RUSSELL, William H.: 1878-1923

RUSSELL, LINDSEY, DUVALL, SPENCER, BOLLMAN, PARKS, CASADY

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri (email)
Date: 9/4/2013 at 03:44:31

WILLIAM H. RUSSELL.
**Handwritten: 1923

The funeral of William H. Russell, a former resident of Van Buren county, who died at Knox City, Mo., was held Monday afternoon of this week at the home of his wife's sister, Mrs. Carl Earhart, near Troy, in Davis county, the body having been accompanied from Knox City by his family and friends. The burial was made in the Odd Fellows cemetery near Troy.

The following obituary was read at the funeral:

William H. Russell was born in Chequest township, Van Buren county, Iowa, on the 9th day of April, 1878, and departed this life at his residence in Knox county Missouri, on the 21st day of July, 1923, being at the time of his death of the age of 45 years 3 months and 12 days. He leaves to mourn their loss, his wife, Julia, and one child, Francis Russell, age 8 years; his aged mother, Rosanna Russell, recently of Douds-Leando, but who now resides near Selma; his father James H. Russell, having departed this life in 1911. The deceased was one of 12 children, all of whom survive him except one brother, Roy Russell, who died in Troy, Iowa, in 1912. The surviving brothers and sisters are G.M. Russell, Anna Spencer, J.S. Russell, Etta Duvall, Hattie Parks, H.N. Russell, Jennie Bollman, Elmer Russell, Wallace Russell and Susie Casady, all of whom are living in or near Van Buren county, Iowa, except Elmer, who lives at Atkins, Iowa; and Jennie, who lives at West Burlington, Iowa, and all of whom are present here today. Besides these he leaves a large number of other relatives and a host of friends, all of whom join in extending their utmost sympathy to the bereaved family.

The deceased was a man of more than ordinary ability and at an early age devoted his energies toward preparing for a fuller and better life and by his untiring efforts pushed himself though the common schools and college and for a number of years held various positions of responsibility as an educator and held the position as head of the public schools at various places in the state of Iowa, which included Troy, Bonaparte, Wall Lake, and his last position of this kind being as head of the Consolidated Schools of Douds-Leando, Iowa. In every instance his efforts were crowned with success and his duties were performed with credit and honor to himself and a lasting benefit to the community which he served.

He was a member of Troy Lodge No. 27, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also of Troy Lodge No. 40, A.F. & A.M., being raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason by the last named lodge on the third day of June, 1904, and in said lodges he was an active member and always gave liberally of his time and energies to the aiding and promoting of the teachings of said institutions as they are directed toward the brotherhood of man.

There came a time when his financial investments and interests claimed his time and attention and these led him into agricultural pursuits and with his family he moved on to a farm where he died near Hurdland, Mo., and in which vocation he applied the same high standards of living as he had always manifested and following in his professional career. The standards in every walk of life in which he has labored have been raised because of his being engaged therein. In every community in which he has lived he leaves a host of friends who will learn with deepest regret of his early demise.

In the school, in the lodge, in the church and in the community, there is a vacancy caused by his death which those of us who survive feel and appreciate most keenly.

On the 9th day of August, 1913, he was joined in marriage to Julia Lindsey, who ever since, down to the time of his death, walked beside him as his devoted wife, and who with her daughter, Francis, now survive to mourn their loss created by his untimely death. In every instance and at all times and to all his acquaintances he was a friend tried and true and most of all he was a devoted husband and father. His life has been given to the uplift of his fellow men and truly in his life we find an expression of the thought of the poet, Longfellow, embodied in the following memorable lines:

Lives of great men all remained us,
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing, leave behind us,
Footprints on the sands of time.

The surviving family and relatives desire to extend their thanks and most sincere appreciation of the assistance and words of condolence given by a host of friends during the last illness, death and burial of their beloved ones.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 220, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA