James Hawthorne (1814-1904)

HAWTHORNE

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/26/2023 at 10:26:02

From Ames Intelligencer quoting the Nevada Journal, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, October 27, 1904.

James Hawthorne

Major James Hawthorne, who passed away at his home in this city Friday afternoon at the rather advanced age of four score years and ten was born in county Down, Ireland, on the 14th of May, 1814. At the age of about one year his father died and at the age of four his mother, with her eight small children emigrated to America, sailing from Belfast to New York. They at last settled in Hagerstown, Maryland. Here he spent his boyhood days and gained what little schooling he was permitted to enjoy in his boyhood. Coming west at the time he had reached his majority he stopped at Columbus where he sought and found work at his trade, that of carpenter, and lived there for several years. Here is contracted his first marriage. In the early spring of 1855 he come further west and located on a farm in Johnson's Grove. Here they lived buy a year when they took up their home in Nevada, which continued to be the residence of Mr. Hawthorne during the remainder of his days. For sixteen years he continued in this business and was very successful in it. One of the few democrats to be accorded such an honor Mr. Hawthorne was elected to the state legislature from this county in 1897, winning over the divided republican vote by about 100 plurality. His opponents in this campaign were J. L. Dana and Lycurgus Irwin. His death occurred at the family residence on Oak street Friday afternoon amid a large circle of his family. His illness had covered a period of many months and was the gradual failing of old age. The funeral services were conducted at Central Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon by Rev W. B. Sanford and the services at the cemetery were under the au spices of the Masonic order, of which he was a charter member in this city. Both services were attended by large concourses of sorrowing friends and relatives. But, while all sorrowed, yet they realized that he had lived out his allotted years and his life had been one crowned with many good deeds and whose latter days had been spent in the enjoyment of such cheer as but such a life could bring. --Nevada Journal