Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-29
WRITES I EU.L.OGY
I. {. BLANCHARD PREPARES A
TRIBUTE TO THE LATE
REV. 1T, SIMMONS.
scomrade in Arms Of the Deceased
:! Clergyman, the oskaIoosan Touches
Upon the Early Life of the Veneer.
able ottun1Wa Minister. 49,

Gut OIL reSpect IQr Inc late Kew. j.
n. Simmons, who died in this city re-
Gently, ~ @. Blanchard, prominent
citizen Of Oskaloosa and a cornrade in
arms of Rev. Simmons, has prepared a
tribute to his memory, which was
printed in the OsKaloosa Herald Of
yesterday. The article follows.
THE death of the Rev. j. T. Sim
mons, which occurred at Ottumwa
March 8, deserves more than pass
ing notice. He was aspioneers minister
in the Methodist Episcopal church,
having faithfully followed his profess
sion for considerably more than forty
years. He was at one time presiding
elder, position which he held for sew
eral years. There was hardly an frnpor-
tant station in the conference to which
he belonged, which he has not success
fully filled. More than thirty years
ago, he field the station at Montezu-
ma, during the period of my residence
there; and afterwards he was also sta
toned for several years at Oskaloosa.
He was a successful, able and con-
scientious minister of the Gospel. But
of his, work in the ministry, others are
more competent to speak than I.
HE was, chaplain Of my regiment,
the 28th' Iowa Infantry; and it was
in this capacity that first became
fully acquainted with him, and learn
ed to love hi1ne. u He went out with
the regiment and remained In the SER
vice, faithfully performing the du-
tics1 Of this Office during the entire
three years. service of the regiment.
Unlike many. chaplains, he remained
with the boys to the end. Being in
tensely' loyal to his country, he eX-
,ercised remarkable influence over
the soldiers. Of his regiment, and
never shirked from any responsible
lies, no matter now dangerous the
service might be- He found time,
not only to perform the duties OF his
Office, but also to assist the comrades
in many other ways.
while he did not, possess collegi-
ate education, he was good thinker,
a strong. logical speaker, and at
times exceedingly eloquent. He had
the esteem of all Of the members of
his regiment, and when he left the
service, there. was not member of
the regiment who did not consider
him 4 personal friend.
| A cat tile close of the war he returned
to the practice of his profession, but
he found time TO write a. History Of
the a2Sth Iowa Regiment. This his
tory is reliable and is accepted by the
members of the regiment as a true
history of it's three years service.
| AT. the. reunions of the regiment
held since the war, he was always a
conspicuous figure, and his talks at
the oanp-fires were enjoyed as feat
ure of those occasions.
He has never wavered in his sup.
port Of republican government, never
has turned; from the straight paths
of duty into by-paths to advocate
side issues. and has frowned upon all
attempts to weaken the. government,
or to break down the party of the
union under which the war was pros
ecuted to a successful isstle.fj
"He was faithful friend and an at.
l,tractiye companions and in public
life, and able advocate conservative,
and at all times ready to defend the
fundamental principles of the sgov-
eminent. II
ellis death will cast, a. shadow in
many. an humble cottage. the homes
of his surviving comrades lin arms.
a good man has fallen, and this trib-
ute to his memory is offered by one
of the humble soldiers of his old reg
iment.
IL, @. Blanchard