Byron L. Blackburn 1832-1911

BLACKBURN

Posted By: Bill Smith
Date: 9/17/2013 at 11:07:08

The Red Oak Sun, Red Oak, Iowa, Friday, September 22, 1911

Good Man Gone.

~~~
Byron L. Blackburn, Prominent Montgomery
County Man, Died at Home in Grant Saturday, Sept. 15.
~~~

Grant, Sept. 20 -- Byron L. Blackburn died at his home in Grant Saturday afternoon, Sept. 16, following illness of two and a half months from kidney trouble. He was in his 79th year and since 1870 had been one of the leading men of the county.

Mr. Blackburn was born in Columbia, Loraine county, O., Dec. 31 1832, and when a young man moved to Athens, Mo., where he married Aug. 20, 1860, to Miss Eliza Knight. Ten Years later they came to Grant, where Mr. Blackburn engaged for many years in the business of miller. They lived here continuously since 1870. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn, one of them Thomas, being dead. Mrs. Blackburn and three children, Wm. Blackburn and Mrs. Mary V. Porter, Grant and Otto Blackburn, of Omaha survive.

Mr. Blackburn was a member of the Baptist church. He was also prominent in the Masonic lodge, having been the first Mason made in Centennial lodge, No. 373, A. F. & A. M., and active in the work of the order since 1876. Seven years he was worshipful master of his lodge. He was a staunch Democrat, and served several times as township trustee and as a member of the school board. In his death the community loses a man whose long residence here has proved to be absolutely honest. He was a good man in every respect.

Funeral services by Rev. Ray Snodgrass, of the Christian church, were held here at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon, Sept. 18. The singing was by a quartet composed of Mrs. D. Vetter, Mrs. L. W. Pogue, W. E. Curry and L. Schuller, Mrs. Geo. T. Cary playing the organ. The pallbearers, all of them members of the Masonic order, were Geo. A. Smith, Jas.M. Focht, R. T. Bacon, Geo. W. Lary, Wm. Pelser and John Hully. Mr. and Mrs. James Westfall, relatives from Griswold, were here to attend the funeral. Interment was in the Grant cemetery.