Agnes, Mathew 1853 - 1917

AGNES, DUNN

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/28/2010 at 22:37:26

M. A. AGNES PASSES AWAY
Early Day Resident of Northwestern Plymouth County and Pioneer Akron Business Man.

The earthly career of another prominent citizen and pioneer of northwestern Plymouth county came to a close when M. A. Agnes passed away at his home in this city at about 9:30 o'clock last Friday evening, August 24, 1917, after a long and painful illness.

Since suffering a severe stroke of apoplexy in May, 1911, he had been in declining health, although he was able to look after his business affairs until a few months ago. Returning last May from his farm near Alameda, Sask., Canada, he stopped at Rochester, Minn., and consulted the Drs. Mayo regarding his health, but was advised that nothing more could be done than to make his remaining days as comfortable as possible, which was done by those near and dear to him. His sister, Mrs. Mary Walker, assisted others of his immediate family in caring for him during his last illness.

Matthew A. Agnes was born in Milwaukee, Wis., August 15, 1853, and attained the age of 04 years and 9 days. In the early 70 's he came with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Agnes, from Milwaukee and first located on a farm near Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, and later came west to Sioux City. In 1874 they located on a farm in Plymouth County, Six or seven miles northeast of the present location of Akron. There he assisted his parents on the farm for several years, and, being equipped with an excellent education, taught in the district schools of that neighborhood. On November 7, 1881, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Dunn, and the following spring they moved to Akron, which has since remained the family home.

During the first year or two of his residence here he conducted a meat market, after which he engaged in and built up an extensive business in real estate, insurance, loans and collections, also becoming one of the best known and most successful auctioneers in this part of the country. Few men are endowed with a greater capacity for business than he possessed and he was a tireless worker. With a splendid memory, strongly developed reasoning powers and a keen insight and intuition, he was able to grasp and solve successfully any sort of business proposition and he knew men and character equally well. His was the ideal business nature and he could have been equally successful in any line of business he might have taken up. He was a wide reader, did his own thinking and was a man of deep convictions. Once he settled a matter in his own mind, it required much more than mere argument to mere argument to change his ideas.

Politically, he was a staunch Democrat, and for many years was one of the leaders in the councils of his party. He was a loyal citizen and a consistent booster for the community in which he lived, holding several positions of public trust, including the office of mayor and councilman of Akron, and secretary of the Independent School District of Akron for a number of years. He was clerk of the Akron Modern Woodmen camp for a long period and was largely instrumental in building the membership of the order here to large proportions. The crowning achievement of Mr. Agnes' public career, however, and one in which he displayed the utmost interest and pride, was the founding of the Akron Building and Loan Association, of which organization he was secretary for a number of years. It was a real delight and satisfaction to him to see people of moderate, and often of exceedingly small, means obtaining a home of their own. He was instrumental in doing this in scores of cases and when it came to a pinch he was always ready and willing to give the unfortunate a helping hand over the rough places and enable them to get a fair start in life. There are not a few people in this community who remember Matt. Agnes in a spirit of gratitude and admiration for a kindly lift at just the right time and place. He shunned ostentation in this connection, for the good deed sprang from a large and generous heart. His work with the Building and Loan association was also an important factor in the up building of Akron, and a fitting monument to his thrift is the splendid Agnes home that stands on the eastern eminence overlooking the town.

He was a great home lover and the large family gathered about him was one of the supreme joys of his life. While to some he may have appeared on the exterior rather brusque in manner, it was but the veneer of a nature unusually kind arid sympathetic, courteous and obliging. He despised deceit and was not slow to resent imposition. He was a staunch friend and a good neighbor, arid this community can count many benefits from the many busy and useful years he spent here. He formerly owned a considerable amount of farm property in this locality, but about four years ago disposed of most of his holdings and invested quite extensively in Canadian land, near Almeda, Saskatchewan, where he put in most of his time thereafter supervising
farming operations.

Mr. Agnes is survived by his wife and ten children—seven daughters and three sons — Mrs. Arthur J. Claeys, of Akron; Mrs. Ed. Neary, of Almedn, Sask., Canada; Mrs. Clarence Burrill, of Omaha, Nebr.; Sister Mary Antonins, of Milwaukee, Wis.; Sister Mary St. Matthew, of Lyons, Iowa; Sister Mary St. Vivian, of Cicero, Ill.; James, John and Matthew Agnes, of Akron. He also leaves two brothers and two sisters—Louis and James Agnes, of Sioux City; Mrs. Mary Walker, of Le Mars, and Mrs. D. J. Johnson, near Ireton, la. In the bereavement that has come to these relatives, the community offers its sincere condolence.

Funeral services were held Sunday forenoon at 10:15 o'clock in the Church of St. Patrick. Rev. D. K. Hurley conducted high mass, and in his sermon paid high tribute to the useful life and strong character of the departed, praising his generosity toward the church and expressing satisfaction in the fact that when the end peacefully came his faith was firmly founded in the religion of his fathers. A congregation that more than filled the edifice assembled as a last tribute of esteem and respect, and many followed the remains to the final resting place in the Catholic cemetery.

Among the relatives present from a distance were: Mr. and Mrs. Louis Agnes and son, Everett, and Mr. and Mrs. James M. Agnes and Mr. and Mrs. J. Forrester, of Sioux City; Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Johnson, of Ireton; Mrs. Mary Walker, of Le Mars; Mr. and Mrs. James McCarthy, of Sheldon, Ia.; Mrs. Henry Agnes and daughter, Miss May, of Plankinton, S. D. Mr. and Mrs. Simon McInerny and son, Henry, were friends who came from Elk Point.

Akron Register Tribune
Thursday, August 8, 1917
Akron, Iowa