Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-30
PIONEER MERCHANT
Of The CITY DIES
Edward Willigrod Passes Away
at Sons Home After Two
Weeks Illness
FIRST DRY GOODS MAN OF TOWN
ENGAGED in Business Here in 1854, and
Has Lived Hero Ever Since, With
Exception of Six Years Spent in
California--Built First Frame DWELL
ina in Town, Present T.-R. Site.

goods man of MarshalltoWn, one OF
the first merchants of the town. ana
the builder of the first frame dwelling
house erected in MarshalltoWn, passed
away this morning at 1885 at the
home Of his son, George Wilhgrod, 4o'
West Church street.
Mr.. Willigrod was taken I'LL two
weeks ago last Saturday, when pneu-
monia developed. Despite his age he
welded we'll to treatment, and began
TO improve after a weeks sickness
Then a prostate trouble developed, and
for the past week his condition had
heen critical. The end came peacefully
with the members of the family ABOUT
his bedside.
Had First Dry Goods Store.
Edward Willigrod was a native OF
yerden, Germany, and was born May
8. 1892. He sailed from Bremen April
i 1s4s. for this country, and the YES
sell experienced mishap at sea- re-
sulting in a delayed voyage OF Two
uonths' duration. Mr.. Willigrod set
fled at Mansfield, O., and there mar
ried Catherine Click. a sister OF Dr'
George Click, of this city, on March
q, 1854. w. 80
Directly after their marriage Mr.. ana
Mrs. Willigrod came to Iowa, stopplne
at Iowa City for two months. In July
1874. they reached this place, then
Struggling village. Mr.. Willigrod en-
barked in the dry goods business nm
mediately, and conducted ms store -,
a little frame building that s.ooo
where the Chamberlain jewelry store
is now situated. Later, us the low
grew. and business increased, MI WIZ.
igrod formed a co-partnershlp WIN
his hnother-.n-law, DR.. Click, and en-
tered the general merchandise business
under the firm name of CLICK q Will
grod.
Mr.. Willigrod was also heavily m
terested in the grain business. ne
dealt extensively, and had amassed a
snue fortune. He had built what was
nrohat,ly at that time the finest nome
in the city, at the corner OF Th1rd ave-
MO and Linn street, now the nome u
Mrs. Seth Zug.
In 1886 business in all lines was
depressed, and a furry IN the "hea'
n,arkat caused a severe loss TO the
holders of that commodity. MT. Will
yrod was struck with many others
and was so unfortunate as 10 lose
ma cticallv everything he had. includ-
ing his elegant home.
His financial reverses causeu ~
willigrod to seek southern California,
which was then booming, and IN the iai'
Of 1886 the family moved to Pasaoeha'
which was their home for two years.
The next four years were spent IN Los
Angeles. and then the family returned
m Marshalltown. Three years later, IN
1895, Mrs. Willigrod died.
Built First Frame House.
When Mr.. Willigrod came to Mar
shalltown as a young man ne, IKE oth-
ers built a log house. This he and
his bride shared with Mrs. Wllllgrods
brother and his wife, DR.. and MRS
click. AS Mr.. Willigrod prospered ne
looked for a better home, and built the
first frame dwelling house In the town.
which stood on the present site OF the
Times-Republican building. Later ne
built the house at 104 West State
street. which is still standing, and
where the family lived until the Third
.yon,a and Linn residence was COM
pleted.
Insurance Business Many Years.
After his return to this city 1ro!h
California Mr. Willigrod engaged IN
the insurance business, and has peen
actively engaged in this business ever
since. Since the death Of his wife Mr..
willigrod has made his home with MS
daughter. Mrs. P. S. Balch, and son,
Mr.. George Willigrod, who are his only
surviving children. Three other chill
dren were born to Mr.. and Mrs. VIII
,igrod. and are now dead. julius, a son,
died in San Francisco, Nov. ~, 1905;
Edward willigrod, Jr., died at Los An
geles Dec. 81, 1895; and Julia May
died May Is, 1876, in this city.
There also survive the deceased two
half-sisters and half-brother. One or
the sisters, Mrs. Lower, lives in Iowa
CITY. The other is in Genoa, Italy, and
the brother in Germany. Mr.. Willigrod
was member of the A. o. U. w. OF
this city, to which he had belonged for
many years.
The funeral will be held from the
George Willigrod home Wednesday af-
ternoon at 2:30, Rev. Merle N. smith
officiating. Interment will be In the
family lot in Riverside.
BucKNER ON PATRIOTISM.