Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1930-11-20
C. f. SILER is SUMMONED
FROM HIS EARTHLY LIFE

known citizens of the Muskingum
valley, passed away here at his
home, Friday morning, at 4:2O
o'clock. Monday morning, Nov. 10
he suffered severe stroke of pa
ralysis, and from that time on his
decline was rapid. Up until his last
illness he had always enjoyed re-
markably good health. Funeral ser
vices under the auspices of Valley
lodge, /. o. O. F.. were held Mon
day afternoon, from his late home
and were largely attended. The
members of the T. o. O. f. were
present in body. Rev. w. J. Nc
Garity, the deceased's pastor, was
the officiating minister, assisted by
a former pastor, Rev. L. B. Douglas
A quartet, Mrs. Jessie Macklem,
Mrs. Irene Gill, and Messrs. p. G..
Ball and E. J.. Arrick sang three Sc
misunderstanding the Bar"
Sweet By and By" and blessed
Assurance" all favorites of the de
ceased. Pail bearers were the three
sons in-law and grandsons-F. B.
Kraps, H. A. Coulson, Fred Sher-
wood, Howard Coulson, jr, Francis
Kraps and Robert Siler. Honorary
pail bearers were S. M. Jeffers, r.
l.. Mendel. Hugh Donahue, T. j.
Bailey, Irven Travis, w. E. John
son, A. L. Smith, John Carder, Ev-
erett Ethel, and George Duvall. The
last six named were from the /. 0.
O.. F. lodge. the others from the
Citizens National bank directors
and the Methodist Protestant
church. There was profusion OF
handsome floral tributes. Inter
ment was made in the McConnels-
vile cemetery.
Judge L. j. Weber of GAINESVILLE,
close friend and business asso-
ciate of the deceased, read the fol-
lowing tribute at the funeral:
Christian F. Siler was born in
Wittenberg, Germany, Jan. 4, 1850.
He came with his parents to Amer
lea in 1854, and settled in Zanes.
vile. While yet in his boyhood the
family moved to hill farm near
what was then known as big Bloom
Furnace" later Durant, where the
largest salt furnace of the Mus
kingum valley was located Nov.
10, 1870, he was married to Miss
Elizabeth Souders, who lived not
far from Union Hill church, and
who survives him. OF this union
seven children were born, all of
whom are living, except Frank Siler,
who departed this life in March.
1919, at his home in Cleveland, and
Mabel, who died in infancy. The
other children are. Clarence Siler
of Cleveland; Bessie Sherwood Of
Kent; Lucia Kraps of this village
Kate Coulson of Malta. and Roy
Siler of Houston, Tex. There are
also 13 grandchildren. His soul
took its flight at a. m, Friday,
Nov. IA, 1880. his age being 80
years, 10 months and 10 days
Mr.. Siler was an active river man
from his early manhood, until his
retirement from the river in the
year 1915 After his marriage Mr.
and Mrs. Siler started their home
on, the river at Cedar Run. His
early life was spent in transporting
coal from the coal banks on the
Muskingum, between his home and
GAINESVILLE, to the numerous salt
furnaces and other patrons along
the river and especially at McCon-
nelsville and Malta. He and family
in 1876 moved to McConnelsville
and for years he was engaged in the
sale and delivery of coal to the peo-
pie of McConnelsyille and Malta
and vicinity. Much of this period
covered the time when coal was
practically the only fuel used, as
natural gas came later. This busi-
ness he followed until the year 1923,
when he sold his coal yard in Malta
and retired. Like all men who have
followed the river for years, it had
for him a fascination that staid with
him to the end. He was largely in.
strumental in organizing a steam
boat company for handling pas
sengers and freight on the Mus
kingum. The first steamboat in
which he was financially interested,
If my memory serves me correctly,
was the Steamer Obenchain; next
the Bessie Siler, named after his
eldest daughter, which piled the
Muskingum between GAINESVILLE and
McConnelsville. After this came
the Steamer T. M. Bayne and later
the Valley Gem. Mr.. Siler was in
terested in a number of other crafts,
which will not be mentioned here.
Mr.. Siler was my close and faith
full friend and brothe PERHAPS no
business man of his &4-le came so
near knowing the character and
quality of each and all the resi-
dents of our sister villages as did
he. His business experience had
brought him in contact with prac-
tically all of them. He knew whom
to trust and who was not worthy.
This enabled him in the course of
time to successfully engage in busi-
ness. While Mr.. Siler, through his
business acumen acquired more than
a competence of this worlds goods,
his life was not spent in sordid eff
fort to obtain wealth. / think he
never turned deaf ear to one who
he thought was worthy object of
and many person in
circumstances has
awoke of cold, winter morning
and found load of coal in the bin,
or a basket of provisions at the
door with the donor perhaps un-
NhOW anu VI WAlCA luc WOIlu
knew but little or nothing. In all
probability this thought never came
to him which impressed itself on
my mind "Inasmuch as you have
done it unto the least Of these, my
brethren, We have done it unto me-"
Mr.. Siler united with the Metho-
dist Protestant church of this place
many years ago. He was a man who
never was satisfied in half doing
thing. This was his attitude in re-
ligious matters as we'll as other ac-
tivities of his life. He was staunch
and liberal supporter of his church
and nthar cha rit a hln innfii,1finnr and