David Marks INMAN

INMAN, GREEN, MILLER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/17/2008 at 21:59:12

I have been asked to write a sketch of the life of D. M. Inman, one of the pioneer settlers of Wright county who passed away at Eric, Kansas on October 16th, 1924, at the ripe age of ninety-one years.

To the older settlers of the locality the sketch of this good man should be interesting, as he was one of the most foremost citizens of Vernon township for nearly half a century. In writing this sketch I do not feel that it is really a sad task, for our friend had labored long beyond his allotted time. A life of honesty, rectitude and service to his fellowmen. "He had kept the faith. He had fought the good fight. He had finished his course." So it seems to me that we can all say with the poet Bryant,

"I am glad that he has lived so long,
I am glad that he has gone to his reward,
Nor can I deem that kindly nature did him wrong
To thus gently disengage the vital chord,
For when the hand grows palsied
And the eyes dimmed with mists of age
It was his time to die."

Mr. Inman was born in Medina county, Ohio December 25, 1833; at the age of twenty-one years he went to Jefferson county, Wisconsin where he improved a farm in Bark River Timbers. He was married at Farmington, Wisconsin to Sarah E. Green, to which union seven children were born, nine of whom survive their father, and are now living in various parts of the United States. Mrs. Inman, the wife and mother, passed on to her reward on December 20, 1907. In 1909 Mr. Inman remarried with the widow Mrs. Lucinda Miller Sailors in 1909 in Erie, Kansas. He had been from Vernon township, Wright county, in 1866, where he continued to reside until about the year 1900, when he retired from his fine farm of three hundred forty acres and came to Dows to live.

Mr. Inman was one of the prominent men of this county, a republican in politics, he served as county supervisor for eight years, was for many years one of the Township Trustees of Vernon Township and took an active part in the schools and churches. He was a member of the Methodist church having been early converted to that faith in which he died and went to meet his Master after a separation of seventy years. After coming to Dows, Mr. Inman continued to take an active part in the religious activities of our little town He was a member of the school board for several years, served on the city council for some time, and if my memory serves me correctly, acted as mayor for a few months, to fill out a vacancy. With all he was a man of whom it could be well said that he spent a long useful life in the service and upbuilding of the community in which he resided, always standing for the better things in life, a pure, clean man, from whose lips I never heard a profane word fall, and while he enjoyed a good clean story, and his brown eyes would twinkle to hear wholesome wit, he would listen to nothing which bordered upon the vulgar, but would walk away so that he would not hear it. In 1862 he bared his breast in defense of his country and participated in a number of important engagements, among others were Vicksburg and Champion Hills and he was with General Banks up the river. His service continued until June 22, 1865.

A devoted husband, a loving father, a loyal citizen, a faithful friend - No higher encomium can be paid to the memory of any man. A student and lover of nature, he found in the contemplation of its works a great satisfaction and purer joy than active duties of life with its busy cares and responsibilities, which was the reason for his leaving the farm and coming to Dows to reside. Honesty was the only key to his confidence and with this no one ever sought his aid in vain. He dignified labor as he knew that it was the continuation of human progress, and within its warp and woof was held the destiny of all mankind. Urbane and social he was with all, a very modest man, inclined to efface self with any reference to his service to his country, or to his fellowmen. I take the liberty of relating a little incident which occurred just before leaving Dows for Erie, Kansas. He came to the bank for his rosewood box, in which he had kept his papers in our vault for many years, and upon opening the box he said to me, "Ray, here is something that I don't show many people." I took the paper and found that it was a commission advancing him to the the rank of Captain, for bravery and valor upon the field of battle. Few knew the existence of this commission and in the history of Wright county, wherein a sketch of his life appears, he very modestly states that he was discharged as Sargent on June 22, 1865.

This community has profited greatly by the works of this good man and we would revere his memory. - R. W. B.

Dows, Iowa
ca. October 1924