Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-07-22
A GOOD MAN GONE
Passing of Charles Orion Popular and
Well Loved Citizen

May Is, 1913, at Catherine Street.
Hackney Road. London, England, died
at Lancaster. Wisconsin, on July is,
1908. He was the son of Charles and
Mary Orion who came from England
in the early part of the year 1868
directly to Lancaster with their nine
children-six sons and three daugh-
tiers. Charles was the eldest son.
Four of his brothers, William,
Thomas, Walter and Frederick, and
one sister, Alice, the wife OF Mr..
James Wenzel, county treasurer, sur
Vive him. His father, who was 9
man of more than ordinary ability,
died in March. 1858, e short time
after arriving in Lancaster, leaving
limited means. The widowed moth
er. who lived until April, 1878,
proved equal to the burden that Provi-
dence had placed upon her, and with
what help the older ones could give
her brought up her children respecSa-
bly, and imbued them with correct
ideas for she was woman OF intel
Iigence and uprightness. Charles did
not attend school after coming to Lam
caster. He helped his mother by his
earnings from clerking in stores and
from other empIoyments. But though
he had not the school advantages of
most boys in this country he became
q man Of good education, to a con-
siderable extent self-taught. In
November, 1872, he was married to
Miss Alice Wright, who lives to
mourn his loss. Five children were
born to them, four of whom survive
the father, Harry, John, Jessie (now
Mrs. Mackey, and Mabel.
Charles Orion was loving husband
and father. He was retiring.
modest man whose ability was greater
than he conceived it to be. He was
not aggressive and never pushed him
self forward. He was not at ease with
a casual acquaintance, but those with
whom be was familiar found him q
very pleasant companion. He made
many friends and estranged none.
had a perfect sense of order. Exact.
itude and neatness were typical of all
he did, He delighted ir good music.
His musical ear was exact and a
false note panied him. He was lover
of nature. and one of his greatest en-
joyments was to wander the fields and
the woods, to study and admire the
trees, the plants and the flowers Nc
one in this community knew more
Of plants and flowers than he or could
grow them with greater perfection.
1t was spoken of man of national
fame who had passed to the beyond
that one of his most commendable
charactistics was that he was a lover
of flowers and little children. This
can be most truthfully said also OF
Charley Orion. He was baptized in
the church of England, but was not
attached as d member to any church.
He was not. however, a skeptic He
had regard for the churches and
recognized their benifcent influence.
No one, believe, Certainly not the
writer. who was with him much) ever
heard him speak soothing word OF
religion or of those protesting it. He
= had keen sense of right and wrong
and tried always to do what was
right. He failed at times, as we all
do, and no one was aware of this
more than himself. We all know
Il
months, under what physical disad.
vantage he, through many years,
lived and worked. The wonder is
that he was able to keep up and ac-
complish all that he did. The disease
that cut him down had been upon
him for years before it became viru-
lent last autumn. For several years
it had made good nights sleep an
exception, and on many days he work.
ed ia pain that would have caused
one of less will power and sense OF
duty TO put aside the pen. His con-
dition made him respondent at times.
but he was accomplishing and went
about his work cheerfully.
To the mass Of the people OF the
counties OF Grant, Iowa. Lafayette,
Richland and Crawford he was best
known as Court Reporter Of the Fifth
Circuit, position, he held for nearly
"a years. Immediately after Judge
Clementson was elected to the bench
in the spring Of 1882, he, knowing Mr..
Orton's skill with the pen and his
intelligence and reliability, offered
him the position Of court reporter If
he would learn stenography. Mr.
Orton at once began its study and be-
came so proficient that he was ap-
nninkAd the official ranorfar rrhnn