Obituaries
submitted by: Julia Johnson - julia.johnson63@gmail.com

[Jimmie Osburn]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    August 31, 1899    [p. 8]

Has Joined the Angels

Died, at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Osborn [sic] [Osburn] [Anna Linard Miles], in Benton Township, August 19, 1899, little Jimmie [James E.] Osburn, aged 6 years, 8 months and 19 days.

Little Jimmie had entwined himself very closely about the hearts of the home circle.  His parents were looking forward to his manhood with a feeling of pride, but God, who doeth all things well, took this unfolding bud to bloom in fairer climes.

How hard it always is for us to say the will of the Lord be done, but when we reflect that these chastisements are from a loving heavenly Father, we bow submissively.  The cup of sorrow pressed to the lips of this afflicted family has been drained almost to the dregs, still they sorrow not as those without hope.  As we stood by his bedside and felt that death was silently but surely doing his work, and saw the sweet spirit of resignation amidst his suffering, and the apparent joy that beamed from his calm sweet face, we knew that in the crucible of suffering his soul was fitted for a more beautiful home beyond.

He is not dead, the child of our affection,

But gone unto that school

Where he no longer needs our protection,

And Christ himself doth rule.

Not as a child shall we again behold

            Him,

For when, with raptures wild,

In our embrace we again enfold him,

He will not be a child.

But a fair angel in his Father's mansion,

Clothed with celestial grace,

And beautiful with the soul's expression,

Shall we behold his face.

                        ----Maggie Bubb.

[Osburn, James E. "Jimmie"]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday   August 24, 1899    [p. 1]

Of Such is the Kingdom.

Died, at the home of his parents three miles north west of Bedford, Saturday, August 19, at 11 a. m. James, the little seven-year-old son of Wm. Osborn [Osburn] and wife [Anna Linard Miles], of brain fever. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Griffith. 

Interment took place in Fairview cemetery. The sympathy of all pass out to the bereaved parents.

[Benjamin S. Sanborn]

Times-Republican

Thursday    July 3, 1919    [p. 1]

B. S. Sanborn Dead

Father of Mrs. R. W. Thompson Passes Away in New York.

Word was received here Sunday that B. [enjamin] S. Sanborn, the father of Mrs. R. [alph] W. Thompson [Elizabeth Delight Sanborn], had passed away Saturday evening [June 28th] at 8 o'clock at his home in Brooklyn, N. Y.  He was about 73 years of age.  Services were held at the home and the body was brought to his old home, Chicago, for interment there in the Rose Hill Cemetery.  Mrs. Thompson was with him at the time of his death, being called there a few weeks ago by his severe illness.

[Mary Elizabeth Kemery Long]

Bedford Free Press

Wednesday    March 6, 1918   [p. 1]

Mrs. Wm. Long Dead.

Mrs. H. [iram] M. Long [Mary Mattice] and W. [illiam] H. Kemery went to Omaha Tuesday, called by the death of Mrs. William Long [Mary Elizabeth Kemery].  The body will be brought to Bedford for burial.  No other arrangements have been made at the time of this writing.

[LONG, MARY ELIZABETH KEMERY]
Bedford Times-Republican (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, March 14, 1918
Mrs. Mary Long – Mary E. [lizabeth] Kemery was born Nov. 27, 1850, at Farmington, Iowa, and died at Omaha, Nebraska, March 4, 1918, at the age of sixty-seven years, three months and 27 days.
In early childhood she moved with her parents to Taylor county, where they settled on a farm in Jackson township. January 26, 1871, she was united in marriage to William G. [illett] Long. To this union was born six children, of whom two, Arthur and Francis, died in infancy. On June 1, 1910, her husband passed away. The surviving children, all of whom were present at the funeral, were Mrs. Irene Mason, Chadron, Neb., Warren E. Long, Wichita, Kan., Guy W. Long and Evelyn H. Long of Omaha, Neb. She is also survived by the following brothers and sisters: Charles L. Kemery, Henry Kemery, and Anna Kemery of Bedford; John Kemery of Chadron, Neb., Rosa Kemery and Vivandra Kemery of Bedford, and Mrs. Effie Goff of Chadron, Neb., and by the following grandchildren: Hazel Mason and LaMonte Mason of Chadron, Neb., and Charles L. Mason of Deming, New Mexico.
The first two years of her married life were spent in Bedford, after which time they moved to San Francisco, Cal. Here they lived for six years, moving from there to Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1882 they returned to Bedford and resided here until 1885, when they went to Chadron, Nebr. In 1900 they moved to Omaha, Nebr. where Mrs. Long has since resided.
Soon after her marriage together with her husband, she united with the M. E. church, of which she has been a faithful member. A large circle of friends and relatives join in extending their sincere sympathy to those bereaved.
The funeral services were held from the home of H. M. Long in charge of L. P. Goodwin. Burial was made in the Bedford cemetery.

 

[Martin V. King]

Bedford Free Press

Wednesday    July 17, 1918    [p. 1]

King Funeral Held Sunday

Old Pioneer Died July 10 At Home In Geneva, Nebr.

Former Postmaster of Bedford----Also Known As the "Boy Sheriff"----Two Terms County Treasurer----Interment In Bedford Cemetery

Mart King, pioneer of Taylor County and well known to the old residents of Bedford, died at his home in Geneva, Nebr., Wednesday, Jul 10.  His body was brought to Bedford Saturday and the funeral services held from the home of H. [iram] M. Long Sunday afternoon conducted by the Rev. L. P. Goodwin of the Methodist Church.  Interment was made in the Bedford cemetery.  While holding the office of sheriff in Taylor County he was known as the "boy sheriff."

Martin V. King was born in Farmington, Iowa, January 1, 1844 and departed this life at Geneva, Nebr., July 10, 1918.

He came to Taylor County in 1855.  At the age of 18 years he enlisted in Co. F of the 29th Iowa and was in active service three years.  In 1879 he was detailed by the Department of Iowa G. A. R. to act as escort to General U. S. Grant on his tour thru the state, after his trip around the world.  He also served as postmaster at Bedford during the two terms of the administration of President Grant.  At the age of 22 years, he was elected sheriff of Taylor County and was called the "boy sheriff."  At a later period he was elected treasurer of the county.

In 1883 he removed to Geneva, Nebraska, where he established a real estate office, abstracting the first books of Fillmore County.  For a period of several years, he was editor of the Fillmore County Republican.  He served as postmaster of Geneva under William McKinley.  After the relinquishment of his duties as postmaster, he served several years as deputy county treasurer.  Afterward he was appointed to the office of County Judge by the Board of Supervisors.  His knowledge of law, obtained while a young man during his residence in Iowa, enabled him to fill the position of County Judge in a creditable manner.  In 1912 he was commander of the G. A. R. Department of Nebraska.

From early manhood he was a member of the Methodist Church.  He was also a member of Wilson Post No. 22, of the G. A. R. at Geneva and of the Masonic Order and the Eastern Star.

He is survived by his wife [Sarah "Tude" Long] and four children:  Oran, of Jackson, California; Roy, of Carroll, Nebraska; Mrs. Ethel Bradford of Lincoln and Carrie King of Geneva, Nebraska.

The funeral services were held from the home in Geneva and the body brought to Bedford where services were held at the home of H. [iram] M. Long and interment made in the Bedford Cemetery.

[KING, MARTIN VAN BUREN]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Wednesday, July 17, 1918
H. P. Long went to Geneva, Nebr., Tuesday of last week, called there by the illness of Martin King. He accompanied the body and Mrs. Martin King and daughter to Bedford Saturday.

[William Roberts]  [A. E. McKay]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    August 16, 1923    [p. 1]

Two Funerals At Gravity Tuesday

The body of William Roberts was brought in on the noon train Tuesday from St. Joseph where he had died Sunday at the home of his son-in-law, Elmer Shaw.  He was an old soldier and many of his comrades of Gravity and vicinity were in the large delegation that met the train here Tuesday.  He died in St. Joe after a prolonged illness from paralysis at the home of his daughter where he had been living for several months but Gravity had been his home for years.  The body was taken there for burial that afternoon.

Another funeral at Gravity the same afternoon was that of A. E. McKay who had died Sunday in the hospital at Iowa City.  He had gone there from his home in Gravity for treatment.

[MCKAY, ALBERT EUGENE]
Bedford Times-Republican (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, August 16, 1923
The body of A. E. McKay was received at his home in Gravity Tuesday. Mr. McKay is well known throughout the county. He died in the hospital at Iowa City on Sunday.

[MCKAY, ALBERT EUGENE]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, August 23, 1923
CONWAY – Mr. and Mrs. McKay and family went to Gravity Wednesday to attend the funeral of Mr. McKay's father who passed away at Iowa City recently.

[Sarah Asher Smalley]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    May 11, 1905    [p. 1]

Death of Mrs. Smalley.

Died, at her home in Bedford, Sunday, May 7, 1905, at 2 o'clock p.m., Mrs. Sarah S. Smalley, aged 76 years, 2 months, 18 days.

Mrs. Sarah S. Smalley, whose maiden name was Asher, was born February 19, 1829, in Ross County, Ohio.  She was married to Geo. W. Smalley in the same county, October 22, 1857.  In the spring of 1860 they moved to Taylor County, Iowa, settling first at Platteville and removing a little later to the farm in the vicinity, which was her home for so many years.  Here they resided when her husband died June 23, 1875.  Here Mrs. Smalley continued to reside until about ten years since, when she removed to Bedford, living here until the time of her death.

To Mr. and Mrs. Smalley were born five children, three sons and two daughters, the youngest of the former dying in infancy, and the latter after she had grown to womanhood.  Early in life she made a profession of religion and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was a member of that church in Bedford at the time of her death.  While unable, because of failing health, to attend frequently the public services of the church, she yet maintained an increasing interest in religious matters and has, especially of late, spoken of her hope in God.  For nearly two years she has been an invalid, yet has recently been in her usual health until the day before her death.  We believe the hope she cherished for so many years of a happy immortality, she has already begun to realize.

A brief service was held at her late residence Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. by her pastor, Rev. W. B. Thompson, who also preached the funeral sermon at Platteville cemetery.

[SMALLEY, SARAH SARAFINA ASHER]
Bedford Times-Republican (Bedford, Iowa), Tuesday, May 9, 1905
Death Comes Suddenly
Mrs. Sarah S. Smalley died at her home in Bedford at 1:45 p. m. Sunday, May 7, after an illness of only a few hours, of cerebral hemorrhage, age 76 years, 2 months and 18 days.
Sarah S. [arafina] Asher was born in Ross county, Ohio, on February 19, 1829 and there she spent the early days of her life. In 1858 she was united in marriage to George W. Smalley and two years later with her husband she moved to Iowa, settling in Taylor county, where she ever afterwards made her home. For two years deceased and her husband lived in Platteville; from there they moved to Jackson township where in 1875 her husband and companion was called to the great beyond.
Ten years ago Mrs. Smalley moved to Bedford and has since made this her home.
During their married life five children came to bless their home and three still remain to mourn their loss. Those living are: N. Smalley, of Cornell, Neb.; N. [oah] W. Smalley from near Blockton, and Mrs. L. C. Widner, who resides a few miles south of the city.
At an early age Mrs. Smalley united with the M. E. church and ever since has remained a member of that church.
The funeral will be held Wednesday, conducted by Rev. Thompson. There will be short services at the house at 9:30 a. m. At ten o'clock the funeral cortege will leave for Platteville, where services will be held at 2 p. m. Interment at Platteville cemetery.