Eldredge, Ira 1850-1943

ELDREDGE, HINDE

Posted By: Viv Reeves (email)
Date: 2/24/2005 at 21:42:14

From the LeMars Sentinel, Friday, April 2, 1943, Page 1, Column 3:
Former Seney Man Died In Rock Valley
Ira Eldredge Was Well Known By Older Residents

Ira E. Eldreddge (sic--Eldredge), who operated a store in Seney for several years, 1887 to 1893, died at his home in Rock Valley last Thursday evening at the advanced age of 93 years. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon and burial was in Valley View cemetery.

Mr. Eldredge celebrated his 93rd birthday February 28. He was born February 28, 1850, in Naples, N. Y., and came to Iowa with his parents and grandparents in a covered wagon when he was four years old. They traveled 75 days, crossing the Mississippi river at Dubuque and settling near Manchester where they built a log cabin.

At 16, he began clerking in a store and at 21 was in business as a shopkeeper for himself at Earlville. He traded his store for one at Seney in 1887. He traveled for a wholesale grocery concern from 1893 to 1896 and went to Rock Valley, May 5, 1897, where he opened a store. He later assisted in organizing the Thornburg company in 1914 and was conected with that firm more than 16 years.

Mr. Eldredge had been a Mason since 1881.

Mr. Eldredge was a brother-in-law of Mrs. D. F. McArthur of Seney, having married her sister, Mary A. Hinde, November 29, 1917. He owned land northeast of LeMars and operated a store in Seney for six years. He is survived by his wife, one son, Ronald*, and a grandson, Robert D. Thornburg, who is with the army overseas. A daughter, Mrs. Luther Thornburg, died May 6, 1942. He is also survived by three brothers, Myron of Wausau, Wisconsin, Caleb or Gascoyne, N. D., and Herman of Ashton, S. D.

A number of Seney people attended the funeral in Rock Valley last Sunday.
(*Note--"Roland" in Ira's wife, Mary's, obit.)