The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-02-12
Death of Col. John o. Duer.

Death of Col. John o. Duer.
Col. John o. Duer died at his residence in Mon
ticello, Jones county, Iowa, ON the It'll of Decem-
| Der, 1880, in the 43d year of his age. He was a
native of this county and son of the late Charles
Duer who at different times kept store at Jockeys
| vile and Unionville, and who was well known
lie was also a brother Of Mr.. Ralph l.. Duer, now
Recorder of Jones county, Iowa, and who will be
remembered here as being at one time n derk in
the store of the late Charles RI Chew. The Month
cello Express, of December 10th, pays high
tribute to the memory of Col Duer, from which we
take the following extracts:
"John 0. Duer was born in Maryland, Feb. II,
1888, where he lived until 1861 when he removed
to Galena, III. The breaking out of the war found
him heart and soul on the side of the Union
Though Southerner by birth, he was thoroughly
nt-s1avery and intensely loyal, and when the
war came for separation and independent slave
power, he did not hesitate which cause he should
esponse. lie enlisted Sept. Sd, 1861, in the 45th
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was commission
ed Second Leutenan.of Co. ID. He was soldier
from intelligent conviction and the highest motives
of patriotism. His enlightened sense of justice
and hatred of wrong made him the fearless de-
fender of civil liberty and human rights. During
the long conflict he learned the terrible and dead
ly meaning of war. He participated in thirteen
general engagements, besides many less important
encounters He was brave soldier and a saga
cious officer, and promotion followed as the legit
mate reward of meritorous service. He was early
promoted to First Lieutenant, then to Captain and
commanded the company. Afterwards he was
promoted to Major, then to Lieutenant Colonel
Later he was commissioned Colonel of his old reg
iment and brevetted Brigadier General Col.
Duer's regiment was the first to enter Vicksburg,
and at the scaling of the rebel works 80 of his men
were killed in an instant. 1t was one of the blood
lest events of the war. Through all those scenes
of carnage and death Mr. Duer came unscathed.
lie of mil nearly
entire four years of the war. In 1867 he came to
Monticello where, in company with A. NJ. Estey,
he engaged in the mercantile business, and in
which line of trade he continued to the time of his
death, with the exception of the two years-from
Jan. l, 1878, to Jan. l, 1S75-during which time
he held the position of cashier of the Monticello
National Bank. On the consolidation of that with
the Monticello Bank, Mr.. Duer again entered into
the mercantile business by buying out his old
partner Mr.. Estey. At this time Mr. Duer
offered a salary of 81 500 year to enter the en-
ploy of Davenport wholesale house, but he de-
cined, preferring to remain in Monticello. His
attachment to and interest in the town were pecu-
liary strong and deep. About a year after his
first commencement of business in Monticello, viz,
in January, 1868, Mr.. Duer was married to. Miss
Jennie Wonderly, of Galena, Ill. 1t was most
fortunate and happy union.
"Oi John 0. Duer's life here in Monticello it is
not needfu that should write at length. In
&.
a village of perhaps 900 inhabitants. From The
very first he interested himself in the affairs of the
young town. He specially the friend and
promoter of its educational interests, and we boz
iieve he served not less than seven different terms
upon the School Board. During the thirteen years
OF his residence here he was repeatedly elected to
the City Council, was twice, we believe, elected
City Treasurer, and last spring was elected to the
Office Ct Mayor. At the time of his death he was
holding the Offices of Mayor School Director and
Secretary.and Treasurer Of the Monticello Park
Association, besides being an officer in the Masonic
fraternity, treasurer Of Blue Lodge and Chapter,
and chairman Of TIE present Grand Jury. lie
identified himself with every public enterprise and
threw himself into every effort to promote the pros
perity of the town with all the earnestness and
vigor and disnterestedness of his strong, practi-
cal masterful nature. Such was the confidence in
his Judgment, his practical good sense and sagaci-
ty, that he was invariably looked to for counsel
and leadership. lie has left his mark up@ the
town. The evidences of his public spirit, his
energy and wise forethought, to be seen in
every improvement and in every progressive step
in the growth of the town since his residence here.
1t is not too much to say thai our public school
building1the handsomest ediiice in the county
together with its noble Opera House and its town
cock-were largely his conception and the result
of his energy and foresight. In 1873 he built the
splendid business block which bears his name and
the finest business block in the county, and
built at cost of about 50, 600. All these are en-
during monuments to his memory and perpetual
mem1r rails of his business energy and his devotion
to the interests and pride in the development and
prosperity of the town.
'Co Duer was, above everything, man of &C
tion-of business. He possessed unusual eXecu-
tive force and a born organizer and leader of
men, Physically he was every inch man-dig-
nifed, manly, handsome in appearance and full of
vital stock, force, energy and courage. lie was
shrewd judge of character, and he possessed the
happy faculty of addressing each individual
cording to his peculiar characteristics and in the
best way to win his confidence and regard.
In matters Of importance, few men could see the
end from the beginning with greater readiness and
accuracy than he. His brain was large, his mind
clear and strong and well nourished by vigorous
constitution His mental characteristics were
quickness and comprehensiveness of perception,
tenacity of memory and OF mind in general
strength of will and intellectual penetration and
depth rather than breadth.
''He was the friend, the constant, unostentatious
friend of the poor. The amount of his charity
each year will never be known. But the many
who have benefited by his unspOken sympathy
and quiet, unpretentious benevolence, will long
cherish and revere his memory. Many men lock-
ed to him continually for counsel in their private
and personal affairs, and the fact that he the
recipient of more condolences than probably any
other in the community, illustrates the extent
and completeness with which he trusted by
those who knew him best.
"The Republican party has lost devoted and
conscientious adherent and skilled leader. He
loved politics for the opportunity it afforded for
the assertion of his patriotic convictions, for the
stimulus and excitement there were in the skilful
combinations, the thrust and parry-the fnesSe, the
contact of trained minds and all the clash and
cIangor of party conflict. And yet, such was his
fearless individuality, that he boldly criticised and
denounced his own party when he thought it was
wrong. To all his work, of whatever nature he
brought official and personal integrity that
never for moment encountered suspicion or a
whisper. That he had a bright future before him
no one can doubt. = = Wherever he was
known, but here especially, he will be sincerely