Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-08-01
Obituary

John w. Arthur was born in Phila-
delphia, Pennsylvania, June Both, 1859,
was educated in the public schools of
his native city, graduated in a pharm-
acy course at Franklin university and
was employed for a number of years in
a drug store in that city. Later the
firm went into the wholesale business
and Mr.. Arthur was promoted to assis-
tant chemist which position he held
until 1888. He resigned to come west
and located at Owatonna, MINI. 1t was
in this city that he met Miss Clara
McDougall which eliminated in their
marriage in December. 1884.
In the spring of 1885, Mr.. and Mrs.
Arthur, together with her parents and
their family, came to Dakota and located
on homesteads in Morton township, Day
county, where their three children were
born.
Robert graduated from the Webster
High school, later from the military
academy at West Point, and is now a
first lieutenant in the coast artillery
stationed at old Fort Comfort, in Vir-
ginia. Irene, also a graduate from the
Webster schools, later completed a col
lege course, and with Walter S., the
baby of the family, comprised the fam
lily. Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur resided on
the homestead until the fall of 1894
when the farm was sold and they moved
into Webster. Mrs. Arthur died on
December 20, 1898.
In 1903 deceased was married to Mrs
May E. Whitemore and the Family
resided in Webster until the fall of 1908
when they moved to Waukashau, Wis,
where Mr.. Arthur died on July "a, 1912,
of cirrhosis of the liver and other COM
plications.
For all the years of his residence here
deceased was closely identified with
Webster and its best interests and was
always a booster for this section of the
state. During three years of his resi-
dence in Webster he was associated in
business with the writer as editor of the
Reporter and Farmer. Was local post
master from 1898 to 1902.
He was always active in politics as a
stalwart republican, and was admired
by his political friends and respected by
his political enemies. In speaking of
the deceased one of his strongest oppon-
ents said of him ''that John sure was a
shrewd politician but always made his
fight in the open, never resorting to
questionable methods and trickery but
making a hard, clean fight, and some
Of his worst political enemies were his
best personal friends"
Deceased was a member of Coteau
lodge No. 81. A. F. and A. NJ, and Rab-
boni chapter No. %, r. A. M. was a
pastHighPriest; of Webster lodge, /. O.
o. F., and had gone through the chairs
of that organization; was a member of
Webster lodge No. SO, A. o. U. W., of
which he was past master workman,
diiu dlSO VI IhS lin lIdIcfiIIy.
The remains arrived in this city Fri
day evening and were taken to Mohs'
undertaking rooms. The funeral took
place Saturday from the Methodist Epis-
copal church under the auspices of the
Coteau Masonic lodge. Pastor Crisp
preched an eloquent, touching and COM
forting sermon from the text Corin-
thians ii, iv-xviii. A choir consisting
of l.. w. Bicknell, w. C. Happe, Mrs.
|. S. Coomes and Miss Mabel Alley rem
dered some beautiful and appropriate
music. and MissAlley sang an especially
touching solo.
The Masonic burial service was ren