PORTER, Arthur Wellesley: Died 1923

PORTER, HOOTMAN, BEGGS, WORKMAN, MCCULLOUGH, SIEMON, BUCKMASTER

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 3/9/2017 at 19:44:23

Obituary of Arthur Porter.

Arthur Wellesley Porter was born Sept. 19, 1852, at Kilbourne, Iowa, and died Tuesday morning, June 5, 1923, at Birmingham, Io., aged 70 years, 8 months and 16 days.

With the exception of five years in the vicinity of Boise, Idaho, he spent his entire life in this county. While he was on the farm he kept a hospitable home which was a friendly refuge for several young men who grew to manhood and able to care for themselves. His kindly admonition and advice prepared them for life's battle and fitted them in every way to be manly and true.

He was married March 3, 1887, to Irona Hootman and to them were born two daughters. They moved to Birmingham March 3, 1919. The home life of this brother was all that could be desired. He was a lover of home, a good husband, an affectionate father, an excellent provider, in every way, never denying the wife or children anything needful for their happiness. Truly, he will be missed in his home, but the memory of his kindness will in some degree fill the void.

He had not been in the best of health the past winter, but his death was unexpected. It was sudden, but came as he wished it to come, not that he was afraid of suffering, but this was the best, and the results he left with the Almighty Being who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Often through life, he had quote the following lines:

"I lay me down sleep with little thought of care whether waking find me here, or there. I am, not eager, bold, or strong, all that is past, I'm ready now to die at last, at last, my half day's work is done, and this is all my past, I give a patient God my patient heart."

He leaves to mourn his death: his wife, two daughters, Mrs. Ralph Workman and Mrs. Harley Beggs, of Birmingham; one brother, N.B. Porter, Butte, Mont.; four sisters: Mrs. America McCullough, Wisconsin, Mrs. Wm. Siemon, Ontario, Calif, and Mrs. Grace Buckmaster, Whittier, Cali., and Mrs. Mollie Hootman, Puente, Calif.

He was extremely patriotic, a good citizen, patient with the erring, kind to all men. Looking back on his life we may say of him:

"If everyone for whom he had done a kind deed would place a flower upon his grave, he would sleep tonight beneath a wilderness of flowers."

He was known far and near, his friends may be counted by the hundreds. May the gracious Benefactor of the Universe be our strength in our great need, and our kind Savior to the end."

Funeral services were held at the Presbyterian church, Birmingham, Thursday, p.m., attended by hundreds of friends. Rev. Richard Roberts, Mediapolis, Iowa, a personal friend of the deceased, conducted the services, assisted by Rev. Coleman, the present pastor of the church. Burial was in Maple Hill cemetery.

**Handwritten: Also see Book B page 87

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book H, Page 112, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, Iowa