ABERNETHY, Alonzo 1836-1915

ABERNETHY, EATON

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/7/2012 at 21:48:44

#1:

COL. A. ABERNETHY
DIES IN FLORIDA;
A NOTABLE CAREER

Des Moines, Feb. 22. — Tho funeral of the late Col. Alonzo Abernethy, who died Saturday in Florida, will be held on Wednesday at Osage, his long time home and where he had most of his useful career as an educator. His death came as no surprise, for he was 79 years old. Tho he had made his home in Des Moines he had spent much of his time in Florida in recent years.

Col. Abernethy had a notable career in two fields -- that of soldier and of educator. He left Chicago university in his senior year to become a soldier in the Ninth Iowa and for nearly four years gave his life to his country. When he was mustered out at Louisville and given the brevet of lieutenant colonel he had marched with his regiment over 4000 miles, had been transported by rail or boat 6000 miles and had engaged in the battles of Pea Ridge, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Lookout Mountain, Rescaca. Missionary Ridge, Chattahoochee, Atlanta, and a number of others. He had been wounded early and had enlisted twice. Of the 96 men who enlisted with him but 23 came back.

He was elected to be a member of the general assembly in 1865. Later he began farming in Crawford County. Then he came to Des Moines as principal of the University of Des Moines, which has since become Des Moines college. Then he was elected three times to be superintendent of public instruction and resigned in 1876 to accept the presidency of Chicago University which he held for two years. After some travel in Europe he went back to his farm.

In 1881 he was called to take charge of the Cedar Valley seminary at Osage, a homeless school with little more than a name, and in 21 years of earnest effort he built it up into a splendid school. He was later a regent of the state university, and also the author of a number of books.

[Waterloo Evening Courier, Monday, February 22, 1915]
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#2:

A FAMOUS IOWA EDUCATOR
Colonel Alonzo Abernethy Dead
at Tampa, Florida
He Was at One Time a Student in the
Burlington Institute - Had
Military Record

From Chicago comes the news of the death of Colonel Alonzo Abernethy, who had acquaintances and personal friends here, who was a former student of the Burlington institute, and who was state superintendent of public instruction from 1892-1876. A Chicago correspondent has the following under date of February 23:

"Colonel Alonzo Abernethy, president of the old university of Chicago from 1876-1878, and formerly state superintendent of public instruction in Iowa, is dead in Tampa, Florida, according to a dispatch received here today. He was 78 years old. The body will be taken to Osage, Iowa, for burial.

"Colonel Abernethy was born April 14, 1836, in Sandusky, Ohio. In 1854 he removed with his father's family to Illyria, Fayette County, Iowa. He received his education in the public schools of Bellville, Burlington academy, Burlington, Iowa, and in the University of Chicago. He left the senior class of the University of Chicago in 1861, to enlist in the Civil War and returned at the close of the war to be graduated in 1866. He enlisted in the Ninth Iowa Infantry, company F, and served three years and 11 months. He was in 40 engagements. He was elected president of the University of Chicago in 1876 and served two years. He was principal of the Cedar Valley Seminary, 1881-1892. He was president of Des Moines College in 1870. He was state superintendent of schools three years and author of several books which include histories of the Baptist church schools and early Iowa settlement, "Glimpses of Abraham Lincoln," Editor Whitman's "Early Life of Jesus," and "New Light on Passion Week."

Besides his wife, Colonel Abernethy leaves a son, Herbert Abernethy, a lawyer in Minneapolis, and a daughter, Miss Clara Abernethy, of Des Moines.

[Burlington Hawk-Eye, Wednesday, February 24, 1915]
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#3:

Alonzo Abernethy is a native of Ohio, born April 14, 1836. He came to Iowa in 1854, and soon identified himself with its educational work and progress. When the rebellion came on he entered the service in the Ninth Iowa Infantry regiment, and held all positions from private to lieutenant colonel. He saw active service in about forty battles and skirmishes, including Pea Ridge, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Seige of Savannnah, etc.

After the war he was elected from Fayette County as a representative in the Eleventh General Assembly. He was subsequently elected for three consecutive terms to the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, serving from 1872 to 1877, inclusive. He was elected to civil office always on the Republican ticket. His present residence is at Osage, Mitchell County, where he is principal of the Cedar Valley Seminary.

[ Pioneer Law-Makers Association of Iowa, February 28, 1890 -- on Google Books ]
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#4:

Alonzo Abernethy was born in Sandusky County, Ohio, April 4, 1936. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1866 received a Ph. D. degree from Lenox College. He was married in the same year to Miss Louise E. Eaton of Illyria, Iowa.

He was a veteran of the Civil war, having served with the Ninth Iowa Volunteers from 1961 to 1865. During his service he took part if forty-five engagements, and was twice wounded. He was a member of the Iowa house of representatives from 1866 to 1868. Later he was superintendent of public instruction in Iowa, and from 1875 to 1877 president of Chicago University. He was the author of many text books: "Iowa Under Territorial Government," "The Removal of the Indians," "Glimpses of Abraham Lincoln." At the time he was taken ill he was working on a new book, "A Harmony of the New Testament>"

Besides a son, Herbert A. Abernethy, '98, of St. Paul, his wife and one daughter [Clara Abernethy, of Des Moines] survive him.

[The University of Chicago Magazine, 1915]

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#5:

A young son of Prof. Alonzo Abernethy, of Osage, was drowned in the Cedar last Wednesday evening. In company with two other boys he had gone to the river to fish, and in attempting to drive across with a buggy, the vehicle was overturned, and the three boys were thrown into the water. Two of them succeeded in reaching the bank, but young Abernethy was carried down stream, and his body was found Sunday afternoon two miles below where he was drowned. He was twelve years old.

[Iowa State Reporter, Thursday, April 30, 1885]

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#6:

Notes:

His wife was Louise Eaton Abernethy, (1839-1916).

Burial was in the Osage Cemetery.

The cemetery listing on IaGenWeb/Mitchell for Osage City Cemetery shows:
ABERNETHY, ALONZO (died/buried) 20 FEB 1915 (burial Loc) 0418 9

He was preceded in death by a son, Edwin E. Abernethy, age 12, in 1885.

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#7:

Photo of Alonzo Abernethy -- Contributed by an anonymous contributor.

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