William Lockridge (1832-1903)

LOCKRIDGE, ERVIN, LETSON, WORSLEY, WARRICK, WILL, DRYBREAD, MCCUTCHEN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/10/2015 at 09:43:31

From unknown newspaper July 1903

OBITUARY

William Lockridge

Died at his home in this city, Wednesday, July 22, 1903, at 12:40 p. m., William Lockridge, aged 71 years and 29 days.

This even occurring just before the last publication of this paper, was briefly reported in out last issue. Mr. Lockridge, supposedly in full health, was going fishing for the afternoon and went down by his barn to dig some bait; and there he was found a half hour later so nearly dead that he passed away in a very few minutes. The cause of his death was valvular disease of the heart.

Mr. Lockridge was born in August county, Virginiam June 23, 1832, and was the son of John and Eliza (Ervin) Lockridge, both natives of same state, and his father being a veteran of the war of 1812. William was the sixth of seven children; and when the father, who had acuired a quarter -section of land in Story County, Iowa, offered the same to the one of the boys who would move west and occupy it, William accepted the proposition, and accordingly in May 1856 he arrived at the frontier village of Nevada, which was thenceforward to be his home. Those were the days of the Democratic administration of this county, and he was a young Democrat of qualifications. So it came about within two months that he was appointed deputy county treasurer; and the next year, his chief having resigned, he was both appointed and elected to the vacancy. Upon the expiration of his term he was married to Miss Lydia A. Letson, January 1, 1860; and they began their married life upon his farm, before mentioned, better known perhaps as the "Hutchins farm" and now owned by Judiah Ray, a mile and a half south and east of Nevada. Here they lived until 1870, when he sold the farm, moved back to town and went into the lumber business with his father-in-law, C. B. Letson. A year later he acquired the whole business, and he afterward continued in it alone until his retirement in 1895. Since the latter date he has had his office with Smith & Son of Smith & Bricker, has been president of the First National Bank, and has devoted himself in a leisurely manner to looking after his various properties and interests.

Besides his early service as county treasurer, Mr. Lockridge served on the town council of Nevada in 1872, 1873, 1875 and 1876; and in 1878, 1879 and 1880, was elected mayor. In 1879 he was again the Democratic nominee for county treasurer, and in 1893 he was a candidate for representative. On both there later occasions he demonstrated his personal strength and popularity in the county; but political conditions here no longer permitted a Democrat to hope seriously for election to county office. Wherever adn whenever, however, there was opportunity for a fair test, there never was left any doubt or question of the standing of William Lockridge with the people among whom he lived. He conducted an extensive business, and he made money at it; but his dealings were so carried on that he gained in the estimation of those with whom he dealt; and his reputation was for probity in business and kindness among men. He was a most worthy and representative citizen; and his mourners are all who came into close personal contact with him.

To Mr. and Mrs. Lockridge were born eight children, five of whom, are grown and married, with their mother survive him: They are Elfa, wife of T. P. Worsley, Jennie, wife of Frank Warrick of Kansas City; Etta, wife of L. W. Will of Salina, Kansas; Lovie, wife of J. E. Drybread; and Ann Fay, wife of Emmet Armstrong. There are also eight grand-children; and one brother, Dr. John Lockridge of Indianapolis whom Mr. and Mrs. Lockridge visited only a few weeks ago. Aside from his immediate family Mr. Lockridge's only near relative in this section is his nephew, John R. McCutchen of Nevada. The three children who died wee Frank, who died in 1888 at the age of twenty-one; Clarence who was for years a hopeless invalid and died in 1892 at th age of seventeen; and Maggie, who died in 1873 aged two. Other numerous relatives of the family are akin to Mrs. Lockridge.

The funeral was conducted from Mr. Lockridge's late residence southwest of the Court House square on Saturday afternoon by Rev. H. P. Dudley, pastor of the Methodist church, and the singing was by the Presbyterian choir. The attendance was very large; business on the street was generally suspended by request of the mayor during the hour of the funeral, and the old-time friends of the deceased gathered from town and country to do him honor. He was buried in the family lot in the Nevada cemetery.