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Fairfield Weekly Ledger
Jefferson County, Iowa
Transcribed by:  Joey Stark

Note:  Typographical errors (followed by [sic]) and spelling variations in names in this document are intentional and reflect the actual newspaper articles.   Transcriber’s notes are occasionally included and are indicated with [Ed. note:….].  Surnames shown here are in UPPER CASE for easy location; not rendered as such in the newspapers.

June 8, 1881

Fairfield Union School

At the election held by the School Board last Friday evening, the following teachers were chosen:
Room No. 10 – Miss Emma DUNLAP.
   “   No. 9 – Miss Kate BIGELOW.
   “   No. 8 – Miss Mattie SHAFFER.
   “   No. 7 – Mrs. Jennie BONAR.
   “   No. 6 – Miss Nellie McELROY.
   “   No. 5 – Miss Lizzie WEST.
   “   No. 4 – Miss Lizzie LOCKE.
   “   No. 3 – Miss Kate JONES.
   “   No. 2 – Mrs. Juliet STEVER.
   “   No. 1 – Mrs. C. H. FOWLER.

No vote was taken for the position of principal and first assistant.  There were a number of applicants for both places.  At about midnight the board adjourned until this (Wednesday) evening, at which time an effort will be made to fill both positions.

Death in Lockridge.

The death occurred in our bustling little village on Saturday, June 4th, at 6 o’clock P.M., of a most noted men [sic] of this county.  The deceased of whom I write was Jacob DUTTWEILER.  Sunday evening (May 30th,) he was taken suddenly ill with a kind of cramping in the stomach, which finally terminated in that dread disease known as Cerebro Spinal Meningitis.  This disease has prevailed to quite an extent around Lockridge and Roma, and has, with the exception of two or three malignant cases, terminated favorably.  In its mildest form it should be most dreaded, and if once attacked with it, there are many cases where the best treatment avail nothing.  I believe that is proper and right, as well as to show some respect to the deceased and his bereaved family, that a brief sketch of his life be given to the public, although the people seem prejudiced against him.  He was known by all who knew him to be honest and upright in his belief, and was a law abiding citizen, and although a serious charge was preferred against him, he honestly believed that he had a perfect right as a husband and as a father to protect his family from shame and disgrace.  Such an attack was made upon his family.  He was poor in this world’s goods, and honestly believed that he was a down trodden man solely on account of his occupation, which was in accordance with the laws of our state.

Jacob DUTTWEILER was born in Ohio, September 21st, 1838.  At the age of only 3 years he with his father emigrated [sic] to the Hawkeye state, where he remained up to the time of his death.  He was a hard working and industrious man, and the first years of his married life were spent upon the farm, but on account of poor health he had to abandon this occupation for, as he supposed, an easier one – that of keeping a beer saloon.  Here doubtless was where he made the greatest mistake in his life.  But he no doubt acted in accordance with his best judgment at that time.  He leaves a large family to mourn their loss, and will be sadly missed by them.  It should be the duty of every christian to offer consolation to the bereaved family in this their darkest hour.  His remains were interred in the cemetery at Germanville, last Sunday afternoon, followed by a large number of friends and relatives.  “Peace to his ashes.”

J. H. M.

Marriages, Births and Deaths

Births.---
May 21, in Buchanan township, to Loren CLARK and wife, a daughter.
May 17, in Buchanan township, to Morgan ROBINSON and wife a son.
May 9, in Fairfield, to Michael KRINER and wife, a daughter.
May 27, in Round Prairie township, to W. D. GILL and wife, a daughter.
May 30, in Round Prairie township, to Joshua LEE and wife, a son.
May 2, in Penn township, to Martin McNEESE and wife, a daughter.
May 6, in Polk township, to John W. MOWERY and wife, a daughter.
January 1, in Polk township, to Edward T. MOWERY and wife, a daughter.
May 15, in Fairfield, to B. H. STUMP and wife, a son.
May 27, in Penn township, to John W. COATS and wife, a daughter.
February 24, in Des Moines township, to Samuel E. SWARTZ and wife, a son.

Deaths.---
May 24, in Fairfield, of purpureal [sic] convulsions, Paulina MILLER, aged 26 years, 4 months, and 23 days.
May 16, in Fairfield, of congestion of the brain, Miss Kate B. WILLIAMS, aged 16 years, 6 months, 27 days.
May 21, in Fairfield township, of consumption, Mary E. FROST, aged 38 years, 4 months, and 6 days.

Sabbath-School Convention

The Jefferson County Sabbath-School Convention met yesterday in the First M. E. Church of this city.  A complaint is made that we did not publish the program last week.  A $75.00 advertisement doesn’t come along every week, and as we have a larger love of mammon and are more unrighteous than our critics, we trust they will throw the mantle of charity over our failing, especially as this is our first offense and we promise better next time.

The proceedings of the convention yesterday were opened with prayer by Rev. W. M. SPARR.

At 10:30 President SPARR made an excellent address on the needs of the Sunday-school work in our county and city.  This was followed by the report of the committee on convention work through its chairman, Thomas BELL.

At 11:10 committees were appointed by the president on nominations of officers, place of next meeting, auditing, &c.

At 11:30 convention work was taken up, and interesting reports and remarks were made verbally in regard to the condition of Sunday-school work throughout the several townships by J. A. IRELAND, W. H. McCRACKEN, J. D. HOWELL, James COWAN, J. A. KIRBY, T. Y. LYNCH, William HOPKIRK and Miss Eliza PICKARD.  The benediction was pronounced by Elder A. J. WHITE.

Real Estate Transfers

Reported Monday of each week by LEGGETT & McKEMEY, abstracters and real estate agents;  office over Farmers’ bank:

May 30, J. R. THOMAS and wife to Julia A. MILLSPAUGH, 20 acres in 19-71-9, $180.
May 31, Wm. ALSTON to O. CHATTERTON, 24 25-100 acres in 15-72-9, $250.
May 31, Charles HOWARD and wife to John P. and Jacob P. FARMAN, 40 acres in 24-72-8, $675.
May 31, Julia A. MILLSPAUGH and husband to Geo. W. WHITE, 20 acres in 19-71-9, $200.
June 1, Susan S. HAYES and husband to Joseph W. HAYES, und fourth int in 40 acres in sec 22 [sic], and 15 acres in sec 24, all in 72-10, $1.
June 1, John HAYES Jr., and wife to Joseph W. HAYES, und fourth in 40 acres [sic] in 22-71-10, $1.
June 1, Ruth E. WORK and husband to Joseph TRAVIS und fourth in 40 acres [sic] in 22-71-10, $300.
June 2, Arthur NEWLAND and wife to M. L. PACKWOOD 80 acres in 15-73-11, $2,080.
June 2, Ind school dist of Huston to John G. COCHRAN, 1 acre in 20-71-8, $40.
June 2, Caroline E HAYZLETT and husband to Henry HITE, part ne¼ se¼, 33-73-11, $400.
June 4, Mary A. McDONALD et al to Samuel A. CUMMINGS, 34 36-100 acres in sec 4; 20 acres in sec 7, all in 71-9, also 80 acres in 33-72-9, $500, all right title and interest.
May 31, John McCULLOCH to Thos. W. GOBBLE, part lot 2 and 5, block 1, McCulloch’s add to Abingdon, $400.
May 31, Rachel SPURLOCK and husband to John McCULLOCH, lots 3 and 6, block 6, Fleener’s add to Abingdon, $175.
June 1, Geo. KNIGHT and wife to J. W. BURNETT, lot 4, block 21, railroad add to Fairfield, $400.
June 2, Jesse BYRKIT to Kate E. BISSELL, lot 6 block 29 n p Fairfield, $1,500.
June 3, Wm. LOUDEN et al by sheriff to Ward LAMSON 2 ½ lot 2 Roberds sub division, $511.47.
June 4, Fairfield Evergreen Cem Association to Samuel A. CUMMINGS, e ½ lot 384 cemetery $25.
June 14, Trustees St. Peters Episcopal church Fairfield to Trustees Diocese of Iowa, lot 2 block 11 o p Fairfield, $1.

A Good Woman Gone.

Saturday evening, June 4th, 1881, in this city, occurred the death of Mrs. Louisa GANTZ, wife of J. S. GANTZ, after a protracted illness, the last two months having been confined to bed.  Her maiden name was Louisa SMITH.  She was born in Geauga county, Ohio, January 24th, 1841, and removed with her parents to Brookville, this state, in 1852, where her father now resides.  She was married to Mr. J. S. GANTZ in Brookville, December 1st, 1859.  She bore her husband five children – 3 boys and 2 girls, the infant son now being about four months old.  Her funeral took place at 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon, Rev. W. M. SPARR officiating, and weeping relatives and kind friends followed the corpse to its last resting place.

Mrs. GANTZ was an exemplary and christian woman.  She early became a member of the Methodist church.  As wife, mother, daughter and friend she endeared herself to all, the lovely virtues of her character shining brightly at all times.  With exemplary christian fortitude she bore her affliction with a patience that evidenced her resignation to the will of the great master.  For herself she did not care, she was ready to obey the dread summons that reaches every one; but for her dear husband and children she at times expressed great solicitude.  Her death has caused sorrow in the hearts of a bereaved husband, disconsolate children and loving friends.  She is released from trouble and is now at rest.  May their affliction be tempered with the thought that she is with the blessed in heaven.