Iowa
Old Press
The Fremont County Herald
Sidney, Fremont County, Iowa
March 6, 1908
DR. DeFREECE SUCCUMBS AFTER A HEROIC BATTLE WITH DISEASE
It is a sad mission for a newspaper to chronicle the death of an
individual. It seems doubly sad when a strong man is cut down in
the prime of life when the days of his hope and usefulness are at
their height. It is only in fulfillment of the scriptural
injunction that "It is appointed unto man once to die,"
etc. It comes to the human race no matter in what station of life
one may be called. It has entered our city and taken from us one
of our well known and highly esteemed citizens. It has removed a
former active man from the medical profession of Sidney It has
cast a gloom over our city.
Samuel O. DeFreece was born ten miles south of Rock Port,
Atchison county, Missouri, March 26, 1859, and was the son of
Moses and Sophia DeFreece. He came with his parents to Sidney
township, Fremont county, Iowa, when 7 years of age and here
passed the period of adolescence as most farmer boys do attending
district school and assisting with the chores. Later he concluded
to enter professional life and began the necessary preparation
for teaching school which work he followed about one year. His
pedagogical labors were not to his liking so he turned his
attention to the study of medicine and graduated from Saint
Joseph Medical College, Saint Joseph, Missouri, at the age of
about 24. He began to practice at Corning, Missouri, but for more
than twenty years he was located in Sidney and his practice was
extensive and he was thoroughly in love with his profession and
continued to administer to the sick and afflicted long after his
own health was badly broken.
On March 26, 1890, Mr. DeFreece was united in marriage to Miss
May Furbush, daughter of J. B. Furbush, and to them six children
were born, five of whom are living. Their names are: Austin,
Gerald, Mildred, Hobart and Lyman. He also leaves to mourn, his
parents, Moses DeFreece and wife, Sidney, Iowa; W. M. DeFreece,
Riverton, Iowa; Annie E. Wade, who is now in New Mexico; J. J.
DeFreece, Parnell, Missouri; L. R. DeFreece, Sidney, Iowa; G. T.
DeFreece Sidney, Iowa; S. A. DeFreece, Sidney, Iowa; R. E.
DeFreece, Baker City, Oregon; Pete DeFreece, Latham, Kansas,
brothers and sister of the deceased.
The failure of health began to manifest itself about three years
ago and he consulted specialists at Omaha and Kansas City and
tried the medicinal properties of Excelsior Springs, but all
availed no permanent relief. Only a few days ago he took his bed
and grew rapidly worse until the end came on Wednesday, March 4,
1908 at 10:15 a.m., from the disease known as "fatty
degeneration of the heart." At times his suffering was
great, but he stood it heroically and no one knew better than he
the result of his malady.
Deceased held many positions of trust and responsibility, namely:
member of school board of which he was president for several
years; a member of the pension board for Fremont county; coroner
of the county, and medical examiner for several life insurance
companies. He was a charter member of Juanita Lodge No. 227,
Knights of Pythias, also Sidney Camp No. 336, Modern Woodmen of
America, and under the beautiful ritualistic ceremony of these
societies all that was mortal of their brother and neighbor was
laid to rest in our silent city of the dead.
The funeral services were held from the home this Friday at 2:30
p.m. by Dr. E. Dickinson and Rev. C. A. Marshall of the
Presbyterian church. The choir being composed of members of the
different choirs. The school board met Wednesday evening and
drafted appropriate resolutions out of respect for his valuable
work for education. The floral offerings were quite profuse and
of special designs. Many kindly words are spoken of which each
and all are tokens of esteem and a flower to his memory.
[transcribed by W.F., August 2009]
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FREMONT COUNTY SUN
Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa
March 6, 1908
SARAH JANE YOWELL
Was born in East Virginia on the 14th of July 1847. She died on
the 2nd of March 1908, aged 60 years 7 months and 18 days. In the
month of September 1866, being then 19 years old, she was married
to Mr. Daniel P. Smith and with her husband moved to Fremont
county, Iowa, 35 years ago. She was the mother of eleven
children, six boys and five girls. Of these, one boy and one girl
preceded her into the shadowy land.
On the 9th of March, 1894, her husband passed away. For almost
five years she remained a widow, being married again on the 2nd
day of December 1899 to Mr. C. P. Thompson with whom she was
living at the time of her death. Besides Mr. Thompson, nine of
her children by her first husband, all of whom but two are
married, and three step-sons are left to mourn her loss. Mrs.
Thompson died of goitre of the neck, having suffered therewith
for about 32 years.
In early life she gave her heart to the Savior, being baptized
into the Wesleyan Methodist church, but in the year 1885 in a
meeting held at Liberty she united with the Christian church and
subsequently moving to Riverton, took membership with the church
at that place. Her end was peace. The funeral took place from the
Riverton Christian church on Tuesday afternoon, the 3rd instant,
the pastor, Eld. H. A. Pallister, assisted by Rev. Fred Harris,
of the M. E. church, conducting the services.
[transcribed by W.F., June 2006]