Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 193
WILLIAM FURNAS, a retired farmer and prominent citizen of Muscatine, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, on the 5th day of Febraury, 1820, and is a son of Christopher and Sarah ( Jenkins ) Furnas, who were natives of South Carolina. They were both members of the Society of Friends and died in that faith. Of their family of six children three are yet living: Louisa, wife of Elijah Dawson, of Story County, Iowa; Mary A., wife of John Hall, of Hendricks County, Ind., and William of this sketch. In 1849 Christopher Furnas removed with his family to Madison County, Ind., where his death occurred Dec. 12, 1858. His wife died in Benton County, Iowa, on the 13th day of December, 1868.

Our subject was reared upon a farm, receiving such education as the early schools of his native county afforded. In 1845 he led to the marriage altar Miss Sarah Compton, daughter of William and Susanna ( Frost ) Compton, the former a native of South Carolina, and the latter of North Carolina. To them were born four children, who are yet living: Elizabeth, wife of Jesse James, of Marion County, Ind.; Elias, who married Nancy Jenkins, and resides in Cass County, Neb.; Martha, wife of George Knisley, of Minneapolis, Minn.; and Sarah, wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Compton both died in Muscatine County, Iowa.

After his marriage Mr. Furnas removed to Marion County, Ind., where he engaged in farming for some time, and in 1867 removed to Moscow Township, Muscatine County, where he purchased a fine farm, upon which he resided until February, 1884, at which time he removed to the city. He is now living a retired life, resting after the years of toil, now spending his life in ease and comfort. Politically, he is a supporter of thr Republican party, and the first Presidential contest he took part in was in 1840, when he used his influence for William Henry Harrison, though he was not old enough to vote for him.

Mr. and Mrs. Furnas have had five children born unto them, but only one is now living: Lucinda, born July 19, 1846, became the wife of S. M. Hoskins, and died Dec. 8, 1870, leaving one child. The following verses as a tribute to her memory were written by Charles Furnas:

     Oh! can it be that thou art gone
         From earth and friends so soon ?
     A year ago I saw thy form
         With health and vigor bloom.

     A loving husband and a child
         Then had thy fondest care,
     And cheering hopes thy pathway filled
         With flowers rich and rare.

     Who, who would tho't that death should come
         To claim so dear a prize,
     And cast o'er us so deep a gloom
         And bid such griefs arise.

     Yet this is man's unyielding fate.
         Oh, 'tis a painful tho't !
     To-day we live, we act, we move,
          Tomorrow we are not.

     Farewell, dear friend, a long farewell,
          We'll hope to meet again,
     When our dust is with the dust
          And spirits whence they came.

John W., the second child, born Oct. 4, 1848, died Nov. 12, 1854; Louisa E., born July 10, 1852, is the wife of Arthur E. Stiles, of Albuquerque, N. M., and to them have been born two children, Newton and Nettie; Isaac N., born July 16, 1856, died Oct. 20, 1859, and Emsley H. born Feb. 9, 1864, died Aug 25, 1880. He was a most prominent young man, beloved by all, and to his memory the following lines were written by a friend:

     Just at the door of manhood,
          As life begins to be
     A plane of jeweled prospects
          That all desired to see;
     
     And when the doting parents
          Begin to know the joy,
     And gladden with the sayings of
          A true and faithful boy.

     And then for death to linger,
          And claim this only son,
     Calls out each latent effort
          To say, "Thy will be done."

     With ties of nature fractured
          Their grief will e'er prevail.
     Did not their soul love linger
          With his, beyond the vale?

     Though earth's hopes are all frustrated,
          And his fair form decays,
     In yon approaching future,
          Your grief will turn to praise.

     For 'tis not all of life to live,
          Nor all of death to die,
     Our treasure in Jesus surely
          We will find by and by.

Mr. and Mrs Furnas are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are universally respected throughout Muscatine County, where they have resided so many years.

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