Chafee, Miles 1821-1912

CHAFEE, MINER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 2/24/2014 at 22:21:43

The Grinnell (IA) Herald
Friday, July 12, 1912

MILES CHAFEE

A life rich in good deeds, helpful and marked by distinguished proofs of the affection and confidence of fellow townsmen was ended when Miles Chafee passed away last Monday night. He would have been ninety-one years old on the twentieth of next October and the twenty-fourth of that month would have been his sixty-fifth wedding anniversary.

The position which Mr. Chafee held for so many years in the life of Grinnell is evidenced by the fact that he was justice of the peace for twenty-eight successive years, township clerk for the same time, overseer of the poor for seventeen years, treasurer of the city of Grinnell for six years, county coroner for five years and deacon in the Congregational church for twenty-four years.

He is survived by his wife, the helpmeet of so many happy years; by three children, Mrs. J.C. Walker, of Grinnell, with whom he made his home, Charles M. Chafee, of Billings, Mont., and Mrs. C.A. Taylor, of Evanston, Ill.; also by ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. All the children were present at the funeral. Mr. Taylor accompanied his wife from Evanston.

Miles Chafee was born in Springville, N.Y., October 20, 1821, his parents having moved to that place from Vermont a short time before, traveling by ox team. He was educated at the Springville Academy and for a time was a successful school teacher, later working at the carpenter's trade. On October 2d, 1847, he was married in Springville to Caroline Miner and in 1855 moved to Allen's Grove, Wis., where he carried on business as a contractor and also operated a small farm. He became interested in building fanning mills and having come to Grinnell in connection with this business he was impressed by the character of the town and its educational facilities and came here to make his home in December of 1868. The fanning mill business prospered. It became known as the "Grinnell" and 150 of them were placed in warehouses, mills and the like in the locality. Mr. Chafee continued the business successfully until 1889 when he was burned out and did not resume.

Of late years he was content to fill his public offices and manage his property, which included the Chafee block on Commercial street, where he maintained his office for many years. Almost until the end he was able to be about the streets and to visit his office; a friendly man with an active interest in all matters of the public welfare.

Rev. P.F. Marston conducted the funeral services, held on Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the home of Mrs. J.C. Walker on High street. Music was furnished by a quartet, composed of Mrs. Aldace Child, Mrs. C.F. Childs, Frederic Morrison and George H. Walker. The pall bearers were Aldace Child, A.A. Foster, A. McIntosh, G.H. Hamlin, H.G. Lyman and N.W. Cessna.