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Obituaries
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submitted by: Julia Johnson - juliajoh@usc.edu
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Bedford Free
Press Thursday January 5, 1911 p. 4 Passing of W.
G. Sharp. The
many friends of William G. Sharp
throughout the county will be pained to learn of his death, which occurred
at his home in Blockton, Sunday, January 1, 1911. Mr. Sharp has been in poor health for some time but has been
able to attend to his duties as member of the board of supervisors,
of which he was also chairman.
His term of office expired this year, on January 3, and his life
passed away at its completion.
Mr. Sharp is one of the staunch men of the county, whose record
and life is unblemished by an unworthy act.
He was held in the highest esteem by all and every one who knew
him was his friend and will feel a personal loss in his death.
He retired from the activities of farm life in the spring of
1909, and moved to Blockton. Mr.
Sharp was born in Shelby County, Indiana, April 25, 1849. When eleven years of age he accompanied
[his] parents to Mercer County, Illinois.
There he spent a greater part of his life before moving to Taylor
County. While living there he was united in marriage
to Miss Maria Nelson,
on November 10, 1872. In
1877 he moved to Taylor County and purchased a farm in Gay Township. Mr.
and Mrs. Sharp have been blessed with nine children, five sons and four
daughters. They are Warren
F., John C., Arthur, Claude,
all living in this county, and Walter,
who died when a small boy; Mrs. Nellie Ledgerwood, Mrs. Cora Livingston, and Misses Addie and Zelda, all living in this county. The
deceased was a member of the M. E. church and also of the K. P. lodge. To
the bereaved wife and children, the sympathy of all is extended. Bedford Free
Press Thursday September 29, 1910 [p. 1] C. O. Dresher Is Dead Passes Away After
Hard Struggle A Beautiful Eulogy
And Obituary Delivered By His Pastor S. E. Henry After
severe suffering of several weeks Charles Oscar Dresher passed away Friday, Sept. 23. The funeral was held from the Presbyterian
church Sunday afternoon, conducted by his pastor, Rev. S. E. Henry,
assisted by Rev. Fred N. Willis.
The burial was at Fairview cemetery, where the I. O. O. F. had
charge of the services. Rev. Henry delivered
the following obituary of the deceased, which finds a response in the
hearts of all: Pastor's
Tribute. The tribute read
at the funeral by Mr. Henry is herewith given: Charles
Oscar Dresher was born
in Taylor County, Iowa, May 7, 1862; and died Sept. 23, 1910. In
this county he grew up to manhood, and here he expended the energies
of his manly strength. Here
his life was lived, and his character formed, and his influence felt. Here his friendships were formed and his
home built. All over the
county he has been known and respected as a man of sterling worth. On
Christmas day, 1887, he was married to Miss Jennie Aiton. Of
that union two sons were born, William Paul and Oscar Aiton. His
home life was a happy one. He
loved his home, and he found his truest joy and his abiding pleasure
there. He loved his children
with a true fatherly affection; and the love with which he wooed and
won his wife never waned. He
was a kind but wise father, and a devoted husband. Early
in his life he became a follower of Christ and became a member of the
Presbyterian Church. He
believed that the religion of Jesus Christ is an essential thing in
human life, and was always interested in extending its blessing to others. For several years he has been an official
member of the Bedford Presbyterian Church, serving on its board of deacons.
As an officer of the church he was faithful and efficient.
He was never too busy with his private affairs to forget or neglect
the claims of the church upon him.
Next to his home he loved his church, and both as a deacon and
an usher served it faithfully and joyfully. As
a citizen he was interested in every thing that affected the civic life
of town, state, and nation. He
loved the town in which his home was planted and always sought the things
which would make for its good.
He was proud of the state of his nativity, and always rejoiced
in its prosperity. He gloried in the fact that he was an
American citizen, and his heart throbbed in loyal patriotism for his
country. As a citizen he
sought the highest welfare of his town and state and nation rather than
the mere domination of the party with which he affiliated. Mr.
Dresher believed in the brotherhood of man, and felt that men should
be bound together in fraternal organizations for benevolent and philanthropic
purposes. For this reason
he became a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge and of the Woodmen of the
World and remained in good standing therein until the time of his death. The
characteristics of Mr. Dresher's life were those of a quiet, unassuming,
honest, straightforward Christian gentleman. All his business life was spent here in this town and county.
As a businessman he was alert, active, energetic, persevering,
and successful. He was not a slave to business, but made
his business minister to his higher life. He was a genial, warm-hearted man who made friends readily
and retained them easily. His
friends were a multitude, his enemies few. He was a man of high ideals and clean life; a man of fine character
and clean career, a man of strong convictions and pure aspirations. Until
a few months ago Mr. Dresher seemed to be in perfect health, strong
of body, a powerful physique.
Then disease showed itself.
Perhaps for some time, possibly for some years, a cancer unseen
and unknown, had been forming and growing in his stomach.
When it began to affect him he did not dream of its seriousness. For a few weeks his health declined.
When he consulted a physician he was told of the seriousness
of his condition. Then a specialist was called into counsel
and a surgical operation was advised as the only possible hope of recovery.
It was a stunning blow to a man in the midst of life to be told
that he was in the clutches of a disease for which medical science knows
no cure save that of surgery. He knew the probabilities were against
his recovery. So he set
his house in order, arranged his business affairs; prepared himself
either for death or life as the event might prove.
He loved life. To
him it held more of happiness than of sorrow, more of pleasure than
of pain. He desired life if that might be had at
any cost. But he was not
afraid of death, did not recoil at the thought of death. He desired to live for the sake of others. The bonds of love bound him strongly to
his wife and children, to his father and mother, to his brothers and
sisters, to his friends and relatives.
The thought of being taken from them was hard to endure. He was a man of deep feelings and tender affections, and these
things bound him strongly to the life that now is. So he left nothing undone that could be
done to remove the disease that was threatening his life. It
is a brave man who in the midst of his days can face death with a smile
on his face. Yet in that
spirit he went into the operating room.
He felt that he was ready, whatever awaited him; ready for life
and all it held for him if that might be; ready for death and all it
meant if that must be; ready to come back and do the work of a man among
his fellow men if that were possible; ready to go and stand before God
and give an account of his stewardship if that were required. So with
a firm step, and a brave heart, and a calm smile he went to the table
that would either restore him to life and health or seal his doom for
death. It was a Christian
fortitude which bore him up at that trying time. He knew that he was in the hands of a loving God, who cared
for him as a father cares for his child, and who would cause all things
to work together for good to him, because his trust was in Him. The Christian faith and the Christian
hope bore him up, and he felt underneath him the everlasting arms. But
even the surgeon's knife could not arrest the ravages of the disease
that was preying upon him; and so he awoke from the surgeon's table
a doomed man. Soon he must have begun to suspect that
the work of the surgeon was in vain.
Finally he came to realize that a few weeks at most of life on
earth remained to him. The
bravery of the man then appeared in all its strength; the Christian
faith of the man then shown out in all its glory.
He was not frightened because death awaited him.
He did not murmur because he was destined to be stricken down
in the midst of his years. He
desired life as much as ever, the thought of separation was as bitter
to him as ever, but bravely, calmly, and trustfully he faced the inevitable. For nearly three months he lay upon his
back and looked death in the face with out flinching; for nearly three
months he lay upon his back and suffered without murmuring or complaining. How patiently he endured it all. One day as he talked with me he said "I
am so tired of lying here, and my back is getting sore, but if it is
God's will that I lie here two months longer, I am willing to lie here."
Another time in speaking of his readiness to go he said, "I would
like to stay and be with my loved ones, but whenever God calls I am
ready to go." Facing the valley of the shadow of death he feared no evil,
for he felt that the Lord was with him, and His rod and staff they comforted
him. Looking down into
the darkness of the tomb he felt no dread of what it could do for him;
for he knew that Jesus had taken away the sting of death and robbed
the grave of its victory. Knowing that his earthly tabernacle was
being dissolved he yet believed that there was an eternal mansion provided
for him in heaven. Death
had no terrors for him because he believed that it is but the door into
a larger and more blessed life.
He was a Christian man and the grace of Christ sustained him
during the weary weeks of his suffering, and was sufficient for him
unto the end. A
brother beloved has gone from the midst of us. He was genial and winsome in his personality. His was a bright, cheerful, sunshiny nature.
He delighted in doing good to others.
He found his pleasure where others found their duty.
He was strong and true in life; and while he rests from his labors
his works do follow after him. His
earthly career is ended, but the influence of his life will live on. He has joined "the choir invisible
Of those immortal dead who live again In Minds made better by their
presence." He
leaves to mourn his loss the wife who for twenty three years has depended
upon him as the vine depends upon the oak; two sons, William Paul and Oscar Aiton; his aged parents, a brother, Jesse Dresher of this city, and three sisters, Mrs. Frank Hamilton
[Louisa] of Polk township, Mrs. W. [alter] E. [dward]
Myers [Lydia] of Conway and Anna Dresher of Bedford; a host of other relatives and a multitude
of friends. "Sunset and
evening star, And one clear call
for me! And may there be
no moaning at the
bar, When I put out to
sea, But such a tide
as moving seems Asleep, Too full for sound
and foam, When that which
drew from out the
boundless deep, Turns again home. Twilight and evening
bell, And after that the
dark! And may there be
no sadness of farewell When I embark; For tho from out
our bourne of Time
and Place The flood may bear
me far, I hope to see my
Pilot face to face When I have crossed
the bar. And so beside the
silent sea I wait the muffled
oar; No harm can come
to me On ocean or on shore, I know not where
His islands lift Their
fronded palms in air; I only know I cannot
drift beyond His love and care." Bedford Free
Press Thursday September 29, 1910 p. 4 Clarinda Postmaster
Dead. J.
H. Dunlap, postmaster
at Clarinda, died Saturday, aged 73 years.
He was a member of the 29th Iowa, Co. D, during the
civil war, and later drove a freight wagon from Clarinda to St. Joe. |