Major Ephraim Hix (1839-1905)

HIX, RING, PORTER, PATRICK

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/10/2015 at 13:42:28

From Nevada Representative May 17, 1905

OBITUARY

MAJOR E. HIX DEAD

Major Ephraim Hix died at his home in this city, Saturday morning, May 13, 1905, aged 65 years, 6 months and 15 days. Mr. Hix was born October 28, 1839, in the little hamlet of Alabama Center, Genesee county, N. Y., near the famous Erie canal and through which passed the celebrated roadway from Lewiston to Lockport. he was the eighth child in a family of nine children eight of whom grew to manhood or womanhood. His ancestry was of high grade character reaching back on his father's side to the Lord Baltimore colony in Maryland, and on his mother's side back to New England and the Pilgrims. He came with his people in 1848, when a lad of nine years, to Dekalb county, Illinois. His education was in the common schools of his time and at Mount Morris academy and Wheaton college; and in large measure he met the expenses of his college course by teaching and other kinds of labor, during vacationing. Subsequently he engaged in business trips to California in the interest of commercial enterprises engineered by his brother, Seymour, or himself. His first trip was in 1861, and was an overland trip involving much hardship, he was absent about a year and returned by way of the isthmus of Panama and steamer. He was married at Sycamore, December 7, 1864, to Miss Susan Ancelia Ring, who for more than forty years has been his faithful and helpful companion, the sharer of hsi joys and sorrows, labors and successes. In 1869, influenced largely by health considerations, Mr. Hix disposed of his De Kalb county interests and came to Iowa, locating on a farm in Richland township this county. This was the family home until 1883, when removal was made to Nevada, it becoming evident that Mr. Hix could no longer endue the hardship and exposure of farm life. He entered here into partnership with Mr. M. C. Allen, a business relationship which was in force and without past intermissions or disagreements at the time of his death, after nearly twenty two years. During his residence in Nevada Mr. Hix was honored by his fellow citizens, being a member of the city council in 1895-6 and mayor of the city in 1897-8. In both positions he discharged his duties with fideility to his best judgment and with rare exceptions, to the satisfaction of the public. This in brief is the creditable story of his personal and public activities.

As a man, Mr. Hix bore an unblemished name. He inherited good mental powers which were well disciplined in the schools and enriched by reading, travel and observation. he was well informed on the questions of his time and able to give a reason for the views he held. He was a man of positive convictions, and though firm in their maintenance, was mild and gentlemanly in doing so. The condition of his health for many year involved throat and lung trouble with increasing tendency to consumption; and this condition not only required his frequent sojourn in winters in milder climates and made necessary the watchful care of himself at all times, but also circumscribed his business and social activities from that they would have been had he been blessed with robust health. But he possessed in good degree the co-operative, social, fraternal and companionable spirit as those who in one way and another came into intimate relations with him freely testify; and he formed deep and lasting friendships, as was evidenced by the many old friends present at his obsequies, he held those moral and religious convictions, that lead to uprightness of life. In a word Mr. His was a man of sterling character, a good husband, an kindly neighbor, and a worthy citizen; and the home and the city out of which he has passed have sustained a greatly regretted loss.

The funeral services of Mr. Hix were held Monday afternoon at he home and were conducted by Rev. W. P. Payne, assisted by Revs. Nye and Sandford, pastors of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches of the city respectively. The male quartette by their excellent singing added much to the value of the services both at the house and the grave. The services were largely attended, not only by local relatives, and citizens of Nevada, but by numerous old time neighbors and friends from various parts of the county. Among the relatives and special friends present from outside the city or county were Mrs. Lindsey and Mr. and Mrs. Goble of Ames, Mrs. Ellen Porter of Des Moines, cousin of Mrs. Hix, and Mrs. Fremont Patrick of Mexico, Mo., niece of Mr. Hix both for the past week or more efficient and sympathizing helpers in the stricken household; Floyd Hix, a nephew, of Sycamore, Ill. reaching Nevada Monday evening; Edward Mark of Iowa Falls; and Walter D. Hix, Albert D. Hix, Chas. E. Hix, Asa Mead, Frank Eddy and Chas. Shuler with their families of Zearing and vicinity sons and sons-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Hix and sho served as pall bearers; Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Aurner of State Center, the former of whom was his boyhood chum and both of whom accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Hix to California, remained with them during the winter, returned with them, and until the end came with them, and until the end came were as devoted to the dying man as could be a brother and sister.

In the death of Mr. Hix, the large family of which he was a member is reduced to two Mr. Seymour Hix of this city and A. E. Hix of Kingston, Ill.