Louis Christian Baldus (1858-1928)

BALDUS, SMILEY, COLE, FURMAN, CURTIS, SPRINGMAN, REINSCH, JOHNSON, WIRTH

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 4/15/2024 at 12:41:11

From Story City Herald March 8, 1928 (page 3)

L. C. BALDUS

Louis Christian Baldus was born on a farm 4 miles south of Story City, Iowa, Feb 20th, 1858, and passed away Feb. 26, 1928, at the Story City hospital. He was the younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Florence Baldus.

His mother passed away when he was three years of age, and his father when he was eight. He made his home with his uncle, Theodore Baldus, until he was 25 years old.

On Nov. 27, 1882, he was united in marriage to Ida A. Smiley, and moved to a farm in Hamilton county five miles north and one west of Jewell. To this union were born five children, a son and daughter dying in infancy. On July 23, 1898, his wife passed away leaving him with three small girls, Rose 11, Millie 7, and Elva 5 years of age. Then for two years they made their home with his brother, T. F. Baldus.

On April 18, 1901, he was united in marriage to Myrtle Cole Furman and moved to a farm south of Story City. To this union were born two children, Lowell T. and Gladys N.

He lived on the farm on which he was born for nineteen years until he moved to Jewell in January, 1920, where he resided until his death.

He leaves to mourn his death his wife and five children, Mrs. W. H. Curtis of Martinsburg, Ia., Mrs. John Springman of Story City, Mrs. Fred Reinsch of Gilbert, Lowell T. and Gladys N. of Jewell, and three step children, Roy Furman of Madison, S. D., Mrs. E. C. Johnson of Winnebago, Minn., and Loyd Furman of Jewell, and sister, Mrs. Fred Wirth of Story City; also many cousins and distant relatives besides a host of friends.

He was one of the pioneer residents of Story and Hamilton counties. He was widely known and respected man of honorable and sterling qualities. In his home he was a loving husband and father, always thinking first of his family, and will be greatly missed by all of them. He was a ready helper to aid every good cause in the community.

The second year after moving to Jewell he was elected member of the City Council, which position he held until his death.

He had enjoyed good health until July, 1927, when he suffered a stroke of apoplexy, which rendered him partially helpless in speech and one side. On Feb. 19, 1928, he was confined to his bed, and following an operation for gallstones, he submitted to the Higher Will.

He was a patient sufferer as shown thru all his illness. Comfort is found in the fact that all that medical science and loving hands could do was done for him.

'Tis a long, 'tis the last,
'Tis a beautiful rest,
When all sorrow is gone
From the brow and the breast.
'Tis that rest we may long for,
That rest we may crave;
'Tis the beautiful sleep--
The sleep of the grave.