Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-11
One Of Oldest Residents Of Lib
erty Township Passes Away
in Des Moines Hospital
Started With Nothing, and Amassed
Fortune of ooo-owned 600 Acres
in One Tract in Liberty-shot Deer
Where Court House stands-An In
terestins Career.

--
John w. Lacy, one Of the oldest
and best known residents of the coun-
ty, and one of the earliest white set
tiers in Liberty township. died at
Mercy hospital, in Des Moines, at 9
o'clock Monday night. Mr.. Lacy was
taken to Des Noines few days ago
suffering with gall stones Upon max
ing an exploratory inoision it was not
deemed advisable to go further with
the operation, and the condition was
not relieved.
John Lacy, left an orphan when
very young, worked for pioneer farm
ers in the northwestern part of the
county for several years. He not only
went thru the hard knocks of pioneer
days. but battled against the heavy
odds of poverty. Today, at 20 years,
his estate is said to- be easily worth
$4,000, including $4,000 worth of fine
land in one Liberty township tract In
Was Not Close 1-isted Either
While John Lacy amassed a for
tune, as worldly goods are counted, he
was not of the close listed sort, and
no man in northwestern Marshall was
more charitably inclined than he. He
had been poor; he waAthe poor mans
friend. If an unfortunate brother
needed aid. he looked to John Lacy. If
a neighbor would realize some ready
cash from his corr or grain, John
Lacy stood ready to buy it, and it
was generally known that John Lacy
paid just a little mere than the mar
ket price, especially if he thought the
seller was in need of the money.
Shot Deer Where Court House Stands.
John Lacy was a rative of Iowa, and
came to this county as a lad. His
grandfather homesteaded a farm in
Liberty township in 1S47, and this
county has virtually been John Lacy's
home during his entire life. He
roamed about the north part of the
county as a boy, working at odd jobs
for farmers, and hunted on what is
now known as Norman ridge before
the memorable winter of As, when the
Mormons camped there. Mr. Lacy
often talked of hunting where Mar
shalltown is now built and of shooting
deer in the timber where the court
house now stands.
Acted as Substitute During War.
When a man named Clemens was
drafted for service in the civil war
John Lacy was his substitute. For
this Lacy received iln eighty-acre farm
in Liberty township. This was his first
landed possession, and he would have
liked to have got rid of that for little
or nothing.
offers it for So; Sells for 500.
After the war John Lacy returned
to Marshall county His eighty was
a wilderness, and he wanted to sell 1t
and get to a more civilized country
He offered it for So per acre, and could
find no buyer He then determined to
farm it himself He bought a pair of
"old plugs" as he called them, a COW
cred wagon, and pillow. and bullt
dugout, where he lived by himself.
John Lacy sold that same eighty for
500 per acre.
Mr.. Lacy was married in the latter
sos, taking as his bride Miss Ellen
Elliott She proved a good wife and
helpmeet to him, and by her husband
was accorded her just proportion OF
praise for making it win" !.
Builds Church for Neighborhood.
While lMr. Lacy was not "a pro-
fessed Christian n his younger days,
he proposed one day to Frank Barber,
of this city who was then his neighbor,
that they build a church. 1--WE don't
want to live like heathen; we want to
be like white folks" Lacy said Now
whatever John Lacy proposed usually
went and proved a success. He gave
the first 500 toward the church, and
donated five acres of ground. The
money was soon raised and the
church built Seven denominations
were represented when the vote was
taken on the denomination of the new
church. The Friends won out, for
they had held a. revival meeting the
winter before and had made a number
of converts. Charles Hammond, OF
LeGrand, was en- gagged as the first pas
tor, and preached there for two years.
Mr.: Lacy then went about to s,pulld
Ia parsonage, and later started move
ment for church organ. HIS ilperai-
ity in all publ; movements, as. Wen
as in his business dealings, was char
aoteristic of his nature.
Large Family Well Provided For /
Mr.. Lacy did, not wait until after nus
death to provide for his children, but
has set up each one on a farm or
helped them to get start. He leaves
besides his widow six claildren-fouf
daughters and Two sons. The daugh-
tiers are Mrs. Enoch Farris and Mrs.
Clarence Carey. of Gearing: Mrs sher-
man Brown and Mrs. Guy Cox. Of Lii
nois Grove; and the sons of Oliver j.
Lacy of Illinois Grove; and Edward
Lacy, who lives on the home place
Mr.. Lacy's body will be brought to
his home via McCallsburg. The funeral
arrangements have not yet been an
nounced.