Kirkpatrick, John Austin 1837-1928

KIRKPATRICK, SHOBE, IRONS, STARBIRD

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 10/21/2010 at 15:32:36

The Grinnell Herald; May 4, 1928

TAPS SOUND FOR OLD SOLDIER

John A. Kirkpatrick Died Wednesday At Hospital in Marshalltown.

FUNERAL SERVICES WERE HELD THIS AFTERNOON.

Mr. Kirkpatrick Had Been Living at Soldiers Home in Marshalltown.

John Austin Kirkpatrick passed away Wednesday morning at the St. Thomas Hospital in Marshalltown after an illness of only a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick for the past five years have been living at the Soldiers Home in Marshalltown. Mr. Kirkpatrick passed his 91st birthday April 21.

Funeral srevices were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Methodist church, conducted by Rev. E.M. Vittum. Burial was in Hazelwood cemetery.

John Austin Kirkpatrick, oldest child of Samuel Clinton Kirkpatrick and Anna Shobe, was born on Big Paint Creek, Ross county, Ohio, on April 22, 1837. His mother died when he was three years old and a short time later his father moved to Tippencanoe county, Indiana. Here John Austin grew to manhood and received his education.

He enlisted in the cause of the North on July 22, 1862, for three years, joining Company "G", 72nd Indiana Infantry. Owing to physical disability he was discharged from the service at Gallatin, Texas, on January 14, 1862. He was a true patriot and took great pride in his American citizenship and in upholding the ideals of a true citizen. Mr. Kirkpatrick has been a member of the Methodist church for 60 years, and was a member of the Bob Coutts Sunday School class.

He was married on October 25, 1865, to Nancy Jane Irons, and that year he and his bride moved to Champaign county, Illinois. Two years later, in 1883, he moved with his family to a farm near Gilman, where they resided for eleven years. They lived near Victor for three years and then purchased a small farm east of Grinnell.

Four and a half years ago, Mr. Kirkpatrick went to Marshalltown to make his residence at the Soldiers home, residing there until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary while living in Grinnell and last fall celebrated their 62nd.

Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick are the parents of five children, two of whom died in infancy. He is survivsed by his wife, and three chldren, Arthur Kirkpatrick of tallahassee, Fla.; Maude (Mrs. E.D. Starbird) of Denver, Colo.; and T.B. (Bert) of Grinnell, as well as six grandchildren and one great grandchild.