Lewis L. ESTES

ESTES, HILLOCK, RICHARDSON, MIRACLE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/8/2015 at 11:19:42

August 7, 1832 --- April 19, 1909

L. L. ESTES ANSWERS FINAL SUMMONS
The Patient Sufferer Died at the Family Home on Willson Avenue at 11 o’clock Last Night.
Had been ill a long time.
Death Was Not Unexpected – Lived in Webster City More than Fifty Years.

L. L. Estes, president of the First National Bank and one of the best known business men in central Iowa, died at the family home on Willson avenue at 11 o’clock last night, after a protracted illness from prostatic troubles and other complications. Deceased had been in poor health several years, but was able to attend to his business affairs until last spring, when he went to Des Moines to consult physicians. While there it was deemed best to perform an operation. This was in March a year ago and the operation was performed at Mercy hospital. The surgeons gave the family no encouragement, as serious complications were found and it was known that the patient could not recover. Mr. Estes returned to his home in this city about a year ago and since that time has been a great sufferer. He has been able to be up and around much of the time, but he fully realized his condition and was prepared for the end, having settled up his business affairs some months ago.

Last Thursday uremic poisoning set in and the patient was unconscious until his death, the end coming last night.

L. L. Estes was born in Madison, county, New York, Aug 7, 1832. He received his education in the public schools of his native county and at the age of eighteen started out in life on his own account, being first employed as a farm hand. Later he branched into stock buying on his own account and followed that in New York until the spring of 1857, when he came west, locating in Webster City. At that time this was a mere frontier hamlet of possibly 100 inhabitants. Mr. Estes was a young man then of 26 and at once entered into the business life of the community, assisting in the material upbuilding and substantial progress of the town. In those days there were frontier experiences unknown now. The Indians were troublesome in northwestern Iowa and Mr. Estes joined a party that went to Spirit Lake for the protection of the settlers. In 1861 he was a member of the Northern Border Brigade, an organization effected for the purpose of keeping Indians in a peaceful mood.

Returning to Webster City from Spirit Lake, Mr. Estes engaged in the drug business with James Wadsworth, one of the well known pioneer residents of this place. Later he bought out the interest of his partner and in 1874 became associated with B. Detlor under the firm name of Estes & Detlor, later selling out to Mr. Detlor. In 1871 he became a factor in the banking business of the town, establishing a private bank as a member of the firm of Young, Estes & Co. This institution was later merged into the First National Bank, with the late Kendall Young as the first president and Mrs. Estes as the first vice-president. Upon the death of Mr. Young in 1896, Mr. Estes succeeded to the presidency and was at the head of this successful and popular institution to the time of his death. He was also associated with a number of other banking institutions in this part of Iowa, including the First National Bank at Clarion, the State Bank at Woolstock, the State Bank at Blairsburg, the State Bank at Stanhope and the State Bank at Renwick. He also held large real estate interest in Webster City and Hamilton county and his estate is one of the largest and wealthiest in this part of Iowa.

Energetic, prompt and reliable in business affairs, he possessed a strong determination that enabled him to carry forward to successful completion whatever he undertook and his business methods were such as to withstand the closest scrutiny. Among his other large interests, he was engaged for many years in extensive cattle raising operations in the west.

In 1862, Mr. Estes was united in marriage to Miss Frances Hillock. To them were born two children, both of whom survive the father. They are F. E. Estes of Redlands, California, and Mrs. J. M. Richardson of this city. In 1889 Mrs. Estes died and Mr. Estes later married Mrs. Ella Miracle, widow of the lamented Judge D. D. Miracle, who survives him. Mr. Estes died a member of the First Congregational church of this city, with which he united many years ago and to which he was a liberal contributor. Mr. Estes served in several positions of public trust and always rendered satisfactory accounting of his stewardship. He was Webster City’s first mayor, has served upon the school board and received the appointment of postmaster at the hands of President Lincoln.

Lewis L. Estes was a self made man and the success he attained in business and the other relations of life demonstrated that he was cast in that heroic mould which makes for the betterment of mankind. His death will be widely mourned throughout the community in which he had so long been a prominent factor and the bereaved ones will receive the sincere sympathy of all in their great loss.