LISTON, Jesse (1815-1874)

LISTON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 12/3/2016 at 23:48:24

Jesse Liston
(Feb 1, 1815 - Nov 17, 1874)

The Warren Record newspaper, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, Nov 19, 1874, p.3
Died
At his home in this city, Nov. 17, at 6:30 a.m., Jesse Liston, aged 55 years, 9 mos. 16 days. One of the old settlers and firm pillars of Indianola and Warren county has passed away. No man has ever lived in this community who had more thoroughly and uniformly, the respect and confidence of his acquaintances in all his business and social relations. From the age of ten at which time he experienced religion he has been a straightforward consistent Christian and may be classed among the few who manage to carry their religion along with them in their everyday business and apply its principles to life without noise or ostentation. He was born in Gallia county, Ohio, Feb 1, 1815. Was married May 18, 1843, to Rebecca Chenowitt. Moved to Fairfield, Iowa in the winter of 1849 and in the following Spring came and settled on the site of the present town of Indianola, and here he has stayed working along in his quiet, cheerful manner contributing steadily and successfully to the progress and prosperity of the place and always by his sterling worth and reliability winning the good opinions of a large circle of friends and business acquaintance. The first cabin in Indianola was put up by him near his present grocery stand and the first sermon ever heard in town was preached in his house. He also formed the first class of Methodist Church Members, consisting then of only nine persons and was its first leader. Hence he may be called the pioneer of the Methodist Church in this place. Indianola has lost one of its solid, prosperous business men, the church, and earnest, faithful standby and supporter that never failed to be where he was most needed, rain or shine, and the community at large, misses one of its reliable influential members and one who had the universal reputation of being a kind, agreeable and thoroughly honest man in all his public and private relations. The funeral services took place Wednesday ,1:30 p.m., at the M. E. Church; attendance very large. Col. Bryan, Amos Barker, Revs. Johnson, Swope and Guyer pronounced brief eulogies and more satisfactory ones to sorrowing friends were never made in this community.