KILDEE, Michael 1845-1896

KILDEE

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/6/2010 at 13:48:42

OBITUARY: Michael Kildee, 1845-1896

Sudden Death of Michael Kildee

Like a clap of thunder from a cloudless sky came the news last Friday morning that Michael Kildee of Cedar township, was dead, having passed quietly away without a note of warning early on the morning of that date.

He had been in his usual health and on the previous day had been in Osage, leaving there at about 5 o'clock p.m. of that date, and had retired at his usual hour in apparently good health. His wife, as was her custom, arose at about 5:30 o'clock and upon striking a light observed the unnatural pallor of his countenance and called her son who was sleeping in another room and who upon examination found that life was extinct.

He was laying in a natural position and the calm, peaceful repose of his countenance, indicated that he had passed away without a struggle. The son hastily saddled a horse and rode swiftly to the home of Byron Leighton, whom he summoned and from there to Osage, for Dr. Whitley, who upon an examination of the body judged that death had probably occurred an hour before the discovery was made.

Michael Kildee, the subject of this obituary, was born in New York state, March 14th, 1845, and died at this home in Cedar Township October 23, 1896.

With his parents he came to Mitchell county in 1856, and in 1872 was married to Miss Lucy Stone who with five of the seven children born to this union, survives him.

Mr. Kildee was one of the active, progressive farmers of this county, Broad minded, genial and companionable he was strong and active politically and socially, and a little less than a year before his death he was elected for his district composed of townships of Cedar, Rock and Newburg, as County Supervisor and also held the office of town clerk of his township at the date of his death.

He was raised in the Catholic faith but many years ago he joined the M. E. church, of which he was since been a consistent member. He was also a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the chapter lodge and also that of Knight Templar.

His funeral was held at the M. E. church in this city at 2 o'clock p.m. Sunday under the auspices of the Masons.

An escort composed of Sir Knights W. L. Eaton, Matt Creelman, J. A. Smith, M. Hackett, J. W. Annis, Geo. Chandler, S. E. Grettenberg and Franz Rundborg, was sent by the commandary of Knight Templars to the home to act as pall bearers and guard of honor to the remains.

Over 70 carriages containing neighbors and friends of the deceased followed the hearse bearing his body from the home to the church in Osage and to its final resting place, and over 200 teams with vehicles were tied along Main street and in various parts of the city.

An impressive sermon was preached by the pastor, C. B. Smith, and a touching prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Gist, who at the close of the sermon also spoke in commendation of the departed brother. The procession headed by the Masonic fraternity, and followed by citizens in carriages, took its departure to the cemetery, where the remains were buried with the solemn and impressive Masonic rites.

The life of Mr. Kildee needs little of comment; he was kind, honorable, just and generous to a fault, and the esteem in which he was held was evinced by the fact that his funeral is said to have been the largest ever held in Osage.

Mr. Kildee, besides a wife and five children, two sons and three daughters all of whom are still at home, leaves three brothers and one sister to mourn his untimely death.

With the many friends of the bereaved family, The Press joins in sympathy for their deep sorrow.

[Source: Mitchell County Press-News or Mason City Globe Gazette]

Copyright (c) 2002 by Marilyn O'Connor