Iowa
Old Press
THE FREMONT COUNTY HERALD
Sidney, Fremont co. Iowa
December 27, 1917
Ruse - Irwin
A pretty wedding occurred Wednesday evening, December 19, at 8:30
o'clock, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Ruse southwest of
Tabor, when their daughter Belva, was united in marriage to Mr.
Wallace Irwin of Sheridan, Wyoming. The ceremony was performed by
Elder B. F.Eichelberger and was witnessed by about 35 relatives
and friends. Mendelssohn's wedding march was played. The bride's
dress was white crepe de chine. The decorations were in white.
Folowing the ceremony a one- course luncheon was served. Mrs.
Wesley Ruse and Miss Essie Ruse assisitng with the serving.
Mrs. and Mrs.Irwin will make their home on his ranch near
Sheridan, Wyoming. Congratulations are extended to them.--Tabor
Beacon
Christmas Was A Wedding Day
Miss Jessica Hume and G. Maynard Benson Were United in Holy Bonds
Tuesday, December 25, at high noon, G. Maynard Benson and Miss
Jessica Hume were joined together in the bonds of matrimony, and
from this time on will multiply the blessings of life by sharing
them one with the other. The wedding took place in the beautiful
home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. B. Hume, who reside
near Knox. The home was beautifully decorated in honor of the
happy event. Christmas green and holly prevailed everywhere. Cut
flowers added their bright colors and sweet fragrance. As the
clock struck the hour of 12, the contracting parties took their
respective places under a bower of Christmas green, facing the
officiating clergyman, Rev. Raoul M. Moser, pastor of the
Methodist church in Sidney, who using the ring ceremony,
pronounced them, man and wife. Only the immediate relatives of
the two families were present. Following congratulations, all
present repaired to the dining room where they partook of a
sumptuous wedding and Christmas dinner. After dinner, a most
happy social hour was enjoyed by all, until the newlyweds
departed for Percival, where they took a train for a honeymoon
trip in parts they did not make known; neither did they make
known when they expected to return. They, however, expressed
themselves as expecting to make their home in Fremont county. The
bride, as already stated, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O.
B.Hume. She has been teaching in the public schools at Anderson,
Iowa, and now gives up her position to become one of Iowa's home
builders. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Benson. He
is one of the capable and energetic young farmers of the
community and faces the future promising a good account of his
stewardship. May their labors and endeavors in life be richly
blessed, and may their journey through life be happy and
posperous.
DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT OF SIDNEY
John W. Searles Passed Away on Sunday at the age of Nearly 79
years
John W. Searles died at the residence of Mac Young in Sidney on
Sunday, December 23, 1917, aged 78 years 10 months and 3 days.
The funeral services were held on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., from
the Baptist church, conducted by Rev. J. P. Thomas, the pastor.
The interment was in the Sidney cemetery by the side of the grave
of his wife, the services there being conducted by members of
Nishnabotany Lodge No. 153. A. F. & M., of Sidney, of which
the deceased was a long time member. The funeral was largely
attended by the people of Sidney and vicinity and the floral
tributes were beautiful and numerous. John William Searles was
born in Clark county, Ohio, February 20, 1839, being the son of
George Searles, who was born in Ohio in 1818. John W. Searles
spent the first 14 years of his life in Ohio. His educational
privileges were limited, being confined to the country schools,
he being the son of a farmer. He remained at home until he
attained his majority after which he was married October 31, 1861
at Winterset, Iowa to Miss Martha Jane Cooper. Mr. and Mrs.
Searles resided in Fairfield, Iowa until 1864, he being employed
in a grain elevator. They then moved to Burlington, Iowa, where
he began working for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railway
company as a brakeman, but within a year he was promoted to the
position of conductor of an accommodation train running from
Burlington to Ottumwa. In 1869 the road was extended to Council
Bluffs, and Mr. Seales took one of the heavy passenger trains
across the state, continuing on that run until 1877. For a year
and a half after that he was engaged in no active business, and
on the first of October 1879, he ran the first train on the
Burlington branch out of Sidney, and for 27 years was conductor
of the daily train from Sidney to Carson, retiring from that
position in 1906. No higher testimonial of faithful service could
be given than the fact of his long retention in that position. He
was always a courteous and obliging official and won a host of
friends among the patrons along the line. To Mr. and Mrs. Searles
were born three children: Charles M. of Brooklyn, New York; Grace
M., now Mrs. Webster of Eldora, Iowa; and Harry P., who resides
in Colorado. In 1906, Mr. and Mrs. Searles moved from Sidney to
Fairfield, Iowa, where they resided for seven years, returning to
Sidney in 1913. Mrs. Searles passed away two years later, and
since then Uncle John, as he was familiarly known, has had no
fixed place of residence. For awhile he lived with his sister,
Mrs. Snider, in Chicago, then lived for a while with his daughter
at Eldora. Last fall, he returned to Sidney and made this home
with Mrs. Williams east of the court house, and a couple of weeks
ago went to live with the family of Mac Young, where he died.
Since the death of his wife, he has failed rapidly in health, and
was partially paralyzed, being a great care to those with whom he
lived, but seemed to be more contented at his old home in Sidney
than elsewhere.
[transcribed by W.F., May 2006]