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

[Simeon Sapp]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    June 9, 1910    [p. 5]

Simeon Sapp

Simeon Sapp was born in Ohio, December 1830, and died at his home in Lenox, Thursday morning, May 26, 1910.

Mr. Sapp received a liberal education in his youth.  After leaving school he learned the boot and shoe business and later became the proprietor of a shoe factory at Fostoria.

Afterwards, he was superintendent of a factory at Millwood, Ohio.  In 1855, he was married to Miss Susan Willis, a native of Massachusetts.  In 1878 Mr. Sapp and family moved to Grove Township, Taylor County, where they resided until about thirteen years ago, when Mr. Sapp and his wife moved to Lenox.  Mrs. Sapp passed away about twelve years ago.  The deceased leaves five children to mourn his departure from this life:  C. E. Sapp, of Grove township; Miss Josephine, of Lenox; Mrs. C. P. Durbin, who resides in this county and the Misses Rosa and Margaret of Conception, Mo.

Mr. Sapp had been in poor health for several years and his death, when it came, was not a surprise to his friends.  He knew that there was no cure for his ailment but was never heard to complain and was ready to leave when the summons came.  Mr. Sapp was one of those sterling characters that makes the world better for having lived in it.  He was a friend to any one who deserved his friendship.  A good neighbor and worthy citizen.  His death means a great loss to the community in which he lived.

[William Payton]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    June 9, 1910    [p. 5]

William Payton

William Payton was born in Butler County, Ohio, April 29, 1812, and died at the home of his youngest daughter in Yorktown, Monday, June 6, 1910, at the age of 98 years, 1 month and 5 days.

When but a small child his parents moved to Indiana, where he grew to manhood.  In 1835 he married Miss Mary A. Hamilton, who died in the year of 1894.  To this union twelve children were born, all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood.  Four daughters, Mrs. Louise Ridenour, of Beardstown, Ill., Jane Ridenour, of Bedford, Nancy Stitt, of Yorktown, Orpha Payton of Yorktown, and three sons, Melchor and John of this city and Jacob, of Shenandoah, are still living.

In 1854 Wm. Payton and family left Indiana and moved to Henry County, Ill., where they lived until moving to Page County, Iowa, in 1883, where he has since lived.

The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at Yorktown, Rev. Nichols, of the Yorktown Methodist church conducting the services, after which the body was laid to rest in the cemetery of that place.

The pallbearers were all grandsons of Mr. Payton, D. D. Stitt, Ollie Kenagy, Harry Kenagy, Park Stitt, Howard Payton and Martin Widney.

Relatives from Bedford that attended the funeral were:  John, Melchor and Howard Payton and wives and Paul Hunter and wife.

[William Payton]

Clarinda Herald

Thursday    June 9, 1910

Wm. Payton was born near Oxford, Butler Co., Ohio, April 29, 1812, and died June 6, 1910, at the age of 93 years, 1 month and 8 days.

Mr. Payton moved to Indiana in his early manhood and was married to Miss Mary Ann Hamilton, Dec. 8, 1833.  To this union were born 12 children, 4 boys & 8 girls, 5 of whom have preceded him to the better World.  Those remaining are Melchior, John and Mrs. Jane Ridenour of Bedford, Mrs. Laura Ridenour of Beardstown, Ill., Jacob Payton of Shenandoah, and Mrs. W. [illiam] D. [avison] Stitt [Sarah Nancy] and Miss Orpha Payton of Yorktown, all of whom were present at the funeral except Jacob, who is in a hospital in Chicago.

Mr. Payton was converted early in life and united with the M. E. Church, of which he was an active and faithful member during this great span of years.  He came to Iowa in 1882 and lived in Clarinda until the death of his wife, when he moved to Bedford and made his home with one of his sons for a number of years.

After a number of years he was married a second time.  This time to Mrs. Mary A. Greeley, who lived only 2 years after their marriage.  Since then, he made his home with his daughter, Mrs. W. [illiam] D. [avison] Stitt [Sarah Nancy] of near Yorktown, the most of the time.  But his last years were spent with his daughter, Orpha Payton, in Yorktown.  He was a great reader and took a great interest in religious and political matters, and seemed to remember everything he read.  His mind was perfectly clear to the last and he was ready and anxious to go.  He selected the hymns to be sung and the script to be read at his funeral.  His life was a long and useful one, and he went to his reward like a shock of corn to the Master's garden.  His work was done and well done.

The funeral services were conducted at the M.E. Church of Yorktown by Rev. C. C. Nichols, and the music was furnished by a special quartet composed of John Keener, Harry Maxwell, Ida Marley and Mrs. Parriott.

The pallbearers were Loyd Payton, Ollie and Harry Kenagy, Karl Whitney, and Port and David Stitt, all relatives of the deceased.

The remains were laid to rest in the Summit Cemetery, northeast of Yorktown.

Thus has gone from our midst one of those strong, sturdy types of manhood, who is so much needed in every church and in every community.  But it may be said of Grandpa Payton, as it was said of Paul, that "He being dead, yet speaketh."

[PAYTON, WILLIAM]
Bedford Times-Republican (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, June 9, 1910
William Payton Passes Away at Age of 98 Years at Yorktown Home
William Payton, aged 98 years, father of Melchior and John L. Payton of this city, died at his home in Yorktown, Page county, Sunday.
Mr. Payton was born in Butler county, Ohio, April 29, 1812, and while yet young went to Indiana with his parents where he grew to manhood. In 1835 he married Mary A. Hamilton, from which union twelve children were born, four boys and eight girls, all of whom lived to manhood and womanhood before a death came to break the family circle. Seven children survived him, Melchior and John L. of this place, Jacob of Shenandoah, Mrs. Ridenour, northwest of Bedford, Miss Ordpha [Orpha] who lived with him and two other daughters in Yorktown and vicinity. Uncle William's last visit to Bedford was on the occasion of his son Melchior's golden wedding anniversary a short time ago and at that time he was as active as many men of sixty.
Death was apparently due to old age as he suffered no pain and no immediate cause of death could be discovered. It was evidently just a failure or wearing out of the vital machinery that had worked actively for nearly a century.
The funeral services were held Monday in the M. E. church at Yorktown, Rev. Mr. Nichols, the pastor, conducting the service, after which the body was laid to rest in the cemetery at Yorktown, beside his wife who was taken from him in 1884.
The pall bearers were D. D. Stitt, Ollie Kenagy, Harry Kenagy, Porter Stitt, Howard Payton and Martin Widney. All grandsons of the deceased.
Howard Payton, Paul Hunter and family, Melchior Payton and wife, John Payton and Ralph Woodward and wife of this county attended the funeral.

[Herbert Crum]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 7, 1944    [p. 1]

Herbert Crum Dies At Farmer City, Ill.

Herbert Crum, a former resident of Bedford, died at his home in Farmer City, Illinois, Wednesday, November 22.  The funeral services were held the following Friday and burial made there.  Their daughter, Mrs. Clifford Templeton of Bedford, went to Illinois for the last rites.

[CRUM, HERBERT A.]
Farmer City Journal (Farmer City, Illinois), Thursday, November 23, 1944
Herbert Andrew Crum – Herbert Andrew Crum, 72, died at 3:45 a. m. at the Brokaw hospital where he was taken a week ago suffering from pneumonia and complications.
He was born in this vicinity Jan. 3, 1872, to Mathias and Mary Wood Crum and has spent practically his entire life in this vicinity where he has been engaged in farming.
In January 1893 he was united in marriage to Louetta Ewbank in this city. he was a member of the Weedman Methodist church and the Knights of Pythias lodge. He took an active part in the promotion of the Farmer City Fair each year.
Survivors are the wife; two sons, Herbert, Farmer City; John, San Francisco, Calif.; and three daughters, Eva Frances Templeton, Bedford, Ia.; Mary Verneil VanReenan, Steward, Ill.; and Ruth Elizabeth Morris, Los Angeles, Calif. One daughter, June Ellen, predeceased him.
He is also survived by two sisters: Miss Bird Crum of this city, and Mrs. Lella P. Gardner of State College, Pa. the latter, with her husband, suffered injuries in the recent train wreck at Wacross, Ga., enroute to Florida and will be unable to attend the funeral.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Friday at the Weedman Methodist church with Rev. Francis Samuelson of Paris, Ill., former Weedman pastor, assisted by Rev. Thomas Hendrix, in charge. Burial will be made in Maple Grove cemetery.

[Crum, Herbert A.]

Taylor County Herald

Thursday    December 7, 1944    p. 5

Former Resident Dies

Herbert A. Crum, of Farmer City, Ill., a former Taylor County farmer, died in a Bloomington, Ill., hospital Wednesday, Nov. 22.  He had been in failing health for several months.

He is survived by his wife [Luetta Ewbank] and five children, Mrs. Pierson Morris [Ruth Elizabeth] of Los Angeles, Calif., Mrs. Elvin Van Reenen [Mary Verneil] of Steward, Ill., Mrs. C. [lifford] H. [arold] Templeton [Eva Frances] of Bedford, [Herbert] Dwane of Farmer City and John [Martin] of San Francisco, Calif.  A daughter, June Ellen Crum, preceded him in death several years ago.

Last rites and interment were in Farmer City Friday.


[Glenn Milton Leighton]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    September 24, 1974    p. 6

Final Rites Held Sept. 20 For Glenn Leighton

Funeral services for Glenn Milton Leighton, 75, of Bedford, held September 20 at Shum-Novinger Funeral Home in Bedford, were conducted by Carl Cummings.  Mr. Leighton died at Colonial Manor in Bedford, September 17, 1974.  Interment was at Dallas Center Cemetery, New Market, Iowa.

Glenn M. Leighton, son of Elmer E. and Lauretta Frances Weaver Leighton, was born December 19, 1898, in Taylor County, near New Market, Iowa.  He grew to maturity in the community where he was born.

On October 18, 1919, he was united in marriage to Floris Campbell O'Dell at Corning, Iowa, and they farmed in Taylor and Page Counties until they moved to Bedford, Iowa, in 1936, where he has since continued to reside.  They would have observed their 55th wedding anniversary October 18th of this year.

He was employed by the Cudahy Packing Company for 14 years and has since been employed in various types of work.

Four sons and one daughter were born to bless their home.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Kathryn Elaine, died in infancy in 1935; a son, Harry Edward, died July 22, 1961 in Spain while in the service of his country; brothers, Roy and Don Leighton, and sisters, Blanche Ridenour and Beulah Price, and five brothers who died in infancy.

Left to cherish his memory are, his wife, Floris of the home; three sons, Robert Glenn Leighton and his wife, Mary, of Denver, Colo., Richard E. Leighton and his wife, June, of New Market, Iowa, and Donovan David Leighton and his wife, Marilyn, of Winside, Nebraska; a daughter-in-law, Helen Tucker Leighton; 18 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; two sisters, Opal Squires of Morehead, Iowa, and Coryl Leighton of Yuma, Colo.; nieces; nephews; other relatives and many friends.

Glenn was a kind and loving husband, father, friend and neighbor, and he will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.