Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-25
D. 6. WILBUR
DIES SUDDENLY
Drops Dead of Heart Disease at
His Home EARLY This
Morning
END CAME WITHOUT WARNING
Mr.. Wilbur Had Been in Failing
Health for Several Months, But Had
Not Been Bedfast-Was One of tho
Oldest Business Men of the City
Sketch of His Career.


did that of ID. c. Wilbur, who passed
away suddenly at an early hour this
morning at his home, No. South Sixth
street. Mr.. Wilbur has been in fall
ing health since September, and for
few days has been confined to his home
suffering from the effects of organic
heart trouble, which has been aggra-
waited by a catarrhal trouble of long
standing, and q dropsical affection. MI.
Wilbur was feeling as well as usual
Tuesday. and was up and about the
house all day. He arose from bed at
turning to his room fell to the floor
dead.
The death of Mr.. Wilbur removes
from Marshalltown one of the citys
oldest business men. lie was man
of many friends, and of an extensive
acquaintance, made during the many
years In which he has been actively
engaged in the furniture business. He
was of q jovial disposition. n man easy
to meet and courteous to an extreme,
and his friends We're numbered by his
acquaintance.
David Colburn Wilbur was a native
of Trunbull county, Ohio, and was
born in 1S4S, on a farm near Johnson
vile, being the third from the young
est of the eight children of his par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph c.. Wilbur.
Mr.. Wilbur came west in March, 1869.
locating in Boonesboro, Boone county,
now a part Of the city of Boone. In
every way he was a self-made man,
as his start was from the most humble
beginnings, without the assistance OF
any one but himself. In 1872 he came
to Marshalltown, as he has often said,
without dollar that he could call his
own. He was young and ambitious,
and attic possessing a limited educa-
ton, was bound and determined to
make success of life. Upon coming
to this city Mr.. Wilbur entered the
employ of his cousin. Delos Arnold,
now Of Pasadena, Cal, who was then
engaged in the furniture business at
II West Main street, where the b. A.
Morgan drug store is now located. Mr.
Wilbur was in his Cousins employ as
clerk for three years, and during that
time learned much of the furniture
business. Seth and Otis Arnold, the
former now of Pasadena, and the lat
ter long since dead, bought out the
business of Delos Arnold in 1875 and
for two years Mr.. Wilbur worked for
the successors. In 1877 the late Les
ter c. Jrpson and Mr.. Wilbur formed
a copartnership. and bought the bust
ness of Arnold Bros. moving the store
to larger quarters, in the room now
occupied by the Schmidt hardware
store corner of Main and First The
firm of Upson & Wilbur continued in
business until 1887, when Mr.. Wilbur
assumed his partners interest in the
business, which he conducted IN the
same place until 1890, when he moved
to the Masonic block, and has ever
since occupied the double store room
at 113-115 West Main. During the
greater part of the past four years Mr..
wilbur has had associated with him
his son, Mr.. Fred Wilbur, who has as
sisted his father in the management or
the business.
Mr.. Wilbur was married at Kins-
man, o., to Miss Lottie V. Miner, IN
1870. Three sons were born to them,
Harry Lynn and Fred, the two elder
having died in infancy. Mrs. Wilbur
died in this city in 1894, and in 1897
Mr.. Wilbur was married to Miss Ida
Sheets Of this city, who survives him.
One daughter, June, years of age,
was born to the second union. Aside
from his own children Mr.. Wilbur has
reared as his own Miss Eva Miner
Wilbur, niece of the first Mrs. Will
bur. whom Mr.. and Mrs. Wilbur took
at the age of 8 months, Immediately
after the death of her mother. Miss
Wilbur has been given q college edu-
cation and is now with her own father,
William Miner, at Charlottesville, Ind.
Mr.. Wilbur was prominent in secret
society circles, and was member OF
several orders at the time of his death.
He was one of the first members OF
Marshall Lodge, No. los, A. +. and A.
NJ; of Signet Chapter, No. 50, r. A. NJ;
and ST. Aldemar Commandery, No. 30,
knights Templar. He was also a
member of Central Chapter No. 81.
Order of the Eastern Star; Of AGA
Zig Temple, A. A. o. N. M. S., Des
Moines; of Banner Lodge, No. 1913, I. O..
O. f.. of which he was a trustee at the
time of his death; Marshall Tent, No.
25. knights of the Maccabees; and
Chippewa Tribe, No. 40. I. o. r. NJ. Mr..
Wilbur was also member of the Con-
gregational church.
Mr.. Wilbur is survived, aside from
his wife. son, Mr.. Fred Wilbur, and
daughter June, by two brothers and
two sisters. The sisters are Mrs. Julia
Griffee and Mrs. Louisa r. Holcomb,
of Boone, and the brothers, j. K. Will
bur. of Gardena, Cal, and A. e. Will
bur. of this city. The two older
brothers of the family. Dwight L.
Wilbur and Orlando r. Wilbur, are
dead. the former having passed away
only last June, at Los Angeles, Cal
Orlando r. Wilbur. who W. an early
resident Of this city. died at johnson.
Vile. O., Jan. 10. 1866. The younges
brother. Curtis f. Wilbur, was acct
dentally killed in 1895 by collision
in Denver between an electric car an
railroad train.
The funeral of Mr.. Wilbur will be
onducted Friday morning at 1880 O.
lock from the residence. The service
which will be In charge Of Rev. Elijah
Brown Jones, d. D., pastor of the First
Baptist church, will be brief, and for
he relatives only. Thursday afternoon
between / and 5 o'clock, the house will
be open to friends. The interment If
Riverside. will be with Masonic honors.