Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-10-16
AROUND The COUNTY
POTOSI..
Special Correspondence to the Herald.

O'Clock. The services were held at
the house, conducted bv Rev. w. T.
Price. The large attendance of
people and the long line of vehicles in
the funeral cortege showed the high
esteem in which he was held in the
community where he passed his life
tins. William Langstaff better
known as Billie" was born at South
Church, County of Durham, England,
on the 9Th day of January, 1851 when
two years of age, his parents iona
than Langstaff and wife came to Wis
consin and settled in British Hollow
in the town of Potos; in 1858, and
from then, to the time he closed his
eyes in his last sleep, Oct. 18th, 1912.
at l 80 o'clock in the morning he had
been a continuous resident of this
town, and his straight forwardness
and cheerful disposition won for him
friends by the score. He was a kind
husband and father, and a true
friend he would sacrifice himself
to aid a friend in need, and his
purse was always open to charity.
His pleasant smile and cordial greet
ing will be missed by the people of
this community, and more particularly
so by his most intimate friends. He
was a man of broad intellect and of
good business qualifications, though
possessing ION but a common country
school education. At an early age he
worked in the POtosi mines with his
father and brother. He worked his
fathers farm and did teaming in
spare time about thirty. five years or
more ago, he went into the agri-
cultural machine business; his ex-
perience in that line was selling the
McDermot corn c~utlivators manu-
featured in Dunleith now called East
Dubuque and he sold hundreds of
them throughout the country. He
next added to his business the sale Of
the Mccormick self rake reapers and
mowers and he continued adding to
his growing trade until he was selling
machines of almost every make in
1881 he entered into partnership with
Barney Pratt under the firm name of
Pratt and Langstaf with headquart-
eTs at P%latteville the firm did a large
volume ut business but it proved to
be an unsuccessful venture for Billie
and at the end of one year he with.
nc Eunwrr tho GmNn H. AL@~ -.
entered into the business by himself
which proved to be more successful
for him. He retired about eight
years ago. For two years he was the
travelling salesman for the Smedley
Steam Pump Co, of Dubuque. He
forwards entered into various bust.
ness enterprises his last being
the sale of lightning rods; he
was making many sales in this line
until sickness overlook him about ten
weeks ago. William Langstaff and
Miss Margaret Mclaughlin were
joined in holy matrimuny in 1878
The loving and devoted wife and
mother died March 18th, 1898, leaving
the husband and two small daughters
Lillian and Laura. Lillian the cid
est died shortly after the death of the
mother. The deceased is mourned by
his only daughter Mrs. Clarence
Calvert, OF Lancaster and one sister,
Mrs. George Chaldens and one brother
Simon Langstaff both of British
Hollow. The pail bearers were old
friends of the deceased some of whom
were boyhood chums; they we're E.
NJ. Wilmott, j. Fl, Powell, William
Gillian, Joseph Vogelsberg, G. M.
Schmitz and James McGarry.
After a lingering illness of two
years or more Mrs. Margaret Roeser,
a very highly respected old resident
of the town of Potosi, died at her
home on the farm Friday morning,
Get. 18th at eight o'clock. The
funeral took place Monday forenoon
from the residence to ST. Andrews
Catholic church and was very largely
attended. Reqieum high mass was
celebrated by Rev. Father Pape who
at the conclusion Of which be deliver
ed a very impressive sermon. The
lnterment was made in the old GENE
terry by the side of her husband, who
had preceded her to the grave seven
teen years ago. Mrs. Doeser was
born near Coblenz in the kingdom of
Prussia, February Goth, 1885. She
came to this country with her husband
and children and settled in the town
of Potosi about 42 years ago and had
since resided here. Mrs. Roeser was
a dutiful and kind loving wife and
mother and a sincere friend. She
was a strong adherent to the Catholic
faith and died fortified with all the
rights of the church. She leaves to
m0urn her loss tbroo d~ouob+orC Mr.