Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa
Thursday, December 7, l899

GEORGE B. KESHLEAR was born in Pink Hill, Jackson County, Mo., June 20th, l856, where he lived with his parents until at the age of l5 years, when he came to Decatur County, Iowa, with Wm. Davis, who, after a short time, built a store which was the nucleus of what is now Davis City; Buck was employed as clerk, where, by close application, integrity, honesty and business ingenuity, he gained the confidence of all who knew him. A short time after commencing in the store, Wm. Bowman was taken into co-partnership with Mr. Davis, the firm name being Davis & Bowman, with Buck as salesman; and after one or two more changes in the firm name and within about the same number of years, the firm heading changed to Bowman & Keshlear, and then to G.B. Keshlear a short time afterwards, and continuing in a successful business until the spring of '97 when he sold his merchandise interests and moved to Des Moines with his family, where he had purchased another stock of goods, which not proving lucrative enough, he again sold and purchased a stock in Jefferson, Ia., and having an opportunity for trading a part of same at a good profit, moved with the remainder of his goods to this place last April, in the meantime buying out A.H. Graves, dealer in hardware and groceries, which business he has conducted successfully until his death Friday morning at 5:45 o'clock, Dec. lst, l899, after an illness of only a few hours with cerebral hemorrhage. He had eaten heartily at the supper table the evening before, afterwards going into the sitting room, sat down and began conversing with the family, and then taking a paper began to read, tho did not read but a little until he complained of a severe pain in his head, so intense was the suffering that he excused himself and retired for the evening. About midnight he vomited, and again shortly afterwards, but with considerable effort and wretching, from which he never regained consciousness, passing quietly away as if asleep until 5:45 o'clock when he breathed his last. Medical aid, loving hands and a dutiful wife's affections did everything within their power to bring about a change for the better, but to no avail; the death angel claimed all that was immortal.

Sunday morning a large concourse of friends and relatives followed the remains in funeral procession to Davis City where the funeral services were conducted by Rev. Geo. E. Mitchell, a former Pastor, after which the remains were in charge of the Masonic Fraternity, of which order he was an ardent member, having attained the high degree of Templarian; and with their beautiful ceremonies repaired to the cemetery with the body and deposited it in mother earth to return to dust as it was.

In l89l he united with the M.E. Church at Davis City, and until a few years later when he moved away, was a consistent member, giving freely to his Pastor and for all charitable purposes and tried to lead a life which would be acceptable to his Maker. As we knew him he was kind, genial, charitable, loving and courteous to all, never indulging in any talk or deeds which did not have a tendency to morality.

He was united in marriage in l88l, at Davis City, to MISS GERTRUDE BOWMAN, who on the l8th of February, l888, fell asleep that knows no awakening here and whose remains are resting in the Cemetery at Davis City. To this union was born a girl, COZY, now l6 years of age. Again on the l7th of November, l892, he was united in marriage to MISS LUCY BARR, the accomplished daughter of MR. and MRS. C.W. BARR, of Spring Valley. By this union two sons were born, BARR and JOE, five and two years of age, respectively, who, with their mother and COZY, survive their father. The deceased leaves, besides those mentioned, an aged mother, three brothers, W.G. and JOE, of Kansas City, and JAMES KESHLEAR, of Davis City, and a sister at Pink Hill, Mo. All but the sister were present when the last sad rites were paid to the body. Thus ends the career while in the prime of life a man of usefulness enterprise and business abilities. He will be missed in the family circle, business and social circles, and also behind his counters. Mother, brothers, sister, wife, children and friends, mourn not this loss for it is his gain. Enter into the preparation of your souls to dwell in Heaven, for you, too, in a few short years at the best, may be called upon as quickly to pay the same debt and then the same spirit will return to God who gave it, to await the resurrection morn when all at the trumpet sound shall assemble around the great white throne to stand before our King. Peace to his ashes.

CARD OF THANKS.

We wish to thank our friends for their kind acts, assistance and sympathy during, and in this sad hour of our bereavement.

MRS. LUCY KESHLEAR and FAMILY,
MR. and MRS. C.W. BARR
MOTHER, SISTER and BROTHERS.

Copied by Cordelia Suzann
"With permission from the Leon Journal Reporter"
December l2, 2002