The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-03-16
FATHER Of {. '. OEbS
DIES At TERRE HAUTE
Curtain Falls Upon Pioneer Citi-
zen Of the Wabash Valley
After Useful Life,
Father of Great Labor Orator Was
Well Loved Man by Peo-
pie of All Glasses.

Terre Haute. Ind, March 14.-With
the passing of Jean Daniel Debs the
curtain falls upon a pioneer Of the
Wabash valley. Born at Colmara,
Alsace, then a French possession, in
1890, Mr.. Debs at the age of %, sailed
for America, and after a tempestous
voyage Of tw" months, landed in New
York, In 1a49, where, in the same year,
he was married to Mary Marguerite
Betterich, native also of Alsace, and
where the young couple spent the first
year Of their welded life.
In 1850 Mr.. and Mrs. Debs moved
westward to Cincinnati and after
few months to Terre Haute, via the
old canal, arriving there in May, 1851,
making that their future home and
final resting place. Mr.. Debs engaged
III various activities, including the
packing Of pork, in the early days, and
other. enterprises incident to the
pioneer life of the little village.
In the early f1fties a grocery was
established on North Fourth street, the
building yet standing, and In 1858 this
was removed to the corner of Eleventh
and Main streets, then a vast expanse
of unbroken prairie, where new home
vas built which for nearly half CEN
tury was The haven Of the family life.
1t was there that Mr.. Debs and a faith
full wife, who f1inched from no priva-
ticn or Ia, 1shir those early days i'm
posed, bravcly met hand in hand, the
trials cf life, Eere that their brood
Was reared, and thejr joys and sorrows
shared; hore tia; :heir modest tri-
uniphs, including the respect of neigh
Dor, and love CT friends, were achiev-
ed: here that the golden wedding was
celebrated and "the evenings embers
changed from red to gray; and they
oiung with all their hearts and to their
latest moments to the dear old place.
seven mnrths ago Mrs. Debs was
summoned by the death angel and the
old home. SO many years the scenes of
domestic JOY, was left in mourning.
The loved and loving mother, whose
consecrated presence had so long been
its light and life had gone out from it
forVer+.
The sane summons also reached the
aged husband and father and calmly
and serenrly he awaited the end. Soon
it came and his tired heart has now
ceased to beat forever
Jean Daniel ,Debs, it n.a.?. be said in
simple truth. was man in all the in
tegrfty Of nature Doy by day he did
his duty as a citizen, neighbors and
friend; he lived the simple. upright
life of an honest man. He cared moth
ing for outer show, but everything fo1
inner worth. He lived his own life
Cn dfound time and means to make il
beautiful in the quiet of his own home
He loved books and pictures and mu-
sic. He was familiar with the classics
Of literature and the paintings of the
masters. and his mind was stored with
the treasures Of genius. I1p his early
years he played the cornet with mar
vclous skill and in his later life he
knew by heart the names and works
of all composers. He had an intuitive
love of are and was a natural connois.
seur of paintings and, few men hac
more intimate knowledge Of the mas.
terpieces that enrich the galleries O.
the world.
Above all. Jean Daniel Debs lovec
and served his. fellow men and leave!
to his family and his friends the mem
ory of a beautiful life, the life of
devoted husband, no BILE father, use
full citizen and an honest man.
The remains were deposited at High
land Lawn cemetery, being met at tn
entrance and escorted to the grave t,
the strains of Chopin's funeral march
The services closing with the rendition
OF The Marseillaise," the favorit
hymn Of the deceased.
Mr Union Man:-Notifx Your renfs