Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-04-24
THE PASSING OF
|. c. CENSMAN
Neighbors and Friends Surprised and
Shocked to Hear of Sudden
Death of Well Known
Citizen.
LIVED HERE NEARLY so YEARS.
Was Member of That Hardy Pioneer
Type Of Citizen Fast
Disappearing.

Townspeople were shocked and
surprised early Sunday morning to
learn of the sudden death of Levi g..
Gensman for almost fifty years res
ident of this city.
Mr.. Gensman's condition was
known to be precarious but the fact
that he was up and around over
since coming from Waterloo, two
weeks ago, led many to think that he
was improving. Saturday he seemed
to be weaker during the day, al
though his condition was not alarm
ling. The family retired earlier than
usual that night, having been weary
and worn with much watching at
night, and slept heavily.
About 2 o'clock Sunday morning,
Mrs. MacCanon of Des Moines, one
of the married daughters of the fam
lily who has been assisting in her
fathers care this winter, awakened,
feeling that all was not right with
her father. fastening to his bed
side she found that he was not there.
A hasty search of the premises re-
vealed no trace of him and the peo-
pie in the neighborhood and later
Others in the town were notified and
searching parties began looking for
him. His lifeless body was found In
tside an hour, only d few rods from
the front door Of his home, where he
had been overtaken by death.
Examination revealed the fact that
death resulted from ruptured blood
vessel below the heart. He had fully
dressed himself and the condition Of
his shoes showed that he must have
gone only short way from the door
yard before painless death came.
The family are grieved and shock
ed over the fact that in one moment
of relaxation of vigilance, in the de-
lirium with which he suffered the
day before, the aged man should meet
death away from the loving care
which he had been given during his
long illness.
Levi Churchill Gensman was born
Feb. II, 1885, in Boston, N. Y. He
came OF family known for their re-
markable longevity, his father, Adam
Gensman, having been one of the
earliest settlers Of Bach Grove, in
Wright county, in the early SOS, and
living until nearly 100 years of age.
His grandfather was los years of
age at his death and other members
of the family lived to great old age.
Mr.. Gensman was united in marri-
age Oct. q, 1861, to Miss Lucinda
Middleditch in Boston, N. Y, where
they lived until 1872, when they re-
moved to Webster City, where Mr..
Gensman was a blacksmith engaging
actively at his trade until about sew
en- years ago when he sustained a
stroke OF paralysis. Since then he
retired from business but has been
reasonably well until in the early
part of the winter, when he was talk
en- with severe grippe while on visit
to Waterloo at the home of daugh-
ter. The best Of care and attention
during his stay there improved his
condition enough to return to this
city about two weeks ago.
Mr.. Gensman was a man of strong
personality; ambitious and indus
trious all his life, he was a frugal,
thrifty type of pioneer stock which is
fast disappearing. He was the kind
est of neighbors and friends and died
in the enjoyment of the respect OF
all who knew him. To his children
and grandchildren he leaves the
memory of loving and loved father
and grandfather. One daughter, Lu-
ra, passed away several years ago.
The children, who. with the widow.
survive him, are Mrs. c. L. MacCan-
on of Des Moines: Mrs. John Blim Of
Waterloo: Miss Leona Of this city.
There are three grandchildren, Wv
ian, Ivan and Eldon MacCanOn of
Des Moines and Marshalltown and
one great-grandchild. A sister, Mrs.
William Spicer of this city, survives
him. All were present at the fun
eral services. which We're held
this afternoon at the Baptist
lchurch at o'clock, conducted by
lRev. J. o. Staples.