Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-03-15
WILLIAM ALEXANDER DEAD,

I
The old miner and tanner, William
Alexander, was found dead at his home
| in the village of Knowlton, Thursday
evening, March 10th, 1904 Mr. Alex
ander had lived alone in Knowlton for
many years. apparently enjoying the
| best of health, although in his seth
| year He had near neighbors who were
always kind and solicitious of his vel
| fare and helped him in many ways to
be comfortable in his lonely home.
Wednesday he walked to the post office
twice during the day, which is about a
half mile from his cabin home-it was
his custom to take this walk once every
day, at least-on his way home he
stopped at one of his near neighbors,
with the daily paper and talked over
/ the war news with MIR. Peabody. He
has been greatly interested in the war
subject, and being an educated and
we'll read man, was a very pleasing
conversationalist About five o. m. he
went home, ito get his supper. 4"
Thursday, the next day, between five
and six, Mrs. Peabody suddenly thought
she had not seen AIr. Alexander around
his home during the day, as she was
used to, nor did she remember having
seen him pass by She called to Mr.
Peabody, asking if he had seen him-
No, he had not. Fearing he was sick
she hurriedly went across to his home.
As she reached the door she saw no foot
tracks in the newly fallen snow She
raped; no answer; then opened the
door leading into his one-room home;
saw his shoes standing by the bed; with
fear and trembling, yet brave and cour-
ageOus, she walked to the bedside, calling
his name, and as no answer came from
the still quiet body, she screamed, "Oh,
be is dead" Mr.. Peabody, who was
convalescing from a severe attack OF
la grippe, fastened to the cabin upon
hearing his wife's screams. They hur
riedly summoned other people, who
found that Mr. Alexander had been
called to his eternal rest apparently
without a struggle. DR. Fish, of Most
nee, was called, who, upon his arrival,
empaneled jury consisting of A. Teit,
l. Page, w Kirkpatrick, A. Peabody,
v. Brooks, and post norton examina-
ton was held. After the evidence of
all who were acquainted with the facts
had been taken the jury agreed that
William Alexander, of Knowlton, came
to his death at some hour between his
bed time and Thursday morning, from
natural causes incident to old age.
Deceased was born Oct Both, 1916, in
New York, his parents dying when he
was nine years old He then went to
the home of an uncle in Michigan,
where he lived two years, then returned
to New York, living sometimes with the
Quakers. AT the age of "a he married
Miss Eliza Bunker They came to Mil
waukee, travelling most of the distance
with wagons Here he operated tan
merry for several years. He travelled
extensively during that time in the in
terest of a patent, perfected by him for
a process of tanning leather Without
the use of bark, and also became inter-
ested in the California mines Ia 1872
he came to Stevens Point and became
associated in the tannery business with
the late w Davenport. Upon the death
of his partner he closed out all business
and in 1874 came to Knowlton, taking
up a homestead, where he had great
hopes of persuading capitalists to enter
into developing Marathon county quartz
that he was very sanguine contained
gold and silver. His wife preceded him
to the great beyond many years ago.
A son, Spencer, and four grand-chil-
dren, who reside in Baraboo, survive
him. The funeral was held at the
Knowlton school house Saturday after
noon with interment in Knowlton
cemetery, Rev. Sewell, of Mosinee, of
tieiating The pail bearers were A.
| Miller, A. Teit, " Brooks, e. Hubbard,
| G. Hoffman, f. Beadle.