Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-03-29
OBITUARY.

William Allen Pierce died of pleuro-
pneumonia at his farm in the town of
Waldwick, in this county. at one
o'clock on Thursday morning, March
p, 1889, aged. 76 years, 10 months,
and IA days. He was born at
! Dighton, Bristol county. Mass. May :.
1872
| In 1886, when about II years old,
| he came west to what was then THE
west. to Ohio. and from Ohio he came
TO Mineral Point in 1889. He was
married in Mineral Point in September,
1912. to Miss Abida Mcbride. He
! leaves 4 family Of seven children be-
sides his wIfr-UWo children having
died in wears past. He spent the years
| 1851 and 1852 in California. and with
that exception has lived since 1889 in
Iowa county. In 1885 he lost his
sight, and has ever since been blind.
| These facts have been furnished NE
| by his family, but my acquaintance
with William Pierce prompts me to
speak 4 little further OF him-aI the
more because as to him it is so easy to
comply with the ancient injunction:
De mortuiS nil. niSj bonum; of
the dead say nothing, unless YOU can
say that which is good.
believe him 10 have been Il thor
| oughly good man in every relation Of
life He was kind and afrectionate in
his family, and their devotion 10 him,
not only during his last sickness but
also through the long and tedious
season Of his blindness, attestS both
his love and devotion for them. and
theirs for him. He was a man OF gen
tTouS disposition and Of a charitable
and benevolent life, and if he had
boarded the results of his long and
continuous days of industry. he might
have died rich in this Worlds goods.
As it was, he died with all the COM
Portable surroundings of n we'll to do
farmer-and out of DEBT: and he left
what was always more to him than
money: the legacy of SpotleSs name
that memory of the just which
| smells sweet and blossoms in the
dust" He was always a reading man
few more SO-and took a keen in
terest in political matters, and, think,
appreciated the value Of his citizenship
6tlltA uCSliCll VIC NtAltlG VI IlAS Country
as sincerely as any man | ever knew.
He was honest and outSpoken always,
and had the courage Of his convictions.
| was not present at his death, but
know from those who were. that he
died as calmly and sereneIy as if he
had been going 10 sleep. He preserved
his senses up to almost his last breath,
and his last words were words of cheer
and comfort to his wife and children.
His only complaint was that he could
not see the faces of his loved ones; that
it was hard to die in the dark, and that
if he could only have had his sight
long enough to see their faces, and
thus receive their last embraces he
would have nothing more to ask
Kind heart! Brave and honest spirit !
Hail. and Farewell! The World is
better for your having lived in it.
Your life is in many things worthy Of
imitation. Many who professed far
more, might proftably consider the
excellence Of q life void of all profeS-
sion but filled fun of a benefcent ac-
tivity; and of a death that knew not
fear-uot dying e. as the fool dieth."
but, sustained by an unfaltering
trust, like one who wraps the drape-
~ of his couch about him and lies
down to pleasant dreams"
+. :. AN~LEN.
Mineral Point, Wis, March ., 1889.