LaGrange, Rufus

LAGRANGE, WALKER, GLESKING, BARR

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/23/2010 at 11:15:57

The Grinnell (IA) Herald; May 22, 1914

DIED.

RUFUS LAGRANGE

Rufus LaGrange, better known as "Dick" LaGrange, died last Wednesday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Charles Glesking, 5 1/2 miles southeast of Marengo. For a time he had been failing under the onslaughts of Bright's disease and finally the time came when he lay sick and helpless in his little harness shop on Main street. On Tuesday his daughter came and took him with her in order that he might receive better care, but death came the following morning.

The funeral was held at 10 o'clock this morning and interment was made in the cemetery at Marengo. Mr. LaGrange was over 70 years of age.

"Dick" LaGrange has been one of Grinnell's characters for many years. He was an old soldier and cherished a badge conferred upon him for some act of special gallantry, but what that act was, no one among the old soldiers of his associates could be found yesterday who know. It was known that he enlisted in Davenport when a mere boy, and went north with his regiment which lost heavily in the first few months of the war. Later he saw service on a gunboat. It is reported that he also served as a scout and there is one story of his swimming the Mississippi river carrying his dispatches in his mouth. The real truth is not known. He was not the man to tell of these things.

After the war, Mr. LaGrange came to Iowa county and was married there to Miss May Walker, a sister of Mrs. John Barr of this city. When the (???) came to Kansas he went with it, taking his wife and three children. There were hard times in Kansas. The grasshoppers destroyed the crops and to cap the climax the wife and mother passed away. She is buried in Kansas.

Mr. LaGrange came back to Iowa with his motherless children, who were cared for by their grandmother in Marengo, while Mr. LaGrange came to Grinnell. That was back before the cyclone, and he has lived here ever since. He worked at first in P.D. Inman's harness shop. After Mr. Inman died he opened the little shop of his own in which the closing years of his life were spent. He became practically a recluse in these latter days. For a time he belonged to Gordon Granger Post G.A.R., but finally withdrew from this and few saw him anywhere outside his shop.

Of his children, Mrs. Glesking is the only survivor. The others are buried in Marengo. He has two sisters, Mrs. Louise Clow, of Des Moines, and Mrs. Maggie Patterson, of Silver City, Mexico, and three brothers, Nelson, of Rock Island, Ill., Norman, of Pleasant Valley, and John?, of Marengo. Jud LaGrange of this city is a nephew. He and Mr. and Mrs. John Barr went to Marengo this morning to attend the funeral.

Transcriber Note: This was difficult to read and may contain mistakes. It may be edited when a better copy is found.