John Jackson Abel 1857-1957

ABEL WITTMAN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 2/17/2011 at 21:01:14

Onawa Democrat
26 September 1957

John Abel, 100, Oldest Mann of Sloan Is Dead

John Abel, 100 Years Old of Sloan, Iowa, Died At A Sioux City Hospital Last Sunday, September 22nd.

He came to Woodbury County in a covered wagon. He had resided in Sloan for the past thirty years.

John Jackson Abel, 100 year old Sloan resident and one of the oldest citizens of Woodbury County died Sunday, September 22, 1957 at a Sioux City hospital, where he had been taken after a hip fracture, which he received in a fall Wednesday of last week.

Mr. Abel celebrated his 100th birthday anniversary on May 14. He had been a resident of Sloan for the past thirty years, however he came to Woodbury County in and early day in a covered wagon.

He was born in 1857 in Orange County, Indiana. He was married to Charlotte Isabell Wittman in 1877. She preceded him in death in November 1956. The Abel’s celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary in 1955.

Mr. and Mrs. Abel were the parents of 12 children, seven of whom are living. In recent years Mr. Abel had made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Elsie Ashworth of Sloan.

Other survivors include four other daughters, Mrs. Minerva Patterson and Mrs. Bertha Rysdam of Sloan, Mrs. Grayce Hall of Whiting and Mrs. Ruth Worley of Sioux City; a son, Charles of Sloan, 33 grandchildren and 57 great grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted from the Christian Church in Sloan, Rev. John Coatsworth officiating. Burial was in the Holly Springs Cemetery under the direction of the Hilts Funeral Home of Sloan.