Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-02-26
ISAIAH DENNES
LAID TO REST
Imposing Funeral Services Under
the Auspices Of the G. A. R.
Aided by Co. E. End
Reg. N. G. c.
Touching Tribute to the Memory Of the
Deceased by Comrade Loekhart.

Sunday afternoon with citizens Of Rocky
Ford and Otero county to attend the fu-
neral OF our highly esteemed fellow -citi-
izen. Isaiah DENIES. The stage settings
had been arranged to show beautiful
forest scene. over tho center OF which
was draped an immense American flag.
Other portions OF tho stage were dec
GRATED with tho national eolors.
Tho funeral services were under tho
auspices OF the Wadsworth Post, g. A.
R.. Geo. Med. Osborn. Commander. as
sisted by the Ladies' Of the G. A. r. and
w. r. c. Tho pail bearers were Com
rades Blinn. Fenlason. Love. Sherman.
Badger. and Burr. with Undsrtaker
Sprinkler in charge.
The easket was covered with floral Of
fcrings. prominent. among which were
beautiful wrea,hs from the G. A. r. and
W. r. c.. loose flowers from tho Ladies
OF tho G 4. R.. and floral pillow from
tho family: also many other flowers. Tho
center Of tho easket was also draped
with the national eoiofs.
Tho exercises opened with tho hymn.
Nearer Ny God To Thee" by u select
auaftstte composed ofniss Carolyn Max
well. Mrs. S. q. Sigrnan. Leroy 3. Elser
and George Baboes. with Miss Theo.
Barkley aceompanist. The hymn was
followed by prayer by John Roberts. Of
Denver. The ausrtet;a then sang Jesus
Lover Of Ny Soul"
Mr.. Roberts then gave an unrosson-
ably long and otherwise unfortunately
constructed Bible reading and cxhor;ation.
tMr. Roberts church is called tho Church
o. the Living God. ono Of tho beliefs is
Divine healing. Father Dsnnes was no,
Of this beliei.i
Tho auar,e,;c next rendered tho hymn.
Abide with ME
Col. j. a. Loe.hart then read tho fol-
lowing earnest tribute TO the memory o.
tho deceased. for which ho has received
many words Of eommondation from
Father Dcnnes' hos; OF friends:
Il has boon thought not inappropriate
that some member Of tho Grand Army
organization should say few words dur
ing this ceremony. touching tho life and
character o. our deceased comrade. Tho
duty having been assigned to mo. feel
that no words Of mino arc adequate to
express tho sorrow his comrades feol
over his departure.
Born over oigh,y-five years ago In
Oxford. Ohio. whore he remained until
fourteen years Of ago when no moved
with his parents TO Illinois. He contrbut-
cd in no small degree TO tho development
Of that great state until hc removed TO
Colorado In 1875. whom ho took up a
soldiers homestead near Rocky Ford. He
owned and operated In Illinois as part
nor Of the father OF Senator Swink tho
frs. circular saw mill erected west OF the
Ohio riyor. and the first work Senator
Swink ever did. was. when boy Of l4.
he drove tho horses which furnished the
power to run this mill. In those days.
newspapers being scarce. Comrade Den
moss was selected by his neighbors to
road the only newspaper coming to that
ncighborhood. and the frst newspaper
Senator Swink ever saw was in the
hands Of Comrade DENIES.
So just and honorable and upright was
he in all his dealings that he enjoyed the
confidence and esteem Of his neighbors to
such an extent that he was usually select
cd to arbitrate their differences. and dur
ing all the years Of his manhood in Illinois
ho was ncver known to DO guilty Of q
wrong or mean act.
When tho war broke out in 1861, he
was prompt to enlist in the 2sth illinois
Infantry and served until tho fall Of 1864.
having been twice wounded. once at
Shiloh and once at Hatehie river. His
grief-strioken son, Charles Dennes, who
sits in our midst today. joined the same
company and regiment and was a gallant
soldier. Comrade Dennes participated in
the battles OF the siege Of Vicksburg.
Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta. and in
whatever position he occupied. whether as
auartermaster or in the engineers de-
partnent. he was brave and gallant
soldier. Upon coming here in 1875 he
became active in building and developing
this section; was president of the Rocky
Ford Ditch company, stockholder in the
Touring mill. and served ten years as a
justice Of the peace. and later number
Of terms as school director. During this
time he became a.member Of Woods
worth Post No. e5 Of the G. A. R., and
By his loyalty and devotion to the prin-
ciples Of that organization endeared him
self to every member thereof.
On the evening Of his death he donned
his uniform and repaired to the public
reading room. where he joined number
of comrades Of the post, who, filled with
the spirit of loyalty and fraternity, were
about to repair to the residence Of their
Comrade Hines to pay their respects on
his birthday anniversary. and, after re-
naming few minutes in tho reading
Yoom Comrade Dennes looked at his