|
Obituaries
|
|
submitted by: Julia Johnson - juliajoh@usc.edu
|
|
[Leila
Jeanette Williamson Henry] Bedford Times-Press Thursday November 14, 1974 p. 6 Last Rites Held
In So. Dak. For Leila Henry,
70 Funeral
services for Mrs. C. L. (Leila Jeanette) Henry, 70, of Martin, South Dakota, a native of Bedford,
were held November 4 at St. Katharine's Episcopal Church with Rev. Philip
Nevels in charge. Mrs.
Henry died October 31 at Gordon, Nebr., Memorial Hospital. Interment was made at Martin Community
Cemetery. She
is a sister-in-law of Hubert
and Doyle Henry of
Bedford. Leila
Jeanette Williamson was
born September 2, 1904, at Bedford, in Taylor County, Ia., a daughter
of Bruce and Lillian Williamson. She
was married February 16, 1923, at Bedford to C. [arol] L. [ee] "Pat"
Henry and they made their home here until 1930 when they
moved to Martin. Mrs. Henry
taught in rural schools in Bennett County for several years. One
son, Carol "Butch" Henry,
was born to this union, and he presently makes his home in Lakeside,
Calif. Other
survivors include six grandchildren; one sister, Gladys Van Alstine, Council Bluffs, Ia.; one brother, Max Williamson,
White Salmon, Wash. She
was preceded in death by her husband. Among
relatives here from a distance to attend rites were Mr. and Mrs.
Dale Van Alstine [Gladys],
Council Bluffs, Ia.; Hubert Henry
and Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Henry [Phyllis Thompson],
Bedford; Mr. and Mrs. David Henry [Dorothy Erickson], Sturgis; and Mr. and Mrs. Carol L. [ee] Henry,
Lakeside, Calif. Bedford
Times-Press Thursday October 21, 1965 p. 5 Clark
Thompson Service
Held Here Oct. 17 Graveside services for Clark Edwin Thompson, 77, long time Taylor county resident, were conducted
by Carl Cummings October 17, at Graceland Cemetery. Mr. Thompson died October 14, 1965, at
Benton, Arkansas. Clark Edwin Thompson, only child of Edwin Clark and Ada Evans Thompson,
was born near Bedford in Taylor County, Iowa, on Sept. 5, 1888. Clark grew to adulthood on the farm where he was
born and was active in the various community interests. On October 2, 1913, he was united in marriage to
Florence Ruby Simpson,
and to them were born three daughters and two sons. The family moved to Baxter Springs, Kansas, in 1928
where he was employed as engineer and mechanic in mining interests near
there. In 1961 he moved
to Benton, Arkansas. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife,
Florence, who passed
away in June 1957, and a son, Edwin,
and a daughter, Betty,
who died in their youth. Left to cherish memories are his daughter, Ada
May Sperberg and her husband,
Richard, of Benton, Arkansas, Pauline Kennedy and her husband, John M. of Springfield, Mass.; and a son Eugene S. Thompson
and his wife Dorothea of
Heilbronn, Germany; four grandchildren, other relatives and friends. He was a member of Taylor Lodge No. 156 A. F. &
A. M. of Bedford, Iowa. He was a kind and loving husband and father, friend
and neighbor, and will be missed by those who knew him. Mr. and Mrs. Sperberg attended the services here. Times-Republican Thursday October 17, 1918 [p. 1] James Walker
Butts A Pioneer of
Taylor County Answers Final Summons. One
by one the pioneers of this country are answering the final summons,
the last one to be called being James Walker Butts. He had not been in good
health for some time having been an almost constant sufferer from rheumatism
for the past ten years, but his relatives and friend were not prepared
for the suddenness of his death.
The remains were laid to rest at Fairview cemetery, after a funeral
service held at the late home in Bedford Tuesday afternoon, conducted
by Rev. Levi P. Goodwin of the M. E. church.
The pastor gave the following obituary: James Walker Butts, the fourth child of Joseph and Martha Butts, was born in Warren County, Ohio, February
6th, 1842, and passed away at his home in Bedford, Iowa, Sunday evening,
October 13, 1918, aged 76 years, 8 months and 7 days. He lived in Ohio until 8 years of age when the family moved to Knox
County, Ill., where he grew to manhood. In 1872 he came to Iowa and located in Taylor County, 3 miles
northeast of Bedford, where he resided one year. He then moved with his younger brother, Simeon, six and a half miles southeast of Bedford
where he broke up the prairie land and improved his farm. Here he made his home until April 1917,
when he moved to Bedford. With
the exception of four months in Florida last winter, he has made Taylor
County his home continuously for 46 years. On January 2nd, 1879, he was united in marriage with Sarah Payton. This union was blest with four daughters
and two sons, the oldest daughter, Pearl, and the oldest son, Ray, preceded their father in death. The bereaved wife and daughters, Alice
Thummel and
Ora Hughes,
and son Glenn Butts
were all at his bedside when he passed away.
The other daughter, Linnie, was unable to come from Cedar Falls, where she is attending school,
on account of illness. Besides
these sorrowing ones, he leaves to mourn his passing, one brother, Simeon
Butts, of St. Joseph, Mo., four grandsons, and a wide circle of friends
and acquaintances. Mr.
Butts was a loyal and upright citizen.
He had so long been identified with the interests of this county
and was blest with a wonderful memory, that conversation with him was
always full of interest and information.
His passing came suddenly, for altho he had been a sufferer from
rheumatism for more than ten years, his last illness was of only two
days duration, death resulting from rheumatism of the heart. Times-Republican Thursday July 18, 1918 [p.1] Pioneer of Two States
is Gone Martin V. King Died at Geneva, Neb. and Buried Here Sunday Was one of the Pioneers
of Bedford and One of the Early Sheriffs of the County—-Was Also
County Treasurer and Post Master The funeral of Martin V. King of Geneva, Neb., was held Sunday afternoon in Bedford at the home of
H. [iram] M. Long,
conducted by Rev. L. P. Goodwin of the M.E. Church. A quartette, composed
of Miss Beryl Rhoads, Guy Thompson, Jean Thompson, and Kenneth Stephens,
gave some most impressive musical selections and Guy Thompson also gave a splendid tenor solo. The interment was in Bedford cemetery
beside the remains of two children who had preceded him. Mr. King, who was affectionately known to all his old associates as
Mart, was one of the pioneers of Bedford.
Although he has made his home in Geneva, Neb., where he was also
a pioneer, for the last quarter of a century, he frequently visited
in Bedford and thus kept in touch with the folks back "home." He was born in Farmington, Iowa, January 22, 1841, and 11 years
later came to Bedford where there was nothing here but a boundary line
and perhaps a couple of wooden shacks.
He enlisted from this place in Co. F, 29th infantry,
when the Civil War opened and served about three years. Upon his return he was united in marriage with Miss [Josephine] Hoover and to them one son, Oran E. [Achilles], was born. She died in
1869 [1870]. Later he was
married to Miss [Sarah] Tude Long,
a sister of H. [enry] P. and
H. [iram] M. Long,
who still reside here, and she was his constant companion since. Upon returning from the war, Mr. King tried farming for a short time,
and in 1866 was elected sheriff of Taylor County, being known as the
"boy sheriff," he being but 22 years of age. After serving faithfully and well in this position he
was elected treasurer of the county in 1868. When U. S. Grant was elected president, he appointed Mr. King
as postmaster of Bedford, and he served in this capacity during the
Grant administration. He went to Geneva, Neb., in 1883, and his ability
soon won for him public recognition.
He owned and conducted a newspaper there for a few years and
served as postmaster during the McKinley administration.
He was appointed county judge and for several years in later
life was deputy treasurer. He
opened the first set of abstract books for Fillmore County. The subject of this sketch was held in the highest esteem by all, and
the children, especially of Geneva, were his friends. He was a member of the Methodist church since his boyhood and
was an active worker in its circles.
As a member of the G. A. R. he was especially active and was
state commander of that body for the state of Nebraska. He was also a member of the Masonic order and the O. E. S. Mr. King has not enjoyed good health for the last four or five years
and on Tuesday of last week as he was sitting in the yard with a little
grandchild at his home he fell over from an apoplectic stroke. He was taken into the house, and while
he partially regained consciousness he was never able to speak again,
passing away Wednesday evening.
H. [enry] P. and H.
[iram] M. Long replied
to the summons and went out and were with him at the time of his death
as were also most all of his children.
He leaves to mourn his death his faithful wife and two sons and
two daughters, who are Oran,
of Jackson, Calif.; Roy, of Carroll, Neb.; Mrs. Ethel Bradford of Lincoln, Neb.; Miss Caroline, a teacher in the Lincoln schools, but whose home
is in Geneva. Aside from
these he leaves numerous relatives. Those relatives attending the funeral from out of town were: Oran
King of Jackson, Cal.;
Roy King, wife and
two sons, Carroll, Neb.; Prof. and Mrs. Bradford [Ethel King], Lincoln, Neb.; Miss Caroline King, Lincoln, Neb.; George King of Athelstan; Mr. and Mrs. Al King, Mrs. Ann
Hickenlooper, Jon King
and family, Chas. King
and family, David King, Wm. Ewart
and family of Blockton and Mrs. Maude Chaney of Ames, Iowa. Times-Republican Thursday September 18, 1923
[p. 2] J. B. Townsend Dead The Times-Republican
is handed a Stevensville, Mont., paper which chronicles
the death of a former well known citizen of this place, and which contains
the following obituary which we publish, as Mr. Townsend was quite well
known in these parts, being a brother of Mrs. Matilda Herbert who resides here. Obituary Joseph
Boyer Townsend was born
in Indiana, December 25th, 1843.
In his youth he moved to Iowa where he grew to manhood. In 1861 he enlisted and joined Co. K 4th
regiment Iowa infantry. His
service was mostly in the western division of the army but he engaged
in some of the heaviest battles such as Lookout Mountain, Pea Ridge
and Vicksburg. The last battle of the Civil War in which
he participated was at Atlanta under Sherman. His time of enlistment being up, having served four years,
he was sent back to Louisville, Kentucky and received his discharge. December 10, 1865, he was married to Isabel
Bradbury. The living children of this marriage are:
Mrs. Etta Strong, Deer
Lodge, Mont.; Ira Townsend,
Alder, Mont.; Mrs. Pearl Head,
Butte, Mont.; Arthur Townsend,
Missoula, Mont.; Mrs. Nora Snyder,
Edgewood, Calif. Death
visited this home and the mother of these children was taken away December
4, 1889. He
was married to Mrs. Mary Boatman Martin, May 10, 1891. To this
union was born Mrs. Grace Hightower
of Missoula and Joseph Townsend
of Great Falls. Besides
the wife and children mentioned he leaves one brother, Mr. Henry
Townsend of Elgin, Ore., and one sister, Matilda Herbert
of Bedford, Iowa, eighteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He
moved to Montana in 1874 and located at Dillon. Twenty-five years ago the 17th day of last July
he located in the Bitter Root Valley, Mont., about three and one-half
miles northeast of Stevensville, where he finished life's course Saturday
morning, August 18th, at the very good age of 79 years, 8
months and 23 days. Early
in his married life he entered the Christian life.
He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in Stevensville. Times-Republican Thursday October 30, 1923 [p. 3] Obituary Thomas
N. Smalley, son of Geo.
W. Smalley and Sarah
S. Asher was born at Greenfield, Ohio, on March 5, 1859,
and departed this life Oct. 28, 1923, at the Maryville hospital. He was 64 years, 7 months and 18 days
of age. He
came with his parents to Taylor County in 1860. They located temporarily at Platteville, Ia. Two years later the family moved four
miles west of Platteville to their new home where they lived until the
death of his father, in 1875.
He grew to manhood in this community.
On April 19, 1885, he was united in marriage to Laura Edwards. To
this union two children were born, George T. of Haigler, Nebr., and Rena who is at home with the parents. Besides the wife and two children he leaves
to mourn his demise, one daughter-in-law, six grandchildren and one
brother, Noah W. [ilson] of Bedford who was at his bedside during his last
hours of life. Two sisters,
Sarah [Barnes] and Hettie [Widner],
preceded him in death several years ago.
Also one brother George
preceded him in death. In
1886 he with his wife moved to Rawlins County, Kansas, where they made
their home until 1898, when they moved to Oregon where they remained
for one year. In 1900,
the family moved to Hitchcock County, Nebraska, and made their home
until 1908 and then came back to Taylor County. In
1906 he united with the Church of God at Cornell, Nebr. To this faith he was sincere until death.
Just a few minutes before the Death Angel came to him, he told
his loved wife that he felt prepared to meet his Master.
The life of this good man will live on in the hearts of those
who knew him and learned to love him. The
funeral services were held Friday, Oct. 26, at 2:30 p.m., at the Christian
Church at Bedford and interment at Fairview Cemetery. |