Visnow, Samuel 1847-1916

VISNOW, CILLEY

Posted By: Linda Ziemann (email)
Date: 1/1/2006 at 20:36:02

Akron Register newspaper
Dated June 1, 1916

In Memory of Mr. Visnow

His hair was white,
His back was bent,
Yet were his footsteps light;
He rang the bell
For us all those years-
Glory to his soul!

---A School Girl

DEATH CALLS SAM'L VISNOW

The community was shocked and saddened Monday morning by the sudden
death of Samuel Visnow, one of Akron's pioneer citizens and few
remaining veterans of the Civil War. He had been under the doctor's
care for two or three weeks, but was able to be up and around right up
to the time of his death. His health had been impaired for years by a
serious wound received in the Civil War, but heart trouble was the
immediate cause of his demise, which occurred at 9 a.m. Monday, May 29,
1916. He had attained the age of 69 years, 1 month and 17 days.

Samuel Visnow was born in Quebec, Canada, April 12, 1847. When he was
twelve years of age the family moved to the United States, settling in
the state of New York. A short time later he came west to Wisconsin,
where practically all his early years were spent. Here he grew to
manhood, his home being the Black River Falls, near Madison. In
September, 1865, at the age of seventeen, he enlisted in Company G,
Fifth Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers and participated in many of the
notable engagement of the war. On April 6, just three days before Lee's
surrender, he received a dangerous gunshot wound in the breast and was
removed to the military hospital, where he remained for a long time, and
was later honorably discharged. In 1882, Mr. Visnow moved to Westfield,
Iowa, and later to Akron, Iowa, where, in 1888, he was married to Anna
Cilley. Five children were born to this union. The entire family
survive him and to them, in this bereavement, there goes out the
profound sympathy of all who know them.

Mr. Visnow as for many years a member of the Grand Army of the Republic,
being for at least twenty years a member of Biddlecome Post, No. 461, of
Akron. During the past seven years he held the position of janitor of
the Akron public school, and no man was ever more faithful to a trust.
His daily routine was attended to with clock-like precision, and he was
always courteous and obliging to the teachers and kind and helpful to
the pupils. That he held a warm place in their affections was amply
demonstrated by their solicitude during his illness and their tributes
after his demise.

Funeral services were held yesterday afternoon in the Baptist church,
Rev. F. E. Volck preaching the sermon. The church was crowded with an
assemblage of sorrowing friends, who thus sought to pay a last tribute
of respect to one so widely esteemed and respected. Members of the
G.A.R. and W.R.C. attended the service in a body. The floral tributes
were many and most beautiful. Interment was made in Riverside cemetery,
where the last honors were paid by the Post and Corps.