John Stuckenbruck 1852-1925

STUCKENBRUCK, HADLEY, WIRICK, KILLEFER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 10/17/2018 at 06:51:24

23 April 1925 - The Tipton Advertiser

Former Well Known Tipton Man Dies In California, at Age of 72 Years

Considered the oldest pioneer in this section, John W. Stuckenbruck, died last evening at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Eva Hadley in Newport Beach, aged 72 years. Death was due to paralysis.

Mr. Stuckenbruck had been a resident of the beach for 38 years, coming here in 1887 and working for James McFaden as a butcher. That was before this area was anything more than a sand-swept section. When the town was organized he served as city marshal. He was also the first mail carrier the community had, bringing the mail from Santa Ana behind a span of little mules. This was the only vehicle that would haul passengers to the outside world.

When work on the old embankment running to the Newport pier was started by the McFaddens, Mr. Stuckenbruck took an active part in its building. He lived long enough to see most of it removed after a lapse of a quarter of a century. While he served as the town's first city marshal.

The deceased was active almost up to the last. He had considerable property interests in Orange county, owning a business block in Newport and ranch property in the vicinity of Tustin. Practically every citizen in Newport will attend his funeral services and the city is planning to close business houses for an hour or more.

J. W. Stuckenbruck was born in Mansfield, Ohio, on December 31, 1852, and taken when he was two years old, by his parents, Frederick and Jane Stuckenbruck, to Iowa.

Mr. Stuckenbruck grew up in Tipton, Cedar county, Iowa. There too he was married to Alice D. Wirick, a native of Iowa, who died at Tustin twenty-nine years ago, esteemed and beloved by many as an excellent mother of two children, Eva E., who became Mrs. A. J. Hadley, and mother of four children, Emma, Johnny, Woodrow and Albert Jr. Alice May became the wife of B. C. Killefer. They have one child, Alice May.

When Mr. Stuckenbruck came to Newport in 1887, it was only a sandpit and the next year he worked for James McFadden, then a butcher. He was elected and served as city marshal of Newport Beach and is one of the oldest settlers, having been here years before the town was started. He was dearly beloved by all who knew him.

He passed quietly away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Eva Hadley, Thursday, April 2nd, at 5 p.m., at the age of 72 years. -- Newport Beach Press.