Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-09


IN Boston. Thousands of people filed
beacon and the adjacent streets, and
when the column commenced 10 move 1t
was with considerable difficulty that a
sufficient passage was cleared. At Charles
| streef the carriages formed in double line,
and the procession was then at least a
mile and half in length.
The crowds which lined the thorough
fares traversed by the procession were
continued even to the railroad station,
where large numbers gathered at noon.
A cold, biting wind was prevalent al
times. so as to retard somewhat the march
ing of the troops, and yet the multitude OF
spectators patiently stood their ground.
when the procession reached the train
the casket was quickly conveyed from the
hearse to the train down through long
lines of soldiers and civilians, VINO stood
with heads uncovered, band meanwhile
playing dirge Immediately upon the
disposition of the casket in the car pro-
vided for its reception the Governor, his
staff and Council, the pail bearers, and
others. together with the Independent
Corps of Cadets, the marines and officers
of the Fifth Maryland Regiment, were as
signed seats In the train, which imme.
diately moved away from the city toward
Catick. The train consisted OF five cars,
four passenger coaches and the car con
tanning the casket, the latter having been
| arranged especially tor the occasion. The
train passed many stations where crowds
of people had collected TO pay tribute to
| the illustrious dead.
Arriving at Natick shortly after four
O'Clock, great crowd OF townspeople
thronged the square and all approaches to
the spot. The Grand Army post Of the
town was drawn UP in hollow square. I'M
mediately upon the arrival of the train
the casket was conveyed TO the hearse,
and the line of march was begun for the
| public hall, the church-bells meanwhile
| tolling.
Nearly every building in the village
| was decorated with elaborate displays OF
| mourning. The sidewalks in the neigh
borhood of the public square were
thronged with people attracted from all
the country about 10 view the Solemn
pageant. Reaching Clark's Block, the
caskct was conveyed to large hall in the
upper part of the building and placed
upon catafalque.
The concluding services of the day,
amidst Mr.. Wilson's old. time associations,
were especially solemn and impressive,
deeply affecting the townspeople who had
assembled TO pay their last heartfelt trib-
ute of respect to their departed fellow-cit-
izen.
THE FINAL CEREMONIES.
The closing funeral rites took place at
Natick on the 1st, and Notwithstanding
the severe cold weather there was large
attendance.
At the conclusion of the private service
! at his late residence, whittier the body had
been removed the previous day, the re-
mains were taken to the Town Hall, where
the final ceremonies were to take place. A
special train had arrived from Boston
bearing the Governor and portion OF his
staff and several members of the Ex-
ecutive Council, a committee OF the
Boston city government, the Hon.
Marshall Wilder, Congressman Henry
Pierce, and officers of the Fifth Maryland
Regiment and of the Independent Corps
of Cadets; also the Boston Fusileers, who
volunteered as the escort for the day.
The Rev. Francis NJ. Peloubet, Mr..
Wilson's pastor, opened the services AT the
hall by reading the hymn God Is our
Strength" beginning with the words,
Man In his weakness needs stronger
stay than his fellow men, the hottest and
the best" which was sung by the Alpine
| Quartet, Of Boston.
Following this was an invocation by the
| Rev. A. T.. Reynolds, and Scripture-read-
| ing BY the Rev. j. s. Wheedon, to which
the response abide with me' was sung
| by the quartet
The address was delivered by the Rev
| Edmund Douse, of Sherburne, who main
| ly touched on his intimate personal friend
| ship with the deceased and the great quail
| tiles Of the latter as displayed in the midst
| of the people who had known and were
| intimate with him from his youth.
The quartet then chanted q poem writ
| ten for the occasion.
An address by the Rev. +. NJ. Peloubet
| followed, consisting Of personal reminis-
cences of Mr.. Wilson. The hymn,
" Nearer, my God, TO Thee" which was
an especial favorite with Mr.. Wilson, and
| in singing which the entire audience
| Joined, was given with great effect.
The procession then formed in line Of
march, embracing nearly every street in
| the town. 1t was not until tour O'Clock
| that the hearse bearing the remains
reached the grave in Dell Park Cemetery.
| The casket was transferred from the heafse
and conveyed TO the side OF the open
grave ready TO receive it. The Grand
Army post formed a square about the
grave, while the military escort were drawn
up in line in the driveway. The mourn
ers and invited guests having assembled IN
body, the band meanwhile playing
solemn dirge, the casket was gently low
cred TO its final resting place. Mr.. Pelou-
bet pronounced the benediction, relatives
and friends took last look, dropped
| few flowers upon the casket lid, and the
last rites attending the demise of Henry
Wilson, Vice President of the United
States, were at an end.