Napoleon Bonaparte Gretsinger (1848-1919)

GRETSINGER, BRADFORD, TOTTEN, SOWERS, TARMAN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 6/28/2014 at 16:54:43

From Nevada Representative August 25, 1919

TWO VETERANS PASS AWAY

CIVIL WAR HERO'S DIED AT END OF WEEK. BOTH WELL KNOWN IN NEVADA AND COUNTY
WOODS BURIED TODAY

Two of the Civil War veterans passed away between Thursday and Sunday of last week, both of them member of the local G. A. R. Post and both pioneers in this section.

On Saturday at the Iowa Sanitarium James M. Wood, aged 75 years died after a very brief illness being taken to the Sanitarium but a day or two before he passed. James Madison Wood died at 12:15 August 23, 1919. he was a native Illinoisan, born at Franklin Grove, February 22, 1844, and was therefore past seventy-five years and six months old at the day of his death. he had been a member of Jason D. Ferguson Post for fifteen or more years; taking an active pat, always, in those things that meat the most for the G. A. R. Comrades; and through them, any and all things for the social good of the community. He had been a life long Republican, and a resident of Story County, in and abound Nevada, since 1875. He enlisted during the middle part of the late rebellion and served practically two years. He was a Corporal of Company M, 17th Regiment of Illinois Cavalry, from which he was Honorably discharged at the very close of 1865. He died a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church of which he had been a member for almost eleven years. He loved to read his Bible daily. he was thrice married; leaves three sons, Maurice W., Pearl of Oklahoma City, Bryon W. of Council Hill, Oklahoma, William N. of Nevada, and a foster son, Stephen H. McKean, and a wife, Mrs. Anna Wood.

The funeral was held this afternoon with the interment at Ames.

On Thursday night, N. B. Gretsinger passed away at his home on Chestnut street after an illness of about two weeks with double pneumonia.

Mr. Gretsinger had been in good health right along in spite of his seventy-five years till the fatal illness overtook him and even at the Old Soldiers Reunion was very active with his former associates.

He was a native of Braceville, Ohio, where he was born in March 1848. His mother died when he was bery young and he left home shortly after that.

He was united in marriage in February of 1871, at Courtland, Ohio to Miss Elizabeth Bradford and to this union six children were born. They came to Nevada in 1877, and established their home on Chestnut street, just north of Lincoln avenue which had continued to be his home throughout his life. Mrs. Gretsinger died five years ago and since that time he had made his home while in the city with his youngest daughter, Mrs. Francis Tarman. The past three winters he had spent either in the south or California, being a sufferer of asthma.

Of the six children, one died in infancy and a son, John, died when eleven years of age. The other children are Mrs. Myrtle Totten of Osceola, Mrs. Pearl Sowers, of Milford township, Will Gretsinger of Fort Dodge, and Mrs. Jennie Tarman of this city.

Mr. Gretsinger was a mason by trade and had charge of that part of the work of much of the building in this city until later years. He was an industrious man, a capable and conscientious workman and was a citizen held in the very highest regard in the community where he had lived over two score years.

He was a member of the Masonic lodge, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic. He also held fellowship with Central Presbyterian church. Interment was in Nevada cemetery by the side of his wife who died five years ago and also according to the ritualistic rites of the Masonic lodge.