BRITT, Leroy (1811-1895)

BRITT, SEATON

Posted By: Kathy Weaver (email)
Date: 3/16/2019 at 13:49:22

Malvern Leader
Malvern, Iowa
Thursday, January 17, 1895

Death of Father Britt

Near the hour of 12 o’ clock, Wednesday night, Jan. 9, at his late home two miles north and one west of Malvern, occurred the death of Leroy Britt, one of the first settlers of Mills County. Mr. Britt had been failing in health for some time, due mostly to the accumulation of years, and yet his death came as a surprise, comparatively few knowing of his last illness. The death of Mr. Britt removes from the community not only an honorable, upright and greatly respected citizen, but one who in his years of activity exerted a large and wholesome influence and aided in the development of his grand country at a time when the influence of such men was much needed and of incalculable benefit. Mr. Britt was one of the charter members of the M.E. Church of Malvern and when able to do so was very active in the work as the earlier members of that organization will recall.

The funeral, which was held at the residence on Friday, was largely attended and despite the bitter cold a long procession followed the remains to the Malvern Cemetery where interment took place. Rev. C.W. Brewer conducted the services.

The family has kindly furnished us the following facts:

“Leroy Britt was born in Tennessee Sept. 15, 1811, and died at his home in Mills County Jan. 9, 1895, aged 83 years and 4 months less 6 days. He was married to Rhoda Seaton Sept. 25, 1833, in Tennessee; moved to Missouri in 1846, and to Mills County July 11, 1852. He settled upon the farm where he continued to reside for over 42 years, and where he lived until his death. Eleven children were born out of this wedlock, seven of whom are still living. Deceased joined the M.E. Church in 1855, and lived a consistent member until his death. He was ready; ‘his house was in order,’ he has ‘entered into rest.’ The aged wife and children remain on this side of the river, but we cherish the hope that we shall with them in a little while meet Father Britt in heaven.”

Mr. Britt had three sons, Hon. T.M. Britt, Mills County’s Representative for two years, one of the leading men of the county; Rev. Dr. Frank Britt, of Plattsmouth, Presiding Elder of the Nebraska District of Nebraska Conference, and Dr. Britt, a prominent physician of Kansas City. Of the whereabouts of the daughters we have not been advised.

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Incidents in a Pioneer’s Life

A warm personal friend of Mr. Leroy Britt gives us some incidents of his life that will be of interest to our readers. Mr. Britt was a soldier in the Blackhawk war and from the government received for his services a land warrant which he located in Mills County, the land constituting the farm on which he lived almost a half century. He was also one of the first two white men to cross the river at Dubuque where they mined for a time. He afterwards returned to Galena, Ill., from where he came to Dubuque, and from the latter place rode alone on horseback to Tennessee, when nearly the entire county through which he passed was mostly inhabited by Indians.