Iowa Old Press

The Ruthven Free Press
Ruthven, Palo Alto, Iowa
Wednesday, April 12, 1939

A.M. WILLIAMSON DIED LAST SUNDAY
Pioneer Settler Passes Away at Age of 84 Years;
Came to Ruthven in 1884

     A.M. Williamson, a resident of this vicinity for 62 years, passed away Easter Sunday at about 10:30 in the forenoon and funeral services were held at the Methodist church in Ruthven this Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock with Rev. Belden Weikel officiating.
    The text of the funeral sermon was taken from Isaiah 32:2 Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Capener and Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Johnson sang "What a Friend we Have in Jesus," "O Happy Day" and "Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me," with Mrs. A.L. Bragg at the piano.
    Honorary pallbearers were E.J. Brown, P.J. Johnson, Gilbert Olson, Dick Jackson, Albert Hermansen and Grant Rice. The active pallbearers were Ray Garnett, Merle Hanson, Dewey Olson, Ted Hermansen, Henry Crookshank, and Harold Hynes.
    Alburn Marion Williamson, son of Stephen Allen and Lucinda Ellen Dowd Williamson, was born at Steamboat Rock, in eastern Hardin county, Iowa, December 5, 1854, and passed away at his farm home northeast of Ruthven, Iowa, April 9, 1939, at the age of 84 years, 4 months, and 4 days. He had been in failing health for several years.
    He was converted and baptized in the Baptist church at the age of 11 years and he lived a strict and sincere Christian life. He was energetic and ambitious and also a talented musician and could play several musical instruments.
    On December 25, 1877, he was united in marriage to Lucinda Ellen Rice. Their marriage took place at her father's home south of Iowa Falls, with a Baptist minister, Elder Fay, performing the marriage ceremony. Five children were born to his union. One daughter, Ethel Pearl, died in 1889 at the age of 13 1/2 months and one son, Harrison Vernon, died in 1894 at the age of 13 months.
    Mr. and Mrs. Williamson spent the first year of their married life at the home of his parents where he helped with the farm work. Then they moved to a farm about a mile from her father's place near Iowa Falls. Later they moved to another farm where they lived for three years. In the meantime, her folks had moved to Ruthven, Iowa.
    The following brief history of the deceased in this community is best told by the following paragraphs taken from a pioneer day story written by Mr. Williamson and published in the Free Press some years ago:
    "On December 25, 1877, my wife and I were married in Hardin county, Iowa, and we came to this county in the spring of 1884. We arrived at Emmetsburg at about 10 o'clock on the night of March 27th. My wife's father, H.H. Rice, was there to meet us with a team and sled, and we arrived at his place at about 2 o'clock in the morning. It was very cold,  the thermometer registering about 15 degrees below zero.
    "My father-in-law lived on the west side of the road, across from what is known as the old Tom Jackson farm, and we moved onto the Jim Freeman farm, on the east side of Lost Island lake, where the state park is now located, and we lived there for seven years. I bought eighty acres across the road where the school house stood and I began improving this land while working the Freeman place.
    "In 1891 we moved to a farm eight miles north, where we lived one year, then we moved on to our farm where we are still living today."
    Mr. Williamson set out the grove and built the buildings on their farm northeast of Ruthven where they moved in 1892 and lived there for the remainder of their lives. They moved onto this place with their expectations of living there until death called them, and their wishes were fulfilled. Their later years in life were filled with a contentment which was well earned.
    Mr. and Mrs. Williamson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 25, 1927, and their 60th wedding anniversary was celebrated on December 25, 1937. Three months and six days later, March 31, 1938, this happy union was broken by the death of Mrs. Williamson.
    He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Leona Holcomb of Duluth, Minn., and Mrs. Roena McCullah and Mrs. Lewis Larson of Ruthven; one brothers, John Williamson and one sister, Miss Clara Williamson, both of Eldora, Ia. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. Brothers and sisters who preceded him in death are Will, Phillip, Sherman, Mrs. Ellen Heard, Mrs. Adeline Lepley and Mrs. Laura Taylor.
    Mr. Williamson represented the type of early Iowa pioneer who went through the hardships of early days on the prairies and survived those trying times with a wealth of experience. He endured the privations of the prairie pioneers and found happiness and contentment when the storms were over. He lived a long and useful life and then enjoyed the fruits of his labors.
    Burial took place in Highland township cemetery northeast of Ruthven.
    The Lightle Funeral Home of Ruthven had charge of the funeral arrangements.

BRIEF NEWS ITEMS OF THE PAST WEEK.

- John Brook of Rock Valley was killed Saturday afternoon when a cornstalk cutter he was operating passed over him.
- Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Martin of Sioux City, celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary last Sunday,  the first time since it has fallen on Easter since they were married at Walker, Iowa, on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1882.

A FORMER SLAVE DIES IN IOWA
     Henry Thomas Smith, 87-year-old negro who ran away from slavery as a lad of 11 years to become a messenger boy for the Union army during the Civil war, died at Waterloo, Iowa, on Tuesday of last week.

BAKERY IS CLOSED
MANAGER LEAVES
    The Ruthven bakery closed last week after being in operation since last December. Fred Goerner, who had charge of the place, left for his former home at Albert City. For a time, he seemed to have a thriving business here.

FINED $600 ON LIQUOR CHARGES
     Harry Zahren, living near Spirit Lake, was fined $600 and costs for having alcohol and whiskey in his possession illegally.

LARSON AND COOK GARAGE IS SOLD
    S.A. Hovey and M.L. Myers have purchased the Larson & Cook garage in Ruthven and took possession this Wednesday morning. The new firm will handle automobile repairs and accessories, oils, gasoline and do car washing and greasing.
    The new proprietors will also sell Plymouth automobiles.

INTERESTING NEWS IN NEARBY  TOWNS

- Milton Sanders of Milford, Ia., has signed as a pitcher for a Joplin, Mo., baseball team.
- Norman Norland, superintendent of the Laurens high school for twelve years, has resigned to take up other work.
- Louis Peterson, telegraph operator at the Rock Island railroad station at Emmetsburg since 1910, retired last Saturday after 51 years service with the Rock Island railroad.
- Marlys Hoobler, 9-year-old daughter of Glenn Hoobler of Emmetsburg, was struck by an automobile last Wednesday while crossing a street. She suffered a broken leg.
- A moving picture theatre will open at Ayrshire this month.
- William Blom has been appointed marshal at Graettinger to succeed William Sparks.
- John P. Ryan, 63, oldest son of Edward Ryan, Emmetsburg's only remaining Civil war veteran, died suddenly recently in Utah where he was a freight train conductor.

FUNERAL SERVICES FOR I. WILLIAMSON
Passed Away on Thursday Night of Last Week; Funeral Held Saturday Afternoon.

    Ire Williamson died very suddenly at his home in Ruthven last Thursday night as he returned home from his work at an oil station. He had been ailing with heart trouble since he was about ten years of age, and this was the cause of his death.
     Funeral services were held at the Zion Lutheran church last Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock with Rev. T.G. Wicks officiating. The pastor used as the text of the funeral sermon: Psalm 102:23. "He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days."
     Osmund Newgard sang "Beautiful Savior," and a quartette composed of Miss Margaret Maaland, Mrs. T.G. Wicks, Osmund Newgard and Arthur Simonson, sang "Lead Kindly Light" "No Night There", and "Beneath the Cross of Jesus."
     The pallbearers were Harry Olson, Eldon Hanna, Melvin Mathiesen, Barney Alderson, Bernard Nolan and Lester Smith.
    Burial took place in Crown Hill cemetery where the mixed quartette sang "Abide With Me."
    Ire Clarence Williamson, youngest son of William and Sadie Williamson, was born at Ruthven, Iowa, January 9, 1913, and passed away on April 6, 1939. His early life was spent on a farm near Ruthven. When he was about ten years of age, he was taken seriously ill with inflammatory rheumatism and he suffered from the effects of this illness for the remainder of his life.
    About eleven years ago, following the death of his mother, the family moved to Ruthven where the deceased has been employed at different business places. At the time of his death he was manager of an oil station at the south side of town.
    He was confirmed in the adult confirmation class at the Zion Lutheran church on May 16, 1937.
    Surviving are his father, W.O. Williamson, three brothers, Henry and Walter of Ruthven and Arthur of Spencer and two sisters, Selma Williamson of Ruthven and Mrs. Olive Zimmer of Minneapolis, Minnesota. His mother and one brother, Leon, preceded him in death.
    The Lightle Funeral Home of Ruthven had charge of funeral arrangments.

WEST LOST ISLAND

- Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Sherman of Lake Center left for their new home Monday. They moved to St. Ansgar, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Dirkson, of Spencer are the new owners of the service station at Lake Center.

RUTHVEN AND VICINITY

- City water and sewer connections have been put in at the R.H. Hynes residence.
- Mrs. Leo Cox of Des Moines visited here with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Reed, last week.
- Miss Beatrice Ruthven, who is teaching at Virginia, Minn., visited at her home here the latter part of last week.
- A miscellaneous shower was held at the Willard Reed home last Wednesday afternoon in honor of Mrs. Russell Reed, a bride of this month. A lunch was served and Mrs. Reed received a number of nice gifts.
- Alfred Rasmussen, local attorney, moved to Spencer last week and has rented an office in the Hurd real estate building. This location will offer him a larger field for legal work.
- The Lightle ambulance was called to Sioux City last week to take Miss Darlene Cottington to her home at Ayrshire. Miss Cottington, who is a student at Morningside college, recently underwent an operation for appendicitis.
- Mrs. L.A. Ryder and her daughter, Mrs. Emory Goff, entertained Mr. and Mrs. C. Wink and sons of Dolliver, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Christoffer and Mrs. Christoffer, Sr., at an Easter Sunday dinner.
- Mr. and Mrs. John H. Green, of Sheldon, will celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary on April 16th.

Submitted by: C.J.L., January 2007