Augustus George TILLMAN

TILLMAN, CARNEY, BROWN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/12/2015 at 16:22:00

November 1, 1863 --- May 14, 1917

OBITUARY OF A. G. TILLMAN, LINCOLN TOWNSHIP PIONEER

Augustus George Tillman was born in Sweden November 1, 1863. When twelve years of age, he in company with his brothers and sisters, he emigrated to America, locating at Rockford, Ill. Compelled as he was at this early age to make his own living, his opportunities to attend school were meager, and he obtained most of his education in the practical school of experience. He worked on the farm by the month until he had accumulated enough money to start in business on his own account. He rented land in the vicinity of Rockford until 1877, when he moved to Grundy county, Iowa, where, on September 20, 1879, he was united in marriage to Susan Carney. In the spring of 1881 the young couple moved to an eighty acre farm in Lincoln township, this county, where they resided for thirty years. In 1881 conditions in Wright county were very different from what they are today. There was not, to the writer's knowledge, a single foot of tile in the county; most of the roads were ungraded and many of the creeks and sloughs unbridged; crops were uncertain and prices generally low. By extraordinary energy he, with the efficient help of his wife and children, added to and Improved his farm and had the satisfaction of knowing that in bringing about improved conditions in the county since 1881, he had done a man's part. Mr. Tillman - united with the Christian church soon after its organization in Clarion and has since been one of its loyal supporters.

To Mr. and Mrs. Tillman were born six sons and one daughter. Four sons, Will, Walter, Charles and Ray are married and live in the neighborhood of the old home. The other two boys, Burt and Oliver, and one daughter May, have been with their father during his last illness. Besides his immediate family, Mr. Tillman is survived by two sisters, Miss Sophia Tillman of Chicago and Mrs. Brown of Rockford, Ill. During the last years of his life he had more time for reading and travel, and among the writer's acquaintance there is no one whose views have been broadened and developed more. When told that the disease that caused his death was incurable, he accepted the situation calmly and philosophically. He remained cheerful and maintained his interest in current events
until the end.

Monday evening, May 14, surrounded by his family and friends, he passed as he hoped he would, without a struggle, to the Great Beyond. He was a member of the I.O.O F. and Rebekah lodges, and in accordance with their custom and at his request they had charge of tho funeral at the grave.
—A. O. W.

May 23, 1917
Clarion Clipper -- Clarion, Iowa

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A. G. Tillman of four miles east of the city, and a pioneer of this county, was called by death at 10 o'clock Monday evening. He had been failing for almost a year. Eleven months ago he was taken to the Mayo's Hospital in Rochester, but obtained only temporary relief. The funeral will be held this afternoon at 2 o'clock at the home and 3 o'clock in the basement of the new Church of Christ, Rev. A. O. Wright will be in charge. A complete obituary will be published next week.

Clarion Clipper - Clarion, Iowa
May 16, 1917