultural society and as long as he was actively engaged in farming was always there with an exhibit of livestock or farm products. He was one of the first to advocate and practice breeding up better grains and better livestock and always raised the best. He retained his farm after moving to town and was always interested in looking after it.

He was one of the movers in the Old Settlers Association of the three counties and president of the same a few years ago when the meeting was held at Tabor. He also was president of and active in the Mills County Protective Association to hunt down thieves of live stock in this section. In fact he was always one of the first in every good movement for the improvement of the county or community.

He idealized his home life and was never happier than when surrounded by his children and near friends in his own home. He was a good citizen, a man of strongest integrity and high ideals as was characteristic of our early pioneers. His life has left its impress upon the county and community and he will be mourned by all who knew him.

The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 from the Baptist church in Malvern and was very largely attended by the old friends and neighbors who had known him so long. The members of Milton Summers Post G.A.R. to which he belonged attended in a body and marched with him to his last resting place. Rev. J.E. Wilkins a former pastor and friend preached the sermon and spoke eloquently of the life and work of the deceased and what it meant to the community and to those who came in contact with him. A special choir Messrs. R.W. Criswell and J.R. McClymond and Mesdames F.R. Chantry and L.A. Talbott with Miss Florence Durbin as accompanist sang. Beautiful flowers in great profusion testified to the love of friends and the esteem of fellow citizens and civic orders.

Silver Urn Lodge A.F. & A.M. of which he was a long time member and a Past Master, attended in a body and marched to the cemetery where the beautiful ritualistic service of the order was used and the burial service given by C.S. Royce in a most impressive manner. A long line of cars followed the remains to their last resting place. The active pall bearers were brother Masons, Fred Durbin, L.W. Miller, G.W. Strohl, Chas. H. Summers, J.H. Benton, E.C. Collins, Dr. J.W. Baer and W.P. Wortman. The honorary pall bearers were the members of the G.A.R.

Among those from a distance attending the funeral were S.W. Montgomery and daughter, Mrs. Rose Mabee of Fremont, Nebr., Mrs. Bertie Pippitt and Mrs. J.F. Smith of Council Bluffs, Dr. and Mrs. F.M. Shriver and W.B. Bartlett of Glenwood, Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Rice, B.O. Sheldon and Miss Lizzie Forrester of Tabor; M.B. Fellows and wife and Mr. Allely of near Randolph; M.L. Evans and wife, E.B. Birdsall and wife, R.M. Shipman and wife, Rev. R. Bruce West and A. McClain and Mrs. J.E. Wilkins of Emerson; Mr. and Mrs. Savage and Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Boggess of Red Oak.