WILLIAMS, Cephas: Died 1957

WILLIAMS, KIRTZMAN, ROCKWOOD, LEWIS, KLINDT, HEYWOOD

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 4/19/2016 at 20:21:10

**Handwritten: 1957
THE RECORD - REPUBLICAN, BONAPARTE, IOWA

Cephas Williams

Cephas Williams was born at Iowaville, Iowa (near Selma) July 23, 1868, the oldest child of L.H. and Mary Williams and passed away at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona June 5, 1957 at the age of 88 years, 10 months and 12 days. He had been in poor health for the last two years but was critically ill only two days preceding his death. He was the oldest child in a family of eight children all of whom have passed on except his two youngest brothers: Owen of Ottumwa and Henry of Farmington, Iowa.

As a young man he went to work in Ottumwa with the Morrell Packing Company working at the butcher trade until he was married to Carrie Kritzman of Keosauqua, there on Feb. 26, 1894. Soon afterward they settled on a farm west of Keosauqua, remaining there until March 1915 when they moved to Keosauqua, living there until Jan. 1917, when they moved to Mesa, Arizona. Soon afterward they bought a ranch near Mesa where the family lived and he again took up his butcher trade following it until his retirement more than 20 years later. Following the death of his wife in 1936, he had made his home with his daughter Edna and family on the ranch they bought when they came to Arizona.

He is survived by seven children, Sydnor of Tempe, Arizona, and Waldo and Howard of Mesa, Mrs. Maude Rockwood of North Hollywood, Calif., Mrs. Rose Lewis of Phoenix, and Mrs. Edna Klindt and Mrs. Veda Heywood of Mesa. Also surviving are 21 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held from the Medrum Mortuary at Mesa, Saturday, June 8th with the Rev. Robert Collins, officiating. Pall bearers were his grandsons. Services were conducted at the graveside by Mesa Lodge No. 14, I.O.O.F. with burial in the family plot at the Mesa City Cemetery. He had been a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge for more than 50 years.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book F, Page 281, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA