BRUSH, Avery 1845-1923

BRUSH, MORELAND, SPAANUM, JOHNSON

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 9/22/2011 at 12:21:43

#1:

AVERY BRUSH

One of the early residents who nade banking history in this county was Avery Brush, father of Birchard Brush. He died at his home in Osage, Iowa, on October 17, 1923. The following account of his life was taken from the files of the Mitchell County Press:

Avery Brush, among the last of Mitchell county's pioneers, passed away at his home at 3 o'clock this morning, following an illness of several months. Mr. Brush was 78 years of age, and had been suffering from ailments his age subjected him to for a long time.

Early in th espring he suffered what was thought to be a stroke of paralysis, but rallied, was at the bank for a time, then gradually began to fail. Death came as a relief from long suffering and illness not possible to relieve.

Funeral services are to be held Friday morning and interment made in the local cemetery. Business houses will be closed from 10 to 12 a.m.

Mr. Brush was president of the Osage National Bank, and this had much to do with the business development of Mitchell county. He was honorerd and respected by all, not along by reason of the success which he had achieved, but also owing to straight-forward business methods which he had followed.

He was born near Danbury, Connecticut, on the 8th day of January, 1845, a son of Albert and Julia Brush. He pursued his education in the east, attending Amenia seminary, and his early training was that of a farm-bred boy. He remained on the old homestead until 1866 and in 1868 becamse the secretary of the Borden Condensed Milk company, at Brewster, N.Y., occupying that position until 1869.

In 1867 he paid a visit to Osage, but returned to his home. Later, he decided to come to Iowa, and came in 1869, on the first train that ran over the Illinois Central railroad.

He entered the employ of the Osage National Bank as assistant cashier on the 17th day of January, 1870, later being advanced to the position of cashier, and in 1891 was elected president of the institution.

He was also a member of the firm of Brush Brothers, who owned a sawmill and warehouses on the siding and thus was a great factor in the industrial and commercial development of the community.

On the 17th of June, 1876, he was united in marriage to Miss Delia Moreland, who was born in Colesburg, Iowa in October 1857, and passed away in 1908, at the age of 51 years. To Mr. and Mrs. Brush were born five children, Joseph M., who lives in Grafton, Calif.; Julia, wife of Karl J. Johnson; Birchard, who conducts the bank now; and Laura Spaanum. Avery, Jr., their youngest child, passed away in 1918.

Mr. Brush was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and served as a trustee for years. He was generous in the support of the church and did all in his power to further its interests. His career has been that of a substantial business man, who devoted his attention to his business and community, and his name will always stand high among those who are considered the founders and pioneers of Mitchell county.

[From a clipping on file at the Osage Public Library]

NOTE: See a biography for him on the Mitchell Biographies Message Board.
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#2:

Photo of Avery Brush from STANDARD HISTORICAL ATLAS OF MITCHELL COUNTY, IOWA, 1911; published by Anderson Pub. Co., Chicago.

Mitchell Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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