TRUAX, Louis: Died 1912

TRUAX, PRESTON

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 1/15/2017 at 17:08:58

Louis Truax, son of Joh(n) and Ella Truax, was born at Warfordaburg, Pennsylvania, Sept. 23, 1840, and died at Keosauqua, Ia., Sept. 28, 1912, aged 72 years and 5 days. Job Truax was the father of a large family of whom the following survive: Mrs. T.J. Preston, Willow Springs, Mo.; Frank, Carlyle, Mo.; Fletcher, Jasper, Mo.; John, Mexico, Mo.; Savilian, Kansas City, Mo., and Jasper, who resides in Mexico. When the subject of this sketch was one year old his parents moved from Pennsylvania to Calais, Ohio, and 1860 to Winchester, Indiana. It was while residing here that young Truax met and married Miss Amanda Baltz who gave him her hand July 26, 1862. They were the parents of five children, all of whom were boys. Of this family three survive, one having died in infancy and Carlie in 1873. Those remaining are William, of Oakland Calif.; Edward of Seattle, Washington, and Frank of Keosauqua, Iowa. There are also, two grandchildren, Thelma, William's daughter, and George, Frank's son. He enlisted in the 69th Indiana Infantry in 1862, and served to the end of the war. After that he was granted forty years of peaceful married life that seemed to be a reward for the sacrifice made at the time of marriage. During that time he moved his family twice; once from Indiana to Centerville, Ia., and then to Keosauqua, in 1880 and settled on the farm he bought about one mile northwest of this city. Here the Truax family lived until the boys departed to make homes of their own and the wife and mother, because of illness, was no longer able to perform the arduous tasks of farm life, so in 1904, Mr. Truax moved into the town of Keosauqua where, two years later, the bride of forty four years before passed to her eternal reward. Mr. Truax had not been well for several months and as the summer days began to shorten it was seen that the time of his departure was near at hand and so he quietly submitted to the care and rest that were provided for him in the home of his son Frank. Here he exhibited the same quiet mien that had characterized his entire life. Without a tremor he approached death as though it were a friend for whom he was looking. The end came so peacefully that those who stood by his bed had difficulty to tell just when the spirit took its flight, but as near as they could ascertain it was 4:15 p.m. Thus a citizen of high mark has passed from us, not that he was one whose position or name was heralded far and wide, his was not, but his life honored the nation. He loved home, dignified fatherhood, placed a high standard on the duty of the husband, the neighbor and the man, and these are the things worth while, much more so than wealth, or fame or the praise of men. The funeral service was held in the home of his son, Frank, at 2:00 o'clock, Monday, September 30, 1912, Rev. C.A. Field in charge and the remains placed at rest in the Purdom cemetery, where his comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic furnished the committal service.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book H, Page 64, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA