Eli Anderson SHEARER 1850 - 1899

SHEARER, EVANS, JONES

Posted By: Jerry Hale (email)
Date: 3/30/2002 at 23:35:45

ELI A. SHEARER DEAD
Prominent Citizen Departs for the Unknown World

The largest funeral ever witnessed in Collins was that last Sunday, when nearly 1,200 friends, neighbors and relatives assembled in the city park to pay their last loving tribute to Eli A. Shearer. No church in the city would hold the vast multitude, and the Odd Fellows, under whose auspices the last sad rites were held, wisely made arrangements to have the services in the grove. As it was, the accommodations were too meager for the great assemblage, and hundreds of people were obliged to stand in the sun during the services.

A platform had been erected for this solemn occasion, and tastefully draped in mourning. Appropriate hymns were sung by a choir especially arranged, passages of scripture were read by Rev. Purdy, invocation was rendered by Presiding Elder Cronk, of the U.B. church, and a touching sermon was delivered by Rev. Mowry, of the Christian church, after which Rev. Huddleston, of the M. P. church, asked the blessing of God to rest with and abide by all those present.

Rev. Mowry read the following obituary of the departed:

Eli Anderson Shearer, youngest son of a family of eight children (six sons and two daughters born to Michael and Catharine McCord Shearer) was born March 19, 1850, and died at his home, 2-1/2 miles north of town, at 9:30 on Friday, Aug. 18, 1899. The deceased was born in Wapello county this state, and moved to Story county in March, 1868. His first marriage was with Rachel Evans, who lived only two years after the union of hearts and hands had been made. One child went with her mother to the better land. He was married to Martha J. Jones, Jan. 29, 1882, in this county. To them have been born seven children, four girls and three boys, all of whom have been spared to the home. The deceased held honorable membership with the Masons, Odd Fellows and Yoemen, as was attested by the assistance rendered in his long illness and at the burial services. Although a man of no loud pretensions, he was held in high esteem by all our people, as is further indicated by this immense throng. The family connection in brief is as follows: Of the six brothers, five served in the late rebellion, two dying in the service. The two sisters died in infancy. The parents have both passed within the vale. By the mother’s second marriage two boys were born, one of whom is living. Eli’s parents were married in Marion county, Ind., in 1835, and moved to Iowa in 1847. His widow’s parents live in Missouri. She has a brother and sister living near Collins.

Eli A. Shearer was a man of men. He was an ardent worker in anything that had a tendency toward the betterment of mankind in general. To this end he joined the Masons, Odd Fellows and latterly the American Yeomen, and loving hands that had grasped those of the brother in a fraternal grip ministered to the wants of a dying brother and assuaged as best they could the grief of the widow and orphans consequent upon the loss of a loving husband and devoted father.

By the request of the deceased the Odd Fellows had charge of his funeral, the Yoemen acting as escort. The cortege was fully a mile long and that little silent city south of town was on Sunday densely populated by sympathizing friends. For hypocrisy and outward display Mr. Shearer had no use. Plain-spoken at all times, everybody knew where to find him and respected him for loyalty to his views. No feeble words that we might trace would give greater comport to a mourning heart than that he needs not the voice of eulogy.

Beautiful floral tributes were in place on the . . . iceable links of the Odd Fellows and the bow and arrow of the Yoemen.

The Liberator extends on behalf of this entire community, the sincerest sympathy to the inmates of a home that the ruthless hand of death has made desolate.

The sad adieu of our friend has been taken. We will all miss him.

(From the original obituary in the files of the Sexton of Evergreen Cemetery, Collins, Iowa)