The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-12-07
]. B. ROMANS
IS AT REST
Another Pioneer Resident Of Oenison
Passes to the Great Beyond
This Morning.
FUNERAL TO BE HELD FRIDAY
Had Been in Poor Health for Past
Three Years and Under Care OF
Family for Six Months.

Peacefully and without struggle,
at six O'Clock this morning, the spirit
of John B. Romans, for many years
prominent citizen of Denison, took its
flight and returned to God who gave it.
The life of Mr.. Romans, for almost
week before his death, had hung in
the balance, his friends thinking each
hour would be the last, but his natur-
ally strong constitution kept him
alive long after all hope of even
rally in his condition had been aban-
doned.
The deceased was born in Harrison
county, Ohio, on the sixth day OF Sep
tember, 1912, and was therefore slight
" upwards of sixty-eight years OF age
at the time of his death. His father,
Elisha Romans, and his mother, Eliza
beth, both came from old Quaker fam
lilies. He came with his parents to|
Clinton county, Iowa, in 1856, where
his father engaged in farming with
fiattering prospects OF success. With
in year or two, however, on account
of the panic of 1857 and on account OF
obligations created by him which he
expected to meet by payments to be
made to. him for property which he
had sold on time, and the failure OF
the purchasers to make such pay
ments, his remaining property was
sacrificed, and he lost practically
everything he had. He then rented a.
farm and started anew, but soon after
in March, 1858, his death occurred,
leaving the deceased, then sixteen
years OF age, the eldest child in the
family. The other children were
Catherine, who afterwards married
George F. Goudie, now living at Miller,
S. D.; Ann, who afterwards married
e. F. Councilman, now living at Seney,
Iowa; Hanna, who afterwards married
Charles B. Eaton, of Manchester,
Iowa; Lewis, who now lives in Denl-
son; Robert A., who recently removed
from here to Aberdeen, S. d., to en-
gage in the banking business, and
Eva, long since deceased. The entire
responsibility of the family after his
fathers death was thrown upon }. b.,
and he did not for moment shirk
the responsibility of taking his tath-
er's place in providing for his widowed
mother and his younger brothers ana
sisters. In short time, by his In
dustry and economy, he had saved
enough to enable the purchase OF an
eighty-acre farm, on which the family
lived for several years. His mother
afterwards came to this county ana
died on February 27, 1889, at Charter
Oak.
AS he grew to manhood he devel-
oped an ambition for an education and
for a portion of four years he attended
the State university at Iowa City
where he applied himself as student
who ears the money to pay his way
in college usually applies himself.
Soon after leaving Iowa City he came
to Crawford county, where at the age
Of twenty-six he was united in mar
rage with Miss Mary, daughter OF
Hon. H. c. Laub, then the leading
merchant and business man OF the
county. After his marriage he and his
wife spent one year on the farm with
his mother. He then returned to
Denison and for three years was en-
ployed in the mercantile establish
ment of Mr.. Laub, at the end OF which
time he formed partnership with
his employer, which was conducted
under the firm name of Laub 4
Romans. This partnership continued
until 1884, when Mr.. Laub was sue
ceeded in the same by Robert A.
Romans, who remained member OF
the firm until 1890, after which j. b.
continued the business alone. Sever
al years after this the business was
incorporated under the name OF j. B.
Romans Company, with B. j. Sibbert
and others taking stock in the con-
cern, and has been conducted in this
name ever since, although Mr.. Romans
closed out his interest in the COM
pany some four or five years ago.
Mr.. and Mrs. Romans had born to
them four children: Harry, who died
several years ago; Lydia Maude;
lone, now Mrs. Lane H. Goodman, of
Sioux City, Iowa; and Junia, now Mrs.
NJ. ]. McAhren, of Denison.
n,,rinp his career I'm business Mr,