From: "Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" <iggy29@scican.net>

To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com>

Subject: PIONEER'S 84th ANNIVERSARY - A. VANDERPOOL.

Date: Friday, June 29, 2001 9:34 PM

Decatur County Journal

February 8, l900

Grand River, February 5, l900.

A. VANDERPOOL was born in Carter County, Tenn., February 3, l8l6. When

three years of age his parents moved to Chariton County, Mo., and

afterwards to Ray County where he grew to manhood.

He married ESTHER STANLEY January l, l837, and moved to Mercer County,

Mo., and in l844 located in Decatur County. His wife died in Richland

Township June 6, l882. September 25, l884, he married ELIZA COMSTOCK.

MR. VANDERPOOL was a member of the first grand jury ever impanneled in

our county and was also the first man ordained to preach the Gospel. He

was one of the organizers of the East Grand River Association at Bedford

and preached all over southern Iowa and northern Missouri. For more

than thirty years he was engaged in ministerial work. He was a soldier

in the Blackhawk and Seminole wars.

Last Saturday was his 84th birthday and his old acquaintances planned a

surprise party for him and so completely was it carried out that none of

the family suspected until l0 o'clock when friends began to arrive by

the wagon loads with welled baskets of everything good in the line of

eatables. At one o'clock, the guests to the number of fifty-four sat

down to an excellent dinner to which all did ample justice. All

expressed themselves as having an enjoyable time with the old pioneer

and none more so than himself. They all bid the old father in Israel

goodbye and wished him many more such happy occasions.

A.S. LADD.

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Copied June 29, 200l

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