The Coconino sun., 1908-09-11
PIONEER CROSSES BAR
Ferd Nellis Passes Away at Des Moines, Iowa. Funeral Largest Ever
 Held in Williams.

respected citizen of Coconino coun- ty Arizona passed away Wednesday morning September the End at Des Moines. Iowa, where he has been for some time under the care of skilled physicians.
 MT. Nellis was born in New York state. March 18th. 1855. He re. ceived his early training and edu- cation in the east, and in 1870 he came west to seek his fortune. Arizona became the scene of his activities and during the construc- tion of the A. & P. transcontinent- al railway. Mir. Nellis engaged in business at Challender, Arizona. 1t was his fortune to live in Arizona during her palmy days when money was no object, and human life was at sacrifice. The great forest now mutilated by saw and ax. then stood as nature had nurtured it, and where now the blackened stumps bear mute evidence O f ruthless slaughter. the monarchs of the mountains defiantlY reared their massive forms skyward The grass then grew to height of four feet over the whole mountain expanse while thousands of wild flowers blended their variety of colors with the green. Wild herds of deer an- telope and elk roamed the hills and plains. while the noun ain sheep jumped from crag to crag amid the rugged mountain solitudes. He witnessed the advent of the tie choppers and the pioneer ranchmen, and watched the successive stages of growth until the present day. He was not idle. but took an active part in all that transpired and la bored continuously for the advance ment of the land of his choice mak- ing Williams his home.
 In 1884. he married Miss Mary Willard. the daughter of a pioneer. Five children were born to them but unhappily the first born of their daughters died while yet child, and in 1901 son was drowned in a reservoir near Williams and two sons John, and Norman and a daughter Miss Florence. survive Mir. Nellis.
 Mir. Nellis was the first sheriff of Coconino County and later was a member of the l7th legislature during which time he proved his loyalty to Northern Arizona by se- curing the first apportionment for the Northern Arizona Normal Schools. Mir. Nellis was the pio- neer waterman of Williams having sunk several wells and constructed tanks to hold water for city use |. At the time of his death he was sole owner and proprietor of the Will
 jams water works
 The past four years MT. Nellis has been failing in health. but his condition was not considered seri- ous until recently. and on the 20th of June Mir Nellis left for the east in search of medical aid. On Thursday. Aug 2nd Mrs Nellis received a telegram that Mir Nell lis had to submit to an operation on Aug. 29th and she left for his bedside on the flyer Friday morning the 30th for Des Moines. Mr. Nellis was unable to withstand the operation and passed away on the morning of the End. When hear ing the time of the operation. William Nellis. brother of the de- ceased hastened to the side of his suffering brother and remained un til the last. Mrs. Nellis and the brother of the departed returned to Williams Sunday morning on the flyer bringing the remains with them. The body was taken to But tons undertaking parlors thence to the Nellis residence and then to the l. o. o. F hall. where the funeral services were held Sunday after soon at 3 o'clock p. m.
 The funeral was under the auspi- ces of the 1. o. 0. F and Kni ghts of Pythias lodges both of which he was member. The funeral cor. tege was led by the Odd Fellows the Rebeccas and Knights of Pyth. ias lodges. The hearse was fol lowed by large concourse of citi. zens. The floral offerings were profuse and the ceremony was as inonosino as if vvae sad