Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1919-09-29
N. G. 0M| !! 4
PASSES away
Well Known Pioneer Resi-
dent of County Since
1853 Dies at Daugh-
ter's Home.
WAS SO YEARS OLD
Started Settlement of Sara
toga and was Widely
Known.

y. G. Omstead. one of Webster City'S
few remaining pioneer citizens. passed
away at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
Luella Fassett, 723 First street. at
s % o'clock Thursday evening. follow
ing a brief illness. Funeral services
were held from the home at o'clock
Saturday afternoon conducted by
DR.. Efie McColl,m Jones' pastor Of
st. Paul's IIniversalist church. Burial
was made in Graceland cemetery.
a slight accident. suffered about a
week ago. resulted in Mr.. Omsteads
breaking the small bone in his right
arm and the shock of the fall undoubt-
eddy brought on the attack which caus-
ed his death.
Mr.. OmStead was lightweight years
old last May and leaves seven chill.
dren, thirteen grandchildren and thir-.
teen great grandchildren to revere his
memory. The children are Mrs. Jennie
Edwards. Mrs Il. c. Mason. Mrs.
Luella Fassett. Mrs. John r. Kamrar
and j. n. Omstead, all of this city, and
Mrs Arthur Campbell and Mrs. Henry
Smalley, both residing at Eagle Grove.
One of the best known early pio-
neers. Mr.. Omstead had made Hamil
ton county his home since 1S53-siXty
six years. He was one of the twelve
children of Jacob and Betscy Omstead.
pioneer residents Of Ohio. and came
with his father and two brothers to-
Hamilton county, where they started
the settlement of Saratoga. He mar
ried Sarah A. Evans of Story county
in 1854.
Here he broke wild land, using ii
huge prairie breaker. drawn by six
yoke of oxen. He would take wild
land, improve it and sell out, making
a good profit. This course he followed
for many years and then engaged in
running a saw mill on both the Boone
and Des Moines rivers.
In August, 1862. in answer to Lin
coins call for 100000 men. he enlisted
in the Thirty-second Iowa infantry.
Company A. He took an active part
in the battle of Cape Girardean, Mo-,
where he was wounded and was later
sent to military hospital in Little
Rock. Ark, for treatment. After three
years service he received his honorable
discharge.
Some time later. he opened the first
dry goods store at Webster City in the
building recently torn down. corner of
Bank and Seneca streets. Later he
engaged in both the stock and grain
business, owning five elevators along
the Chicago 4 Northwestern railway
when that line was first brought into
Webster City. Mr.. Omstead also own
ed and lived upon the fine farm in FIRE.
mont township which is still held in
the family
OF the twelve children born to Mr.. |
and Mrs. Omstead. seven are now liv-
ing. Mrs. OmStcau passed to her re-
ward Il number of years ago.
Mr.. Omstead was Il member of thel
Masonic order. He was Il Starlnch |
democrat politically and had hsen iden-t
titled with the interests of this city ,andj
the county i'll many ways. Probably
no man did more to build up Hamilton]
county or was better known through
out its confines during the period of his
activity here.
During his later years he spent sew
eral winters in the west and enjoyed
the fruits of his long and well spent
life. His passing came naturally and
last years.