Oscar W. Weyer 1854 - 1907

WEYER, DUNN, CAMPBELL, LAW, BRUCE

Posted By: Barbara Jamison (email)
Date: 2/15/2002 at 08:58:37

O.W. Weyer, one of the leading educators of the southeastern part of the state, died a few moments past midnight, Saturday morning, March 16, 1907, at this home in Keokuk, heart disease causing his death. Speaking fo his brief sickness the Keokuk Gate City says:

"Mr. Weyer worked until the last and died in harness, as was to be expected of a man of his character. Last Monday he went for examination to his physician who examined him thoroughly and discovered marked heart trouble. Mr. Weyer said he had suspected it for three weeks, but when the physician insisted that he go home and to bed, Mr. Weyer objected that his office needed him too much and instead, he went to his desk and worked hard all day, even having his luncheon brought in to him. On Wednesday his heart was much better, under treatment, and he and his family thought him much improved in condition. On Friday, he had some indigestion and when the physician visited him late Friday evening his heart was normal in action and frequency, beating strongly at seventy-two pulsations per minute. This was his condition at 11:45 o'clock that night, and he was sitting up, having held an hour's conversation on general topics with his physician. Fifteen minutes later he went to bed and sent Mrs. Weyer for a hot iron to relieve as usual some pain in his shoulder. Thirty seconds later he called for "the tonic, quick!" -- a tablet left by the doctor for an sudden heart trouble. When Mrs. Weyer reached him only seconds later, he was dead. The cause of his death is stated by his physician to be paralysis of the nerve which energizes the heart."

Hundreds of people in Van Buren County knew Oscar Weyer. He was born in Chequest township, in this county, not far from the village of Troy, Feb. 4, 1854, making his age 53 years, 1 month and 12 days at the time of death. He received his early education in the common schools of Van Buren county, following which he attended and was graduated from the Troy academy. Our recollection is that a degree was also conferred on him by the Iowa Wesleyan University of Mr. Pleasant. He taught in the district schools of this county then went to Agency, Wapello county, where he taught a year, then came to Bentonsport where he taught several years, and while there he was united in marriage with Miss Nannie M. Dunn, Oct. 19, 188(1 or 4), who died in the fall of 1898, and who was buried in Bentonsport. No children were born to this union. He was principal of the Bonaparte schools for one year and in the fall of 1884 was called to the principalship of (one of the ward) schools in Keokuk, teaching there for nine years, when he was elected superintendent of the schools of that city, where he served with marked efficiency for eleven years, resigning to become secretary and a director of the Standard Insurance Co., of Keokuk. Oct. 8, 1900, he was married to Anna Campbell who, with a daughter, survives. His aged mother, brother Harry and two sisters, Mrs. Dora Law and Mrs. Emma Bruce, of Troy, also survive. Oscar Weyer was on the God's noblemen. He was the highest type of manhood and useful indeed was the life he lived. Both the editors of the Republican knew him long and intimately and over his grace we pay tribute to that splendid character which made our lives better because of association with him. We can truthfully say that he was as free from faults as anyone we ever knew, and as long as we shall survive we shall cherish his memory, wishing that we may live as nearly right as he lived. His was a life not wasted. Hundreds are living who will carry with them through this world the benefits they received because of association with O. W. Weyer.

Speaking of the marked tribute paid the deceased at the funeral by the people of Keokuk, Tuesday's Gate City says:

All Keokuk paid a fitting tribute yesterday afternoon to the memory of the late Oscar W. Weyer, the educator, business man and churchman who was laid to rest in the vault at the Oakland cemetery, at the conclusion of the funeral service at the family home, 728 High street. The public schools were closed for the day, the flags were at half mast. The floral pieces were without doubt the lavish ever seen in Keokuk and came from all lines of business, religious and social life. The board of education had a beautiful piece representing an open book; the teachers' floral was a wheel, the hub representing the High School, the spokes being for each of the several schools in the city. From the Standard Fire Insurance compnay was a pillow on a broken column of marble with the word "Secretary: intertwined in flowers of delicate tint. A heart and anchor, with the words "Our teacher" thereon was the contribution from the members of Mr. Weyer's Sunday school class. A pillow was sent by the Y.M.C.A.; a harp by the Commercial Club; an anchor by the Ladies' society of the United Presbyterian Church. Neighbors who knew him so well sent a harp while the Altruistic club's floral remembrance was in the form of carnations, Mr. Weyer's favorite flower.

(Photocopy of this obit is located on pg 115-117 of Obit book A in the Van Buren Couty IA Genealogical Society collection at the Keosauqua Public library in Sept. 2000. Name of newspaper and date of obit not given)