H. E. "Carp" Carpenter (1930-1914)

CARPENTER

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 3/5/2022 at 21:26:30

From the Roland Record, Roland, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, April 23, 1914.

PIONEER RESIDENT PASSES AWAY

H. E. Carpenter, Familiarly Known as "Carp" Died At the Sanitarium Yesterday. Funeral Services Tomorrow At 2 o'clock.

H. E. Carpenter, who was taken to the Iowa Sanitarium at Nevada a week ago last Thursday, died suddenly at that place at 2 o'clock yesterday morning. Mr. Carpenter had been in rather poor physical condition the last few months, but was able to take care of himself until a couple of weeks ago, when the weariness of old age came over him, and although he was able to be up and about in his room a part of the time, the task of coming down the stairway required more energy than his weakened system could muster. When the old gentleman could no longer help himself, his friends here had him removed to the Sanitarium where he had the best care and attention; under this treatment his spirits revived and it seemed as if his desire to come back to his friends at Roland would soon be realized but last Monday it was noted that his vitality was fast waning and that the end of his life's journey was near at hand.

Mr. Carpenter was a man of regular habits, good character and sturdy constitution, and he continued to be active in his accustomed pursuits till long past the age at which men ordinarily drop out of the ranks of the workers. To this end there is no doubt that his sunshiny disposition largely contributed. He was a practical, matter of fact man, but had his own peculiar way of extracting merriment from life as it went along and we did not k now him to be given over to worry about matters that could be bettered in other ways. This cheerfulness of spirit remained with him to the last, and he retained his clearness of vision up to the closing days of his life. He death removes from our midst a familiar figure, whose pleasant salutation will be greatly missed. His best monument will be the good report of true friendship that he has left behind him in this community in which he has lived for more than a third of a century.

Although Mr. Carpenter was a member of no church, he exemplified, by his honorable life, the teachings of the golden rule. As he had acquired the habit of weighing things in the balance of reason, he rejected everything that did not harmonize with the Creator's plan as he saw God's handiwork in the big book of nature. He was a love of the great out-of-doors, and the happiest moments of his life, was undoubtedly the moments when he was in profound communion with nature contemplating its unsolved mysteries.

In temperament he was mild, candid and conciliatory; and yet remarkable for an uncompromising firmness. He was a bright and intelligent man, well read and possessed an excellent memory.

H. E. Carpenter was born in Syracuse, New York, in the year 1830, and died April 22, 1914, having attained the ripe old age of 84 years. He passed the early days of his youth in that city and seven years later he and his parents came west settling in Wisconsin. Here the young man became interested in the grain business devoting several years to this line of work, when an opportunity of learning telegraphy presented itself to him. He studied this profession diligently and soon had a working knowledge of it, when he was tendered a position as operator. He followed this profession all thru the stirring time of the Civil War.

It was while in Wisconsin that he was married and to this union one child was born, a daughter, now living in Chicago. In 1868 he came to Iowa, going to Nevada where he abided but a short time before coming here. He did not stay here very long at that time, going back to Nevada, where he entered the employ of Mr. Welton. He continued as a resident of Nevada for several years, when he was tendered a position as patent rights salesman. This work took him away from Nevada and he went to Des Moines where he followed this business for a time. After several years of faithful service in this field of labor he returned to Roland, going to the Fenn family then located north of town where he made his home for many years.

While he was at the Fenn home, the Iowa Central Railway Company built a branch line west from Marshalltown having its terminus at Story City. Depots were established along the line and Mr. Carpenter sent his application for the position of telegraph operator for the office here. He was successful and served the interests of the company faithfully for fourteen years. He become very much attached to the old depot and after the toll of years h ad decreed that he could no longer serve the public in capacity of operator, caused mainly by the dulling of his sense of sound so that he was unable to discern the click of the telegraph instrument, he would hardly if ever miss meeting the incoming train. In the later years he took over the work of delivering the Times Republican to its readers and a more faithful servant in this respect could not be desired. The papers came on the evening train and you know that its schedule is quite elastic, but "Carp" with his lantern which was always kept immaculately clean, never failed to deliver. Several years ago he met with an accident while performing his duty, and after that he was seldom seen to walk about without the aid of a cane.

In home of "Carp's" memory we will say, as we believe he would have us say to his friends who were interested in his welfare: God bless the noble, bighearted citizens of Roland whose sympathy, kindness and generosity made the last days of his life a little brighter.

The funeral services will be held from the Bergen church tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. Interment will take place in the Roland Cemetery.