Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1903-10-16
JUDGE w. c. WILLS DEAD
Body Was Brought From Crook
County to Dallas for Burial
Last Saturday.

The remains of Judge w. G
Wills, who died at the home Of hif
son, Ed, in Crook county las
Wednesday, arrived in Dallas Satur
day, and were buried in The
l. O. 0. F. cemetery Sunday after.
noon. The funeral services were
held in the M. E. Church, anc
were largely attended by old-timt
friends and neighbors of the de-
ceased. An impressive sermon was
preached by the pastor, Rev. James
Moore, and beautiful and appropri-
ate musical numbers were rendered
by the choir. At the conclusion ol
the services, the remains were taken
to the Oddfellows' cemetery and
were laid to rest by the members
of Jennings Lodge, No. 8, A. F. q
A. M. Judge Wills was a member
ofthis lodge while living in Dallas,
and at one time filled the Office Of
Worshipful Master. The pail
bearers were Judge N. L. Butler,
j. j. Williams, Charles Mcdonald,
A. B. Muir, D. S. Mcdonald and
Ed Biddle.
Judge Wills resided in Dallas be-
fore moving to Crook county, and
for many years was associated with
J. M. Campbell in the furniture
and undertaking business. While
living here he married Miss Minerva
Waymire, daughter of John Way
mire, a pioneer merchant OF Polk
county. Mrs. Wills died shortly
after the family moved to Crook
county, and her remains were
brought to Dallas for burial. The
following notice of the death OF
Judge Wills is taken from the
columns of the Prineville Journal:
"Ex-County Judge W. G. Wills
died Wednesday morning at Z
o'clock, at the home of his son, Ed
Wills, Of Grizzly, aged 65 years.
Preceding his death was an illness
of only little more than a day,
which makes the announcement of
his demise a particularly sad one
for his many friends and relatives.
"Only a week ago the Judge
spent couple of days in the city,
and while here seemed in his usual
health and in more than his usual
happy frame of mind.
"The deceased had been resi-
dent of Crook county for about %
years, during which time he was
an important factor in the county's
political and business affairs. He
served one term as county judge,
and his administration stamped
him as a man of marked ability.
He also served as a member of the
State Board of Equalization, before
the abandonment of that organiza-
tion. During his % years residence
he was at all times more or less
actively engaged in the cattle busi-
ness, and to his efforts perhaps
more than to those of any other
one man was due the betterment
of range and stock conditions, and
his work along this line will be far
reaching.
"Before coming to this county,
the deceased was a resident of
Dallas, Polk county, where was
recognized leading citizen, having
served that community for a num-
Der of years as the Justice of the
Peace.
"Shortly after settling in this
section, he lost his wife by death,
and he had made preparations for
his burial by her side in the Dallas
cemetery. Thursday morning his
remains were taken there by rel
atives, and the burial will be under
the auspices of the Masonic Order,
of which he was an honored
member.
"Thus it is that Crooks old
pioneers pass away. While the
deceased had his shortcomings, as
do all, his virtues were so many
that the former sank away in the
back ground, and Judge Wills
death is a matter of universal re-
gret.
"He leaves three children to
mourn his loss: Mrs. L. H. Hamil-
ton and Ed Wills, of Willow Greek,
and one son at Walla Walla."
IT. cl..l.- L-.-, L,,,J L., -,