READ, Ashley 1859 – 1940

READ, SMITH, MONTGOMERY, EDGINGTON, BILLICK, GRAHAM

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler, Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/24/2013 at 12:46:13

Funeral services for Ashley Read were held in the Presbyterian church Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock, in charge of the pastor the Rev. J. W. Koning, assisted by the Rev. E. W. F. Holler. Music was furnished by Mrs. Wanda Montgomery and Harold Miller, accompanied on the pipe organ by Miss Thursia Manatt.

Pall bearers were nephews: Ray Smith, Forrest Read, Hugh Montgomery, Lloyd Smith, Loren Edgington and Raymond Montgomery.

Interment was in the family lot in I.O.O.F. cemetery in Brooklyn.

Mr. Read was found dead Thursday morning, August 1, 1940. He had been in his usual health the day before his death.

Ashley Hill Read, third son of Thomas and Jane Irwin Read, was born in Clearfield County, Penn., Nov. 1, 1859, in the homestead where his father was reared. He comes of a Scotch-Irish lineage. His parents together with his three brothers and two sisters came to Iowa, arriving at Brooklyn Nov. 1, 1867. They located on a farm in Madison township where he grew to manhood. Ash spent over fifty years on farms in that locality. He was always an energetic worker and made a success of farming.

He was united in marriage with Miss Dollie Billick on March 23, 1887, at Brooklyn. They were married by the Rev. E. H. Hughes now a Bishop of the Methodist church. To this union were born two sons, Roy Alvin and Glenn Albert. Mrs. Read passed away, after a lingering illness, on October 15, 1900.

On March 23, 1904, he was married to Mrs. Mary Graham, who became a devoted mother to his two growing sons. Again on May 16, 1936, death came to the home and released her after a long period of suffering. He never seemed to recover from this loss and passed away suddenly on the night of July 31, 1940. Ash was a quiet unassuming man but exceptionally thoughtful of his family and also his friends and neighbors. He helped many people in various ways and his good deeds are remembered by a large circle of friends.

He leaves to mourn his two sons, Roy Alvin and Glenn Albert, six grandchildren, Gladys, Gerald, Marilyn, Ronald, Alvin and Marvin Read, all of Brooklyn. Three sisters and one brother, Mrs. Flora Smith of Blairstown, Mrs. Della Montgomery of Santa Barbara, Cal., Mrs. Dora Edgington of Grinnell, and Fred R. Read of Brooklyn. Two brothers, Harvey T. and Albert W. and one sister, Martha Ellen, who died in infancy, preceded him in death.

Source: Unknown newspaper clipping found in scrapbook belonging to my great grandmother, Edith (Kann) Newton.