The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-05-18
Pioneer Hardware Merchant
Died Suddenly Friday at
Home on Market Street
END COMES WITHOUT WARMING
Deceased Had Been a Resident of the
County for More Than Sixty Years
and was the Last of the Prominent
Pioneer Merchants

G. A. Dewey, the last of that noble
band of pioneer merchants that built
up the retail trade in Kenosha and one
of the most prominent residents of the
city and county, died very suddenly
at his home on Market street just be-
fore five O'Clock Friday evening.
Death came without any warning and
the touch of death was so gentle that
even the wife of the deceased, who
was with him at the time, did not
recognize the approach of the end. A
| few minutes before his death Mr..
Dewey had been walking about the
yard at his home and going into the
house he had sat down in one of his
favorite chairs and was reading a
paper.
| His wife sitting in another part of
| the room noticed the paper fall from
his hands and when he failed to ans
wer she discovered that he was dead.
| Physicians were hurriedly summoned
to the house, but they discovered that
Mr.. Dewey had died instantly. Death
was due to failure of the heart action.
For some time Mr.. Dewey had been in
| feeble health, but his cheerful DISPOSE
ton had concealed from even those
nearest to him the approach of the
end. He had given up active business
life two months ago just after he pass
ed his eightieth birthday and since
/ that time his decline had been rapid.
CORTLAND Atwater Dewey was the
last of the seven children Of John
Moseiy Dewey and Lucinda Cook. He
was member of one of the famous
Vermont families and a close relative
of Admiral George Dewey Of the
United States navy. Mr.. Dewey was
born>at Milton, VT, January IS, 1881.
He spent his early life on the farm
and later attended the Burlington
Academy where he completed his edu-
cation.
In 1849 with the members of his
family he sailed from Buffalo on the
Hendrick Hudson and after long trip
around the lakes the party landed in
Southport in May of the same year.
The family settled on farm in the
town of Paris where the younger Dew
ey worked until after he attained his
majority. His first business venture
was as a patent medicine salesman
working for firm located at Wauke-
gan and he was SO successful in this
line that he decided to go into the
retail trade. In 1868 he came to Ke-
nosha and opened the hardware store
and he remained in active business I'm.
til few weeks ago.
Mr.. Dewey had been leader in all
movements to advance Kenosha. He
was early identified with politics as
an ardent Wing and with the organiza-
tion of the Republican party he be-
came one of the most ardent support
ers of the party in this section of the
state. Long before he came to Keno
sha he showed his interest in politics
and his work for the schools in the
town of Paris brought him to the Office
Of clerk of the school district which
he held for several years. Later he
served in the capacity of alderman of
the old First ward of the city and for
many years he was member of the
county board Of supervisors. He took
an active interest in the Old Settler s
club of Kenosha county and was one
of its charter members. For many
years he served as a director of the
club and he was always one of the
leading figures at the annual reunions
of the organization.
he WAS IudiII6u Ill hCHOSna June
27, 1860 to Miss Delina Pease Hale,
who with one son, CORTLAND Ernest
Dewey, and two grand daughters, Per
dita and Persis Dewey, survive him.
Mr.. Dewey was one of the best
known characters of Kenosha. Cheer
fullness was developed in him to
high degree and this cheerfulness of
disposition coupled with the keen in
terest in the lives Of the people he
chose as his friends made him prime
favorite with all. He was one of the
most familiar figures among the bust
ness men of the city and he could al
ways be counted on to aid any worthy
movement. To those who knew him
in his private life, the sorrow caused
by his death is most intense. To
these people he was like one of the
family and his death will cause sorrow
in many homes.
While he had lived the allotted four
score years the death of Mr.. Dewey
will be distinct loss to the business
and social life of Kenosha.