The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1920-04-23
DEATHOF A. S.
DeMERCHANT

1t is our sad duty. this week to
chronicle the aeatn OF one of our most
respected pioneer neignDorlng ranch
ers, most honorable citizen and q
nlghly esteemed personal friend in the
person OF Alexander s. DeMer chant,
who passed away after protracted
illness Monday night at his home ON
Ellemeham mountain. The news OF
the death of Mr.. DeMerchant was
violent shock to his friends, and that
includes every resident in the north
part of the county who has had the
pleasure OF his acquaintance. 1t was
known that the deceased had suffered
very critical illness, but the general
impression prevailed that he was very
much improved, with every chance Of
his ultimate recovery. Indeed we are
informed that up to within few
hours of his death Mr.. DeMerchant
seemed to be improving, and he ex-
pressed himself as feeling much
stronger on the afternoon Of the day
OF his demise. Very suddenly he COM
menced sinking and within few
hours after the change he breathed
his last. conscious up to the end. His
devoted wife and a neighbor or two
were at his bedside when the end
came.
Mr.. DeMerchant had been ailing
throughout the winter and some weeks
ago during the prevalence of the in
fluenza he was taken down with that
ailment. The disease developed into
pneumonia and the patient was
brought down to the local hospital,
where he was treated, and he so i'm
proved that he was permitted to re-
turn to his home ten days or two
weeks ago. He was so run down that
he could not rally from the siege OF
pneumonia, and while the direct cause
of death Is pronounced to have been
gastric liberation of the stomach, the
influenza was really responsible for
his early demise, even though his
stomach trouble might have proved
fatal eventually.
The funeral took place from the
Catholic Church Thursday morning at
10 o'clock and large congregation of
citizens assembled to pay their last
respects to the dead. Interment was in
OBI Fellows cemetery.
Alexander S. DeMerchant was born
in Carlton county, New Brunswick,
June Is. 1858, and hence was aged 60
years, 10 months and days. At an
early age his parents moved to north
ern Maine, where he was raised and
and where he spent many years of
his life. Some 19 years ago he came 10
Okanogan county and located on Ellie
meham mountain, where he has since
resided. He was married to Miss Nellie
Crane, of New Brunswick, and one
child was born to this union, Leo, who
is at Chicago, just on the eve of grad
uating from medical college. He al
so leaves brother, w. J. DeMerchant
of this place, a sister, Mrs. Oliver
Tufty, of Tonasket, and two sisters
residing in Maine.
There are few citizens of northern
Okanogan county who have been more
esteemed by not only immediate neigh
bors, but all with whom they came in
contact than S. A. DeMerchant. The
deceased was gentleman of sterling
worth, honorable, upright and abso-
lutely honest in all his dealings. He
was man of more than ordinary in
telligence, and always genial and
pleasant in his intercourse with his
fellowmen. sympathetic of heart he
was most kindly neighbor, a devoted
husband and father, a most valuable
citizen whose place 1t will be hard
to fill. Our acquaintance with the de-
ceased extended over the entire period
of his residence in this locality, and
we hold him in the very highest re-
gard for his irreproachable character.
Our sympathy the sympathy of the
entire community, goes out to the
bereaved wife, son and relatives In
this hour Of their great affliction and
irreparable loss.