Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-21
CAPTAIN S. n. HARPER.

CANAAN Samuel H. Harper, whose
sudden death Ottumwa mourns To-Day
was a type Of the best citizenship. ~
r,aa snccessful in business, IN nome :,
life sha was the ideal HUSBAND anu
eather In civic affairs he was actlVe'
giving his time and money ana lenu.
INC fhe weight of his influence ~
.verv. movement for the moral ao'
vancement Of the community.
Ha was always among the tlrst 70
.rawer the call to service. He was put
90. bov az 10 when he enlisted as a
nr;yafe to serve during the bitter strug.
-. e the civil war. He was captain OF
his company when he closed MS Inleo
Years and seven months OF selyleo'
and none Of the honorary titles ne wVn
later ia life was as dear TO MN as lug
one that marked distinguished serves
81 the days of the countrys sr 'S''e''
need. 800, ~ . few
thousands when Captain harper re-
turned from the war and secureo gu.
n1oyment in a hardware store wv
vars y later he embarked in business
~ himgelf. This was in 1869, and ne
,smained at the head Of the firm tnen
sstahlished until his death, building up
= wholesale business that has gained
.odership. one Of the institutions that
has aided in making Ottumwa the 1oo'
hing center 1t has become. ~.s.-.-
- n+ain Harper was one OF the group
- nnblic spirited citizens always TO pc
found at the front In any movement 70
advance Ottumwa's commercial inter-
eve. IL was instrumental in securing
-, nttumwa the big labor employing
institutions that have brought about
the city's substantial grown. His name
viii always live among the names OF
~ . few city builders whose self-sacri-
s;cinp efforts aided in giving Ottumwa
its present proud position among Iowa
r is gratifying to know that Captain
rYarner's fellow citizens appreciated
a,,rinr his life time the service he
sara to the community. He served two
tsr,,,s as state senator, the highest
nffice in the gift of the county. He
nos once honored by being named
rrss;d entail elector for the sixth dis
trict The Grand Army veterans of tho
s+sts s;rnally honored him by electing
MIN department commander OF the
EYnwa q. "A. n. ne Aoo OSSAA OAAS -
me moving spirits in the Wapello
rnnnty Old Settlers association, was
: rrinne mover in the organization and
d.velopment Of the Y. M. c. A., loyal
smnporter Of the Open Door mission.
and a faithful religious worker, giving
nersonal service and financial aid to
Tho church. He was one Of the most
1--we members of the First Presby-
terian church and for long period an
J cider in the church. He always gave
promptly and freely to every solicita-
ton for a worthy cause.
when death claimed him so suddenly
CAPTAIN Harper was serving as mayor
az Ottumwa, an office he assumed In
answering another call to service. He
was called to office during crisis
when a strong man was needed. His
health was not robust. he had business
activities that were pressing, yet he
gave the city his most loyal services.
Il may be that the cares of the mayor
atty. the routine of the office and the
night meetings added their part to the
causes of his death. Perhaps he
realized that his health was suffering
from the added strain. But II he did he
said nothing of it. He had been given a
position of trust by the people, and he