The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1906-12-20

Emmons, survives him, and lives
with daughter, Mrs c. r. Fleming,
in Portland, Oregon, where another
sister, Mrs. Casa Anderson, also re.
sides. There are two other sisters,
Mrs. John Castles of St. Louis, Mo-.
and Mrs. o. T. Smith Of Washington.
Mr.. Emmons had lived in Washing
ton for the past twelve years; was a
lifelong member of the Friends
church until very recently, when he
transferred his membership to the
M. e. church. He was a consistent
Christian man, a kind and indulgent
husband and father, very devoted to
his family, and made friends with ali
whom he met.
STAFFORD.-The funeral services
over the late Henry Stafford were
held at the house on Saturday, the
18th of December, and were, at the
special request of the deceased. coI,-
Quoted by Rev. E. II. Waring, assisted
by the pastor, Rev. ]. w. Somerville,
and Rev. /. o. Kemble, an old acquaint.
ance and friend.
Mr.. Waring, who in January, 1851,
received Mr.. Stafford into the Meth
odist Episcopal church, and admins
tered to him the rite of baptism, based
his remarks on Rom. 1861: and the
services were conducted along the
lines common at funerals fifty years
ago. The pail bearers were Messrs.
G. w. Lyon, Zepheniah Hadley, w. H.
Shaw, A. ). Jewell, Albert Cooper and
VIM. Crosson. Those in attendance
at the funeral from out of town we're
Arson Tennis and wife Of Harrison
township, Mrs. Mabel Thompson of
Davenport, James Stafford and wife
of Spring Creek township, Frank My.
ers and Mr.. Thompson of Ottumwa,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick Of La.
cey. The body was laid away in the
family lot in Forest cemetery.
Henry Stafford, son Of Thomas and
Elizabeth Stafford, was born near the
town of Lafayette, Washington
county, Indiana, Oct. 10, 1920, and
died at Oskaloosa, Iowa, Dec. IL,
1906, aged So years, months and 3
days. His first wife was Miss Mary
LittIer, who died in Oskaloosa Jan.
7. 1874, aged SO. March IA, 1876, he
was married to Mrs. Mahala ROOD
nee Leslie, who survives him. His
parents removed while he was yet
young to Missouri from whence they
came to Iowa, and settled in Spring
Creek township, little northeast OF
the city, in 1912; but Henry remained
in Missouri, where he had farm, un'
til 1874, when he came to Mahaska
county, where he has since resided
He had no children; but was the last
of four brothers and three sisters,
two of whom died in the same house
in which he passed away; and it is
rather remarkable that the same min
lister was called, after the passing OF
forty-fve years, to officiate at his fu'
neral, that conducted the services at
the burial of one of these, Mrs. Seliah
McLane, in 1861. Henry Stafford
carried on for many years the livery
and sales business in this city, his
barn occupying the present site OF
the opera house; and frequently he
took horses from Iowa and sold them
in the Indian Territory, Arkansas
Texas and Louisiana. In those days
- ,,,o, - .Froprroon faarlaCC anbi
tious and full of enterprise. He
came of Quaker stock, but he had
paid no attention to religious mat
tiers until January, 1861, at a meet
ing held in the old Methodist church
in this city, on the site of the Cen
trail M. e. church, he became con
WINGED of his spiritual need, and
sought and found the peace which
passeth understanding. He at once
united with the Methodist Episcopal
church, in which he remained until
his death. He was one of the active
promoters of the movement which re
suited in the organization of the
Simpson church, for the building OF
which he said he himself hauled all
the stones for the foundation and felt
happy all the time he was doing it. .
In that society he was very useful
serving with great acceptance as a
leader, and often filling other Offices
in the church. But upon the reunion
of the two churches in 1894 he fell
into the Central church, and although
increasing years and the affiiction Of
deafness prevented him from active
service, and much of the time for the
last ten years kept him from the
means of grace, yet his interest in
the welfare of the church remained
undated. He was able to be
around and out on the streets until
some two weeks before his death, but
the years had broken him down, and
death, which came as welcome re
lease, came also gently as the pass
ing zephyr; and those blessed words
were fulfilled in him: "He giveth his
beloved Sleep"