The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-04-17

hours.
DANIEL sHUEY EBERsoL, son Of Joseph and
Elizabeth Eberso, the eldest Of family of eight
children OF whom five survive him, was born
near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, January IA, 1870.
his father was blacksmith, which trade he fol
lowed until about 1926 when he removed to Han
mover. zine miles from Harrisburg, where he en-
gagged in farming. There he resided until 1884,
by industry and economy gathering little
In April, 1884, having decided to re-
move to the Far West" he set out with his fam
lily and all his worldly goods in a two horse wag.
on, to make the journey of $50 miles-now re-
quiring about 20 hours for its performance-the
a long and tedious route, mostly through a
sparsely settled country, over rough roads, often
mere trails, across bridgcless streams, to Hi
nois. He reached Ottawa in August and on the
Goth day Of that month located In what was
then called Island Grove now Grand Rapids, on
what is yet known as "The Old Ebersol Place."
where he set up a blacksmith shop and improved
his farm On this place Daniel lived until about
II years Of age, when he went to Cincinnati,
Ohio, where he remained q few weeks until OBJ
tanning place as clerk on a steamboat plying
between that city and Maysville, Kentucky, he
vas oitCh III ouu iouhu III -'i'S' h"'O'
and her sister, Mrs. Nelson, true and steadfast
friends, - forming friendship that ended only
with his death. At the close Of navigation, go
ing to Maysville, he obtained u situation in the
stage office and made that city his home, form.
ing many pleasant acquaintance and there he
met and won the heart Of her who afterward be
came his wife. At the repeated solicitations Of
his parents, he resigned his position, returned to
Illinois and worked on the farm about year.
During this time he built a log house on Mud
Creek, Livingston county, and made such prep
ara,ions rs seemed necessary for setting up in
In the winter of 1910 nc re
turned To Kentucky and at Aberdeen, Ohio, De
cember lat, 1910, he was united in the holy bonds
of matrimony to MaryJ. McKenny, Of Mays
vile, Kentucky. They soon after set out for H.
lnois by way Of the Ohio, Mississippi and Hi
nois rivers to Peoria and from that place to Otta
wa by stage. He passed the winter with his
father rebuilding his house which had been
burned down during hls absence and in the
spring removed thither and began work on his
farm Himself and wife were both sick much OF
the time and by the end of the year having be
come discouraged with farming he removed to
I
peace and appointed postmaster and later elected
county clerk. 1t was at Pontiac that he began
to work at gunsmithing. From Pontiac he re-
mo ;ed to Burlington, Iowa, about 1917, where
he prosyercd greatly in worldly matters and was
AN active and influential citizen, taking active
part in politics and being one Of a refined and
brilliant circle whose influence has made Burling
ton what it is. In 1856 he yielded to the s0icta-
tions Of his father and selling out, returned TO
Grand Rapids and engaged in farming. After a
time he opened shop in this city, and in 1873,
having purchased pace on Ottawa Avenue and
made it comfortable aid beautiful, he removed
to town where has since resided.
He possessed strong, well disciplined intel.
iect, a retentive memory and vigorous and
chaste ina gination. He was very fond OF poetry,
and great admirer of fine engravings and
paintings He was an ardent student Of nature,
especially in the departments Of geology, miner
ology and archaeology. He had gathered large
and valuable collection, many OF the specimens
being rare and costly. 1t is quite rich in Macon
Ferns and contains some beautiful ammonites
from the Oolite of England and also some beau
tifu agates. There are also many fine specimens
pecially rich in finely illustrated works, poetry,
scientific works and history. He read extensive
" and thought much on what he read. He was
an active member Of the Ottawa Academy OF
Natural Sciences and to him it almost owes it's
existence He had labored long and earnestly
to bring about an agreement between the Acad
envy and the trustees Of the High School and
this arran cement had been perfected the Mon
day before his death.
kind husband, an affectiOnate father, firm
and disinterested friend and honest, yrtuous
man, lover of TRUTH an earnest, fearless invest.
igator, an enemy of hypocrity and shams,
champion of truth and foe of wrong has fallen
and we look about in vain for one who can take
his place in our councils or carry out the work
to which he had devoted his declining years.
On Monday evening the Academy of Sciences,of
which he was TIE founder and for many years the
chief support and which owes more to him than
to any other man, perhaps, met and adopted the
following resolutions, presented by Hon. W.
Bushnell:
WHEREAS, As he who lives must surely die, il
is the solemn duty of the living to 80 conduct
themselves in this life rs to win the esteem, re-
spect and gratitude OF their associates, ana 10
enable the living TO say, to die was his gain and
our irreparabe loss. Such being the brief but
true history of our deceased campanion and
brother, Daniel s. Ebersol, therefore
Resolved 1st, that in the death of Daniel s. Eb-
ersol this Academy has lost one of its most ar
dent friends and active workers; truth, a wOr-
SHIPPER science, devoted STUDENT the public
pure, upright and generous citizen; the domcs
tic circle one of its highest ornaments; his fami
w, fond and devoted husband and kind and
atfectionate father
ID That we tender the family of the deceased
our sympathy, and assure them that with full
hearts, do we weep with those who weep and
mourn with those who mourn"
Sd. That copy of these resolutions be fur
nished the family and to the papers of this city,
and that they be spread upon the records of the
society.
Table Talk.
A. r. Webb, agent for Robson Il Crane, Is an