OTTO, Frederick, W. 1857-1936

OTTO, COLE, STILES, GROW

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/21/2012 at 13:40:57

OBITUARY.

Frederick W. Otto

Frederick W. Otto was born on the present site of the village of Dane, Dane County, Wisconsin, 16 miles northwest of Madison, on September 7, 1857, the first child of John Clarence and Ann Cole Otto.

In May, 1868 he moved with his parents, two brothers and one sister, to a farm in Floyd county, Iowa, where they resided until the autumn of 1881, when the family came to Osage. While on the farm, three other children were born, and but two of the entire family survive, George C. Otto, of Chicago, Illinois, and Edwin S. Otto, of Long Beach, California.

On August 22, 1883, he signed a contract with the Northwestern Stage Company, owned by M.V. Nichols and Cyrus Cotter, then of Osage, to go to Montana, take charge of, drive and operate the mail route for the United States government between Warm Springs and Phillipsburg. At the completion of this contract on June 30, 1886, he returned to Osage, where he entered the bus, dray and transfer business with his father, and in which he continued until the business was sold in 1901.

In 1894 he added to his then present business, the first distributing agency established by the Standard Oil Company, in Mitchell County. On December 9, 1914, when Honorable Service buttons were awarded to 509 employees of the Standard Oil Company of Indiana in recognition of 20 years of service, he was the only commission man in the entire field to receive this award. This business he retained and operated until he retired in 1918.

On the 8th day of September, 1886, he was married to Matie Elizabeth Stiles; she preceded him in death on August 3, 1900. To this union were born three children -- Irwin R., of Osage; Lottie Lucile, of Waterloo, Iowa; and Ledyard W. of Phoenix, Arizona; all of whom, along with two grandchildren, Marian W. Otto, of Grinnell, Iowa, and Robert C. Otto, of Osage, survive him.

On March 31, 1904, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Nettie Grow, then of Osage. The couple lived in Osage until the fall of 1919, when they moved to 545 Rose Avenue, Long Beach, California, where they resided until the fall of 1935. On account of a broken hip, Mrs. Otto was an invalid for over a year and a half prior to this date. She survives and is with her son, Oscar Grow, at Atlanta, Missouri.

On December 5, 1934, Mr. Otto suffered a paralytic stroke and has been helpless ever since. In early October 1935, his son returned him to Osage, where he has been cared for at the home of Mrs. Anna Larson until his death at noon, December 15, 1936. His age was 79 years, 3 months and 8 days.

He had been a member of the Modern Woodmen of America since September 5, 1894.

His characteristics throughout his life were industry, strict integirty and thrift. he supported himself and his family, paid his obligations to the government, local and national, and though he saw hard times, he never received, not would he have accepted charity or assistance from any source whatever, that is to say, he was a true American.

MITCHELL COUNTY PRESS, Dec. 17, 1936
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