William Waite Spring (1828-1916)

SPRING, COFFELT, SMITH, SNOWDEN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/28/2011 at 17:14:36

From Nevada Representative May 16, 1916

W. W. SPRING

In the passing of W. W. Spring, which occured at his home two or three miles south east of Ames Sunday evening at six o'clock, Story county loses one of its earliest and stunchest pioneers. He was a native of Ohio and was born May 16, 1828 and at the time of his death lacked but two days of rounding out a long and useful life of eighty eight years. When twelve years old he moved to Putnamville, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Spring were married in 1854. Her maiden name was Amy and she was the daughter of Samuel Coffelt of the same Indiana neighborhood. Their married life was long and harmonious and crowned in 1905 with a golden wedding celebration. They became residents of Story County on the 17 day of November 1855 having migrated from Indiana in the "prairie schooner" fashion with a big company mostly of the Coffelt family. Their first settlement was with their party of relatives along Squaw Creek west of Skunk, but later locating on the farm in Grant township east of the Skunk and which has been the family home for a half century or more. Mrs. Spring died July 6, 1914 and was greatly beloved and deeply mourned by kindred near and remote. Mr. and Mrs. Spring were genuine pioneers. They bore the privations and burdens incident to the first settlement of a new country without markets without repining and with brave and hopeful spirits. Mr. Spring was handicapped with ill health at the start, but out of the atmosphere, actiivities and hopeful out look of the new land, he soon gained strength and vigor, and was able to turn his varied industries into money and better livehood and more comforts for wife and children. Among the activities in which he engaged were rail splitting at fifty cents a hundred. This was not a big price but one day he split 500 rails which for these early times was not bad. His main work was, however, the breaking up of the prairies with an ox team of four to seven inch plow. Among the acres of which he thus turned the virgin sward were some of those now occupied by the city of Ames, the College farm and the Fair grounds at Des Moines. His other activities were various, but alway helpful to the struggling community in which he lived. His industries though confined mainly to the localities in which he lived, often reached out to other parts of the county. As an illustration, he related to Mrs. Payne in one of his visits to the office the following: "Speaking of the pioneer school house of Nevada reminds me that I furnished the shingles for its roof. I helped myself to a tree after the manner in vogue among settlers in that day, and father Coffelt sawed it in his shingle mill." Among his official services to the public was that of assessor of grant township which office he held for thirty consecutive years. He was a member of the M. E. church from early manhood and in his upright character and kindly spirit honored the relation he thus sustained. In all respects he was an all round worthy citizen, and the community, county and commonwealth of which he was a long time resident are the better for the life he has lived.

In Mr. Spring's death the last member of a large family passes away. His last sister died June 6, 1915 at the age of 89. To Mr. and Mrs. Spring were born ten children six of whom survive the passing of their parents. They are Mrs. Margaret E. Smith, Mrs. Lucy E. Snowden, U. S. Spring and E. Mary Spring of Ames; and C. W. Spring and Dr. Claude F. Spring of Des Moines.

His funeral services are being held this afternoon at the family farm home, this being his 88th birthday anniversary. His old friends of which there are many whether present or absent will think of him kindly and in days to come will hold neighborly remembrance.