Benjamin Burch Bixby (1823-1910)

BIXBY, DANIELS, SMITH, MITCHELL, ZERBE

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/18/2017 at 17:32:27

From Nevada Representative October 4, 1910 (front page)

OBITUARY

DEATH OF B. B. BIXBY

Benjamin Burch Bixby, long a well-known and most estimable citizen of Nevada, died Saturday morning at the home in Harrison, Nebraska, of his daughter, Mrs. Zerba, and he will be buried today in the cemetery at Nevada, his funeral being conducted from the Baptist church by Elder Clemens of the Adventist denomination.

Mr. Bixby was born at Royalton, New York, May 24, 1823, and he died, as stated at Harrison, Nebraska, October 1, 1910 aged 87 years, 4 months and 7 days. He came as a young man in the middle west and was married at Byron, Illinois, July 4, 1847, to Mary Jane Daniels. They continued to make their home near Byron for about twelve years, when they moved to Tama county, Iowa where he had a half section near the northwest corner of the county. The society there, however, was uncongenial, and the family removed to Marion, where they lived about four years. Thence they came in April, 1864, to Story county, and though there were some other movings about, here their home continued for the most part for the rest of their days. In 1866 they removed to Nebraska and staid there for five years; but in 1891 they returned, and here as the home their daughter, Mrs. Mitchell, they celebrated on Independence day, 1864, their golden wedding. The celebration was a very pleasant event in which numbers of their elderly friends participated, and it was memorable alike for long and worthy lives that were recalled and for the expressions of appreciation that came to Mr. and Mrs. Bixby from their old and most valued friends. Their life continued peacefully for yet another half-dozen years, when on June 13, 1903, Mrs. Bixby passed away. After that Mr. Bixby made one or two trips to Nebraska and located a claim, and finally in 1906 he went there to hold it down, which he died and was about ready to prove up when at the age of 87 he had to leave the rest of his last ambition to those who should come after him.

Mr. Bixby was a good man who spent a long life in doing worthily and faithfully the things which it came in his way and duty to do. In religion he was an earnest member of the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination. In politics and equally earnest Republican, and always a firm adherent of whatever cause appeared to him to be for the good of the community and the world. Such modest consistency as his deserved the admiration of those who knew him and demands now for his memory a most sincere tribute. Mr. Bixby leaves three surviving daughters, Mrs. F. M. Smith of College Plane, near Walla Walla, Washington, Mrs. Hannah C. Mitchell of Nevada, and Mrs. Harry T. Zerbe of Harrison, Nebraska, also six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.