River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-08-29
Obituary..

Obituary.
Mr.. Asa Libby died at his home In
New Richmond, st. Croix county,
Wis, on Sunday, August IS, 1901. He
was taken sick on Saturday night OF
the preceding week, and after three
days of severe Illness he became I'M
conscious on Wednesday evening and
passed painlessly away the following
Sunday morning at a few minutes
before six. He had been troubled
with prostatitis for two years past but
no one had thought it serious. A hard
weeks work OF stacking, which he did
to oblige an old friend, brought on a
renewal of chronic prostatitis, and this
resulted In septic perltonitis, which
terminated fatally. The funeral was
held at the home Of his deceased
brother, Lyman, and the services were
conducted by Rev. Courtney OF the
Methodist church. Only one of his
two sons, Grin, was present at the
funeral William, now at Spokane,
Washington, could not be notified In
time. The. remains were inferred In
the family burial lot where four Of the
family are buried, his two step
daughters, Lillian and Julia, and his
two daughters, Mabel and Lottie.
| OF Mr.. Libby's six brothers, all de-
ceased, four of them died in the west;
Charles, Aug. 5, 1885, at Xenia, Kan;
Lyman, Feb. 10, 1895, at New Rich
mond; Warren, March %, 1899, at
Pomona, Cal; and Nathaniel, July 20,
1901, at Laclede, Mo. Asa Libby was
born in the town of Gray, Maine,
July 81 1924. His mothers maiden
name was Lawrence and her original
home was Grotou, Mass. The old
Lawrence homestead is still pointed
out as one OF the noted places in that
part of the state. We find him en-
rolled in the state militia at nineteen,
aud serving in the company COM
manded by David z. Baker for three
years, 1890. At the age OF twenty
six lie married Mary S. Webster.
Their only child, Martin w, born the
next year, lived but few days, dying
April II, 1851. Soon after that he
sold his farm at Gray and removed to
the town of Richmond In the spring
of 1855, Mr.. Libby left his wife in
Richmond and set out for the west
with his brother, Lyman. They visit
ed their brother, Charles, then living
In Illinois, and reached the MisSissip-
pi river at Galena. BY steam boat
they proceeded TO st. Paul and then
on TO ST. Anthony Falls. The two
land seekers explored some Of the ad-
Joining river valleys, but saw nothing
TO tempt them, either in the land or
in the future site of the twin cities,
and they pushed on into St. Crolx
county, Wis. From a letter written
by Mr.. Libby TO his wife dated from
Hudson July ,, 1866, we learn that the
brothers had secured 320 acres OF land
| Ia the town or Ham 0nd and were
arranging to secure 100 acres more.
Ii was during this trip that occurred
the first flag raising in the town, the
brothers and several Others taking
part in the ceremony.
On Sept Il, 1855, Mr.. and Mrs.
Libby left their home in Richmond,
Maine, and started for the west.
They took the American Lake Shore
railroad at Boston on the 18th of
October and landed at Galena, III, to
take the steamer for the north. His
farm OF 100 acres was located in the
southeastern part of the town Of
Hammond in section 50 He often
told his friends that In locating here
he expected to be upon the direct stage