Craver, Thomas S. 1848-1934

CRAVER, VERBECK, INMAN, ROGERS, GOODNER, FRY

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 7/1/2010 at 13:50:55

Grinnell Herald (Grinnell, Iowa) Mar. 16, 1934

AN OBITUARY OF T.S. CRAVER

(From The New Sharon Star)

Thomas S. Craver, a resident of this community the past forty-one years, passed away at his farm home, northwest of New Sharon, Friday, at the age of 85 years, 10 months and 18 days. His last illness was of short duration.

Mr. Craver represented the sturdy pioneer stock which played an important part of the settling of the middle west. As a business man and farmer, he gained a wide circle of friends who knew him as an honest, upright man.

Born April 21, 1848, in New Jersey, Mr. Craver moved with his parents to Indiana, while still in his infancy and came with them to Iowa in 1856, making the trip from Indiana by ox team and wagons. They settled on a farm in the Buck Creek community, Poweshiek county. He purchased this farm when a young man and has owned it since that time.

He attended school at Grinnell for a time and later enrolled at Eastman's Business college in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., being graduated from that institution with the class of 1875. In 1879 he was united in marriage to Edna S. Verbeck, of Grinnell. Six children were born to this union, all of whom are living. They are Luther, at home; Merrill, Montezuma; Mrs. Lucy Inman and Mrs. Grace Rogers, Ontario, Calif.; Mrs. Mary Goodner, Searsboro and S. Grant Craver, Milwaukee, Wis. Eleven grandchildren also survive.

Mrs. Craver died in 1898 and in the year 1906 Mr. Craver was united in marriage to Cassie J. Fry, who passed away in 1921. There were no children by this marriage.

Mr. Craver was engaged in business in Grinnell until 1893, when he moved back to the farm.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the New Sharon M.E. church at 1 o'clock, with Dr. George Blagg in charge. The Rev. Lloyd Tennant, of Bloomfield, former local pastor, delivered the funeral oration. Music was furnished by Mrs. J.R. Downey, accompanied at the piano by Miss May McVay. Interment was in the Hazelwood cemetery at Grinnell.