Elmer Fare Biddle (1869-1950)

BIDDLE, MARONEY, ODONNELL, GILLESPIE, MCDOWELL

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

From Nevada Evening Journal July 12, 1950 (page 3)

Last Rites For Elmer F. Biddle Held Monday

Funeral services for Elmer F. Biddle, 81, resident of Story county for 51 years, was held from St. Patrick's Catholic church in Nevada, Monday morning at ten o'clock with Father Francis Dunn of Ames officiating.

The requiem Mass was sung by Mrs. Lester Meimann, Mrs. Ernest Thoresson and Mrs. Reis Prati with Shirley Greiner at the organ.

The honorary casket bearers were D. O. Christy, James Curtis, Frank Harrison, Arch Montgomery, Dan Nickeson, Edw. Shalley and R. F. Sloan.

Active casket bearers were Ben Ackerman, Lew Heintz, Alex Quinsland, Harry Sorensen, Pete Sorenssen and Fred Williams.

Committal was in the Nevada Catholic cemetery.

Obituary

Elmer Biddle was born May 30, 1869 at Towando, Ill., a son of Dorrell and Rebecca Biddle. On January 6, 1893 he was married at Chenoa, Ill. to Sarah Maroney where they farmed until coming to Story county in 1899.

The first year after coming to Story county Mr. and Mrs. Biddle farmed in Milford township after which they lived in Nevada for two years before moving on to the Grant township farm near Shipley where they lived for approximately 28 years.

During their residence on the Grand township farm Mr. Biddle, a lover of fine horses, raised Percherons and harness horses at a time when Jack Moran, Henry Lowrey, importer, Phil Hass and E. C. Gretten and other Story county horsemen, were actively engaged in this line of business.

He served as township clerk in Grant township for a number of years.

Mr. Biddle was an expert corn planter, planting for 61 year and after leaving the farm until the spring of 1946. Mr. and Mrs. Biddle retired from the Grant township farm and moved into Nevada about twenty-two years ago.

To this union were born nine children, two of whom, the son Dorrell, who passed away April 15, 1929, and a son David in infancy, have preceded their father in death.

The mother, Mrs. Sarah Biddle and the following children survive him: Mrs. Ethel O'Donnell of Mason City, Sam Biddle of Phoenix, Ariz., Edna, Mrs. John Gillespie of Des Moines, Maude, Mrs. Waldo McDowell of Ames, Wayne Biddle of Nevada, Ralph Biddle of Mason City, and Joe Biddle of Rowan, Ia.

He is also survived by 16 grandchildren and a number of great grandchildren.

Mr. Biddle is the last of his family, having been at the bedside of every one of them at their passing.

From a Distance

Among the relatives here for the last rites, other than the immediate family, were the following nephews and nieces of the deceased: Mr. and Mrs. Harry Biddle of Morrison, Ill; Mrs. Tom Maloney of Bloomington, Ill.; Mrs. Ed Kinsella of Gridley, Ill.; Mrs. Alex Melland of Ottawa, Ill.; Mrs Adrian Moungey of Portage, Wis.; Mrs. Wyman Norris of Merrimac, Wis.; Mrs. Edward Wieshoff of Portage, Wis.; Delmer Biddle of Milwaukee, Wis.; Master Sgt. and Mrs. Don Biddle and children of Scott Field, Ill.

Other relatives included Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Maroney of Dexter, Mr. and Mrs. J. Abrahams and Mr. and Mrs. Merrill Cook of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Cupps, Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Batman; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Swank; Mr. and Mrs. Peter Morris; Mr. and Mrs. Albert Batman; Mrs. Mike Maroney; Mr. and Mrs. Mike Griffith and Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hazlet, all of Ames; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Brumhall of Boone.