HALE, Greenville: 1820-1898

HALE, DECKER, BILLHYMER

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri (email)
Date: 9/14/2013 at 14:39:59

**Handwritten: Keo. Rep. 14 July 1898

The Davis County Republican published an obituary of Greenville Hale, from which we extract the following. The deceased was the father of Mrs. George Billhymer, of Keosauqua.

"Greenville Hale died at his home in Lick Creek township, Davis county, July 2, 1898. On that morning he came in from his chores and took up a paper to read a little before breakfast. When his daughter called him a few minutes later he ws dead, medical attendants pronouncing it heart-failure. The deceased was born in Jackson county, Ohio, January 31, 1920, his age at death being 78 years, 5 months and 2 days. He was married to Mrs.Nov. 1845, making his residence in this state 53 years. He was the father of nine children, Mary A. being the wife of Mrs. George Billhymer, of Keosauqua, as above mentioned. Mr. Hale and four brothers served in the war for the union, the subject of this sketch being a member of Co. E, 36th Iowa Infantry, being wounded at the battle of Marks Mills, Arkansas. He was a member of the Baptist church and an upright, honorable citizen. The funeral was held at Mrs. Hill church, Sunday following his death, Rev. H.C. Ethel preaching the sermon."

His son-in-law, Mr. George Billhymer, pays him the following tribute:

"Comrades: The roll call has been sounded and another comrade has answered for the last time, and I, who knew him for 21 years, can say that of just such men as he was our army of the future must be made, and the country that commands and does command such men cannot afford to do anything that is unjust. While he was a Baptist in religion and a republican in politics, I knew him as a bigot in nothing. I knew him to be as broad in his charity as he was secret in dispensing it. Upon his tombstone can be appropriately inscribed, "Wll done, good and faithful servant, come up higher."

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 247, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA