The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-06-01
NJ. BENTLEY IS DEAD
Well Known Druggist and Citizen
Passes Away this Morning.

! The community was shocked and
grieyed this morning upon hearing
of the death of Newman j. Bentley,
junior partner of the business firm of
Green & Bentley, for thirty-one years
leading drug store of Oskaloosa. He
passed away at tweIve-thirty o'clock
this Wednesday morning, May 31st,
the result of peritonitis, following an
aCcute attack of appendicitis and the
rupture of the appendix. The funeral
will be held at two-thirty o'clock p.
m, Friday, June 2, at the late resi-
dence, No. 911 C avenue east. Inter-
ment in Forest cemetery.
The deceased submitted to an oper-
alton short time ago for gall stones.
\ The operation was successful in all
ways, the trouble being removed, the
/ patient relieved and he was GONZALES
cling rapidly. He was able to get
around following the operation when
4 he became the victim of an accute
l attack of appendicitis. He was not
1 strong and a second operation was
1 deferred until the patient might be a
/ little stronger. Not until twenty
! four hours preceding death was the
condition of the man regarded as Sc
rious. The condition then gave symp-
/ toms OF an alarming nature and peri
limits developed rapidly, resulting in
death early this morning. Three
daughters and a son are left to sur
yive. The children are Julia, Harry
! Howe, Bernice and Louise, to whom
goes out the sincerest sympathy of
a grief-stricken community. The
wife, Belle Howe Bentley, who was a
sister of William Howe, of the Palmer
House, Chicago, died about ten years
ago.
Newman j. Bentley was born in
4 Pike county, Illinois, November %,
! 1854 and was Sc years, months and
! . days of age at date of death. The
parents were MahlOn and Julia Miller
! Bentley, and the family resided in
numerous places in Pike county. N.
! J. received his early schooling at
! Griggsvile, Illinois. He became con-
neCted with a drug house while lad
and for seven years before coming to
! OskalOOsa was connected with the
Richardson Wholesale drug house of
St. Louis. The name Of the firm of
Green & Bentley in the history of Os-
kaIOOsa merchandising dates from the
spring of 1880 and the house has been
! in its present location. No. 1903 High
avenue West, thirty-one years. The
coming of N. j. Bentley and the es-
| adjustment of the firm of Green &
I Bentley in the city was more by acct
! dent than otherwise. Mr.. Bentley
and ChRs. o. Green, a brother of Fred
+. Green, of Griggsville, Illinois, were
Ell route to Parsons, Kansas, for the
opportunity offered at that place.
| They met while on the train A. J. and
| Elmer Parkhurst and learned that a
desirable opening existed at Oska-
| lOOsa, Iowa, where an old-time firm
! desired to sell its property. They
were invited to come to this city and
| look over the situation in case the
! Kansas proposition did not prove in
viting or satisfactory. Mr.. Bentley
came to OskalOosa early in May 49,
and the business opportunity present
! ed here was such that he and his part
ner, Charles o. Green, completed the
negotiations and purchased the store
and stock OF II. l.. Briggs d Co. AT
| he solicitation of his mother, Fred
! f. Green came to OskalOOsa and pur-
| chased the interests of Charles o. in
| the business and became senior part
ner in the house. The business was
young at that day, with but two
| clerks, Ed. K. Hines and Harry
! Glass Seven years later, in 1887, the
firm extended its property and incor-
! pOrated the Wholesale branch of the
| business and has become one of the
, largest and best known houses of its
! kind in Iowa. Mr.. Bentley for time
| was on the roau for the house and
much of the success of the firm is
due to his tireless energy and his ca
/ paCity for work. He was a man of
| keen business instinct and Capability
and his association in other bodies
was sought after. He has been on
the directory of the OskaloosG Com
mercial club almost since he came to
the city. He has also been on the
board of the retail merchants asso-
citation and had been a prominent
member in the management of the
/ OskalOOsa Country Club. He was one
! of the most active business men of
| tho community and a citizen with
whom the city can i'll afford to part
at this time His works have made
! him widely known in social and trade
circles and his taking off is most un.
/ timely. MilMBf Uni WW