Obituaries
submitted by: Julia Johnson - julia.johnson63@gmail.com

[Mary Ann Hamilton Payton]

Clarinda Herald

September 12, 1885

Death of Mrs. Payton

The Herald last week very briefly announced the death of Mrs. Mary Ann, wife of Wm. Payton, this city, on the 8th, inst.  But something more than that brief notice was due, and is below supplied.

Mary Ann Hamilton was born near Lexington, Ky., March 12, 1817.  When she was about five years of age, her parents removed with her to Fayette County, Indiana.  At the age of eight years, upon the death of her parents, she found a home with her grandfather.  Dec. 3, 1833, she was married to Wm. Payton, with whom she lived happily until her death, more than fifty years, and to whom she bore fourteen children, 2 of whom died in infancy and nine survive her.  In 1854, she removed with her husband, to Illinois, and in 1882, to Iowa.  From early childhood, she has been a professing Christian and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.  Her life has been marked by faithfulness in her sphere of labor, performing the Christian duties that seemed to fall to her lot.  To her, no doubt, the Master's commendation can apply, "She hath done what she could."  Her Christian life was cheerful and hopeful, and this was evinced even in her affliction; for while for more than two years, she had been confined to her house, and most of the time to her bed with pulmonary disease, yet she scarcely ever murmured or complained.  Those who visited her sick room in the last few months of her life were often surprised to find her cheerful, even to gaiety; and yet, she thought the messenger tardy that was coming to summon her hence to the inheritance of the saints on high.  If she ever complained, it was that she had to remain in the frail tenement of clay so long.  With the Apostle Paul, she "had a desire to depart and be with Christ."

As she neared the closing hours of life there appeared to come to her, a premonition of her departure.  She told some of her friends the evening before, that on the morrow, they would not see her alive.  Though she was called to pass into the valley and shadow in great pain and suffering, yet the same calm assurance and unwavering faith was evinced up to the last moment.  Thus ended in the militant church below, one humble, faithful Christian life of over sixty years, and Mother Payton has entered into rest.

[John Harold Meikle]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 7, 1952   [p. 1]

John H. Meikle Killed In Accident

John Harold Meikle of St. Louis was killed in an automobile accident August 2, according to word received by his relatives here.

The accident occurred Saturday evening near Argonia, Kans., as he was enroute from St. Louis to Long Beach, Calif., to join his mother and other members of the family in a reunion at the home of Miss Margaret Meikle.

He is a son of the late John Meikle of Bedford and of Mrs. Hortense [Gibbens] Meikle of Oklahoma City, Okla.

Following funeral services in St. Louis, the body will be brought to Bedford and short services will be held at the Shum Funeral Home at 9 a.m. Friday, August 8.  Burial will be in Fairview cemetery.  Rev. Walter E. Schiel will officiate.


[John Harold Meikle]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 14, 1952    p. 4

John H. Meikle Died In Crash

John H. Meikle, 41, of St. Louis and Mrs. Eva M. Gamble, 42, Kennett, Mo., were killed and three other persons seriously injured Saturday night, August 2, in a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 160 near Argonia, Kans.

Miss Alice K. McHaney, 46, and Mrs. Margaret Casey, 44, both of Kennett, and the driver of the other car, Harry Longbine, Anthony, Kans., were injured.  The three women were passengers in Meikle's car.

Mrs. Gamble, a widow, and Miss McHaney, a schoolteacher, were sisters.

The St. Louisan was enroute to California to visit relatives and was driving the women, acquaintances of his, to the West Coast where they were to vacation.

                                                                        ----St. Louis Globe Democrat

John Harold Meikle, only son of Mrs. Hortense G. Meikle, Oklahoma City, Okla., and of the late John Meikle, Bedford, was born Nov. 20, 1910, on the family farm west of Bedford and died August 2, 1952 near Argonia, Kansas.

He attended rural grade school and Bedford High School, graduating with the class of '28.  In 1932 he was graduated from the State University of Iowa with a B. S. degree in Commerce.  He was affiliated with Delta Upsilon fraternity.  The summer of 1951, John was graduated from the Graduate School of Banking of Rutgers University.

He was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Bedford and attended the Second Presbyterian Church in St. Louis.

For several years he was affiliated with the Commercial Credit Company.  Following his service in the U. S. Army during World War II, he became associated with the Mercantile Trust Company in St. Louis as special representative in the Correspondent Banks' Division.  Later, he became an officer in the bank, first as assistant cashier and recently as assistant vice-president.

He is survived by his mother; three sisters, Mrs. John O. Roller (Thelma) of Oak Park, Ill., Mrs. A. Wayne Nickel (Elaine) of Paso Robles, Calif., Margaret Meikle of Long Beach, Calif.; one niece, Margaret Jane Roller; one nephew, Jon Wayne Nickel; two uncles who reside in Bedford, Roy Meikle and William T. [homas] Meikle; and many other relatives.

John had the outstanding characteristic of a warm personality, which found expression in his genuine interest and insight with those with whom he associated, both socially and professionally.

Funeral services were held in St. Louis and the body was brought to Bedford, where short services were held at the Shum Funeral Home at 9 a.m. Friday, August 8.  Rev. Walter E. Schiel of the Presbyterian Church officiated.  Burial was in Fairview cemetery.

Attend Meikle Rites

Those from out of town, who attended the last rites for John H. Meikle in Bedford Friday, included Mrs. Hortense Meikle, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Mr. and Mrs. John Roller and daughter Jane, Oak Park, Ill.; Chap. and Mrs. Wayne Nickel, Paso Robles, Calif.; Miss Margaret Meikle, Long Beach, Calif.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goodspeed, Deerfield, Ill.; William Pettit and son William, jr., Galesburg, Ill.; Hampton Hall, Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Mills, Hatfield, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Hubert O'Dougherty, Hopkins; Mrs. L. A.Utterback, Perry, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Orville Nickel, Clearfield.

 [Cora Farlow Kelso Houk]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    May 15, 1952     [p. 1]

Mrs. Harry Houk Dies In Missouri

Cora Kelso Houk, 78, wife of Harry W. [right] Houk, died April 30 at their home in Harrisonville, Mo.  Burial services were conducted there May 2.

Survivors with the husband include a sister, Mrs. I. L. Snyder, Harrisonville, a brother, John Farlow, Grand View, Mo., and a number of nieces and nephews.

Mr. Houk, a former resident of Bedford, has made his home at Harrisonville the past six years.

[John Bruce Jared]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 7, 1952    p. 4

Obituary - John B. Jared

John Bruce Jared, son of Robert Bruce and Josephine [Scrivner] Jared, was born Sept. 1, 1893, near Bedford, and died July 30, 1952, at St. Francis hospital in Maryville, after a long illness, at the age of 58 years, 10 months, 29 days.

On Dec. 5, 1915, he was married to Minnie Keith.  To them were born two daughters, Eleanor, now Mrs. Paul Mohler of Omaha, Nebr., and Mary Louise, now Mrs. Raymond Allen, of Fairbury, Nebr.

He leaves to mourn his passing, his wife and two daughters; five grandsons, Philip, David and Michael Mohler, Edward Dean and John Bruce Allen.  Also two sisters, Mrs. Wm. Robinson [Viola] of Bedford, Mrs. Ted Hartman [Mabel] of Cedar Falls.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Frank Jared and Orie Jared; and one sister, Mrs. Elva Wolverton.

He had lived his entire life in and around Bedford, having been in business here before his illness.

Funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Friday, 2:00 p.m.  Burial was in Fairview cemetery.  Rev. F. H. Cowles, pastor of the Baptist church, officiated.


[Mrs. Charles Finch]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 14, 1952    p. 4

Mrs. Chas. Finch Died In Hospital

Mrs. Charles Finch, 74, of Sheridan, Mo., died in Municipal hospital, Clarinda, Sunday, August 10.

Funeral services were held at the Christian church in Sheridan Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Ted Masters of Grant City.  Burial was in the Sheridan cemetery.

She is survive by her husband; one daughter and one son, Mrs. Cleo Seckman and Earl Finch, both of Sheridan.

[Mary Ellen Fleming Wentworth Parks]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 20, 1951    [p. 1]

Mrs. Mary Parks Died Here Monday

Mrs. Mary Ellen [Fleming] Parks, 87, a resident of the Bedford community for many years, died at the home of her son-in-law, J. [ohn] O. Tracy, in Bedford, Dec. 17.

Funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home, Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m., conducted by Rev. Robt. M. Peters.  Burial was in Lexington cemetery.

Mrs. Parks is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Ethel Redman of Chicago; by the son-in-law, J. [ohn] O. Tracy; and by one granddaughter, Mrs. Paul Wolverton, Mr. Wolverton and Dianna of Bedford.

[Mary Ellen Fleming Wentworth Parks]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 29, 1951    [p. 1]

Mrs. Mary E. Parks Services Held Dec. 19

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary E. Parks were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home, Dec. 19, conducted by Rev. Robt. M. Peters.  Burial was in Lexington cemetery.

Mary Ellen, daughter of William F. and Lydia A. Fleming, was born Oct. 1, 1864, near Wayland, Henry County, Iowa.  At the age of fourteen she moved with her parents to Taylor County.

January 12, 1881, when she was a young woman, she united with the Conway Methodist church.

She was married to Addison T. Wentworth at the home of her parents, Dec. 16, 1883.  To them were born two daughters, the late Iva M. Tracy of Bedford and Ethel W. Redman of Maywood, Ill.  Mr. Wentworth died August 21, 1902. 

She was married to William V. Parks at Austin, Chicago, on Sept. 12, 1906.  On moving to Austin she transferred her church membership to the First Baptist Church there.

April 30, 1935, she and Mr. Parks moved to Maywood, Ill., to make their home with her daughter, Mrs. Redman, and her church membership was transferred to the First Baptist Church of that city.

Mrs. Parks died Dec. 17, 1951, at the age of 87 years, two months, and 15 days.   Mr. Parks died July 1, 1944.

She is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Ethel Redman, of Maywood, Ill.; one granddaughter, Mrs. Doris Wolverton of Bedford; one great granddaughter, Dianne Wolverton, of Bedford.

[Sabina Lomax Hall]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 20, 1951    [p. 1]

Mrs. Sabina Hall Died December 13

Mrs. Sabina [Lomax] Hall, 82, mother of Charlie Hall of Blockton and grandmother of Beryl Hall, instructor in the Bedford schools, died Dec. 31 at the home of a son in Clarinda.

Mrs. Hall had lived with her son and family at Clarinda for most of the past 17 years.  She had been a bed patient for three years.  She was originally a resident of Worth, Mo., near Blockton.  Surviving are eight children and two stepchildren.

[Caroline Hazelbaker Congdon]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday     December 20, 1951    [p. 1]

Former Resident Dies In Oregon

Mrs. Henry Congdon [Caroline Hazelbaker], 90, died Sunday night at Eugene, Ore., where the life-long resident of Taylor and Page counties had lived with her daughter, Mrs. Ethel Thompson, for three years.

The body was brought to Clarinda by Mr. and Mrs. P. G. Thompson and granddaughter, Carolyn Gompier of Eugene, Ore., and funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the Walker Funeral Home there, conducted by Rev. J. Lester Greenwood.  Burial was in Memory cemetery at New Market.

Mrs. Congdon is survived by three daughters and a son.  They are Mrs. Willis V. Bates and Charles Congdon of Clarinda, Mrs. Ethel Thompson of Oregon and Mrs. Hallie Thompson of Southey, Sask., Canada.  Also by a brother, James Hazelbaker, of Omaha.

Mr. Congdon, a pump and windmill man in this community for many years, preceded her in death.

[Willard E. Helm]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 20, 1951    [p. 1]

Cpl. Willard E. Helm Dies At Air Force Base

Cpl. Willard E. Helm, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Helm of Bedford, died Dec. 6 at Hamilton Air Force Base, Hamilton, Calif.

The body arrived in Bedford Dec. 14 under escort and funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at the Wetmore Funeral Home, conducted by Rev. Evan Routh.  Burial was in Graceland cemetery, Bedford post of the American Legion being in charge of the services at the grave.


[Augustus Crouse Bock]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 20, 1951   [p. 1]

A. C. Bock, who lives alone in northwest Bedford, was found dead in his home about noon Saturday, Dec. 15.  Neighbors became worried when they had not seen him for several days and authorities investigated, finding the body lying on the floor of the home.

Funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Evan Routh.  Burial was in Fairview cemetery.

Augustus Crouse Bock, son of John and Mary Bock, was born at Roxbury, Penn., Nov. 16, 1869, being aged 82 years and 28 days at the time of his death.

He was married on June 1, 1893, to Susan Katherine Rebuck at Shippensburg, Penn.

To them were born nine children, seven of whom survive, two small sons, Roy and Clyde, preceding their father in death.  Mrs. Bock died 17 years ago.

The surviving children are Charles Bock of New Market, Ethel McNamee of Canby, Oregon, Pearl McNamee of Merriman, Nebr., Lloyd Bock of Kansas City, Pauline Lowe of Fresno, Calif., Kenneth Bock of Atlantic, Nina Golding of New Market.

There are also 26 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

His parents, five brothers and one sister, preceded him in death.  One brother, Philip Bock, lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

[George Franklin "Frank" Weatherly]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    July 8, 1948    [p. 1]

Frank Weatherly Rites Held Tuesday

Frank Weatherly died at the St. Francis Hospital in Maryville, Sunday, July 4, having been in ill health for quite some time.

The funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. George W. Swan.  Burial was in the Gravity cemetery.

George Franklin Weatherly, son of J. [ohn] N. Weatherly and Josephine [Chase] Weatherly, was born at Carroll, Iowa, November 5, 1892, being aged 53 years, 7 months and 29 days at the time of his death.

At the age of 2 years, he came with his parents to Taylor County where he grew to manhood.

On February 7, 1917, he was married to Fern Keasling of Gravity.  To them one daughter was born, Gwendolyn.

Mr. Weatherly was a farmer for a number of years and has been engaged in county roadwork the past twelve years.  He was a member of the Bedford Baptist Church.

Those left to mourn this loss are:  his wife, Fern of the home; one daughter, Mrs. Gwendolyn Traster of Maryville, Mo.; his mother, Mrs. J. [ohn] N. Weatherly of Bedford; 2 brothers, Earnest of Mountain View, Mo.; Roy of Bedford; and one sister, Mrs. Arthur Thompson [Alta Weatherly Miller]; and one grandson, Jimmie Traster.