Iowa Old Press
The Keystone Bulletin
Keystone, Benton co., Iowa
Thursday, November 29, 1917
Death Comes to Pioneer Citizen
In the death of Jacob Bender last Thursday afternoon,
Benton county has lost another of its worthy German pioneer
settlers. Mr. Bender's demise came very unexpected. For many
years he had been a sufferer from asthma, but it interfered but
little with his many activities.
A few hours previous to his death dropsy developed and this soon
brought the end. Few men on the south slope had a wider
acquaintance or was held in higher respect than the deceased, and
his long life was filled with active work. His death was like the
breaking down of a piece of worn machinery, and he passed away
conscious almost to the last and without pain or suffering.
Jacob Bender was born in Geissen, Germany, Feb. 28, 1833, and
died Nov. 22, 1917, at the age of 84 years, 8 months and 24 days.
In 1863 he first came to America, and for three years was
employed in the coal fields of Pennsylvania. Returning to the
Fatherland in 1866 he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth
Laucht, and the young couple returned to America, and after a
residence of few years in Scott county, came to Benton county and
settled on a farm four miles northeast of Keystone, where they
resided until his death.
To this union seven children were born, four of whom, a son who
died in infancy, two sons, Gus and Edward and a daughter, Mrs.
Geo. Grotewaldt having preceded the father in death; and one son,
Frank Bender, a daughter, Mrs. Geo. H. Thiessen, of Keystone and
one daughter, Mrs. Chris. Grotewaldt, of Larchwood, with the
bereaved widow remain to mourn his death.
Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon from the home,
conducted by Rev. C.H. Stauffacher of Cedar Rapids, and interment
was made in the home cemetery located on the land of the deceased
Among those who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Chris.
Grotewaldt and two children of Larchwood. Besides the near
relatives mentioned, deceased leaves seventeen grandchildren and
four great-grandchildren.
ALL AROUND TOWN
- Miss Marion Speake is eating Thanksgiving turkey at
her home in Toledo.
- Harvey Ferguson was down from Dysart for a short visit with
friends Sunday evening.
- Mrs. Wm. Offt entertained the members of the Five Hundred club
Wednesday afternoon.
- Mrs. S.S. Stoner of Iowa City was a guest a few days this week
of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Schuett and family.
- Mr. and Mrs. Herman Davis of Davenport are guests of the
latter's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Thiessen.
- F.W. Schenken went to Toronto Sunday where he participated in a
rifle shoot given by the Toronto club. Fred kindly allowed the
other boys to win some of the prizes.
- Lou Meyer of Jasper, Minn., who was here to attend the funeral
of Mrs. H.C. Peterman, and Fred Peterman of Luzerne, spent
Thursday last with the H.F. Jacobsen family.
- Dr. L.F. Woodruff of Cedar Rapids was in town in consultation
with Dr. Thomas in the case of Carl Snow who has been sick for
several weeks past and does not appear to be improving as rapidly
as desired.
- Purchasers of Ford cars from the Keystone Auto Co. are Ernst
Heckt, Ed. Smedle, John Kahler and John Crawford.
- Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Mussman expect to move into their new home
within a few days. They will have what is undoubtedly the finest
residence in Keystone.
- Miss Ruby Trumblee left Wednesday for Manchester to spend the
Thanksgiving holiday with her parents.
- Private Carl Bruger was home from Camp Dodge first of the week
for a few days visit with friends and relatives.
- F.L. Illian went to Chicago Tuesday and will purchase and drive
home a Buick truck.
ELBERON
- H.S. Johnson was a Marshalltown visitor Monday.
- Miss Alice Travestard spent Sunday with friends at Belle
Plaine.
- H.D. Rogers and family of Shellsburg, were guests at the Oris
Pryne home Sunday.
- John Jounge spent several days last week looking after his farm
near Stewartsville, Minn.
- Mrs. Joe Blazek of Marion visited her daughter, Mrs. Harold
Shugart, from Saturday until Wednesday.
- Mr. and Mrs. Claus Wamser visited at the home of their
daughter, Mrs. Mary Peters at Reinbeck Sunday.
- Mrs. John Herejk is taking care of her new granddaughter who
arrived at the Charlie Ledvina home near Belle Plaine Monday
night.
- Mr. and Mrs. John Couts of Sioux Falls, S.D. visited at the
L.L. Mason home last Thursday. They were on their way home from
the old soldiers' meeting at Vicksburg.
- Mr. and Mrs. John Antrim passed their fifty-ninth wedding
anniversary on Wednesday of last week. They enjoyed a quiet
family dinner at the home of their daughter, Mrs. N.K. Shugart.
LUZERNE
- John Nolan is in Cedar Rapids attending to business
connected with his wife's estate.
- The Barney family who have been in quarantine for the past few
weeks are out since Saturday.
IOWA NEWS SUMMARIZED FOR BUSY READERS
- While engaged in sawing wood with a buzz saw, Ed W.
Niederfrank, a man living near Greely, received an injury from a
stick thrown by coming in contact with the saw, which cost him
his life. He lived only a short time after the accident.
- Mrs. Bertha Fox of near National had the unusual experience of
catching a large gray wolf with her hands. The wolf was caught in
a wire fence. The wolf was killed and the hide will net Mrs. Fox
a neat sum.
- Gas has been stuck on the farm of George Schley near Logan and
the well is a great attraction to the people of the community.
The gas will not burn, but will put out a lighted lantern a foot
below the surface of the ground.
- The Allamakee county boys at Camp Dodge are to have a young
American eagle for a mascot. The bird was captured by a farmer
and purchased by Postmaster Medery of Waukon and he is planning
to send it to the boys at the cantonment soon.
- Wilbur, the 3 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Holmes of
Storm Lake, met death when he was caught in a corn elevator on
his father's farm and ground to pieces. Those who saw the
accident were powerless to save him from the awful death.
- A small piece of potassium cyanide was found in a plug of
chewing tobacco by Edward Waters of Atlantic recently. This
deadly poison was inserted in a small hole that had been dug in
the plug and then covered with the tin tag. The tobacco had been
purchased at Wiota.
- A blazing can of kerosene, thrown out of the door of a country
school house near Cedar Rapids by one of the pupils, struck Frank
Kerjsa, another pupil, and set fire to his clothing. He was
severely burned before the blaze could be put out and it is
thought that he cannot live.
- An aged veteran of the civil war, W.W. Adams of Elliot,
declared that he thought the people were doing too much for the
soldiers now as compared with what was done for the boys in the
sixties, and he also refused to buy Liberty bonds. Young men of
the community painted his house yellow because of his attitude.
[transcribed by S.F., March 2019]