Jeremiah, William 1826 - 1923

JEREMIAH

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/26/2012 at 17:14:58

NEARS CENTURY MARK, WILLIAM JEREMIAH, ATTAINED REMARKABLE LONGEVITY FACULTIES WERE ATTUNED TO THE LAST

Deceased Was Born in Wales and Followed Arduous Occupation of Mining and Later Farmed.

William Jeremiah, probably the oldest resident in point of age in the county and a pioneer settler, died on Tuesday after a very brief illness at the residence of Ben Peck in Grant Township, where he had lived for the past twenty years.

His death was due to old age principally. A few days before his death he contracted a cold which developed symptoms of pneumonia. Urged to receive the attention of a physician, he declined, saying it was of no use, that he felt the end was near and that his race was run. He possessed marvelous, vitality and enjoyed rugged health all his life, being within four years of the -hundred year span. He lived a
hard and toilsome life and disregarded all rules of health laid down by exponents of efficiency.

William Jeremiah was born in Wales on July 10, 1826, and was past 96 years of age. He worked as a miner in the Welsh collieries when a young man and then came to America and worked in coal mines in Pennsylvania, Illinois and eastern Iowa. In the seventies he homesteaded an eighty acres of land in Grant township and while proving up his claim spent part of his time In working in the coal mines near Fort Dodge. He and his wife, who died some twenty years ago, went through all the hardships endured by the early settlers in the grasshopper years but faced them in an optimistic manner and attained a comfortable degree of prosperity.

"Jerry" as be was called by hundreds of people, was a most friendly soul and had a wide acquaintance, and was a regular visitor in Le Mars until a few years ago. In his old age he made his home with the Peck family and the members of the household treated him as one of their own and he enjoyed life to the utmost, with unimpaired faculties, and with vital interest to the very last.

His only known relatives are his daughter, Mrs. Dremnan; and several grand children living in Chicago.

Mr. Jeremiah attended the Plymouth Presbyterian church at Crathorne for many years, and the funeral will be held there this, afternoon, Dr. H. V. Comin officiating, and the remains laid beside those of his wife.

Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
Friday, March 16, 1923
Le Mars, Iowa