Marshall County News Items

Marshall Statesman June 18, 1881
DROWNED
Five Persons Swept Over the Dam in a Row-Boat---Two of Whom Met a Watery Grave---S.S. Jones and Dell Kribs.

One of the saddest affairs that has visited this city in many a day was the drowning, Monday evening about 9 o'clock, in the river, of S. S. Jones and Dell Kribs, two well known young men of our city. The circumstances of the sad affair are, that they, in company with three others, W. E. Sundell, Geo. Lincoln and Charles Mallory, started out from the boat house, just above the dam, for a ride, that the load being a heavy one it did not get out far enough in the stream to use the oars successfully, or to good effect on both sides until the boat floated down to the stone abutments of the bridge. Here all opportunity was lost, for they might have saved themselves by the abutment or bridge, but thinking they could stem the current and save going over the dam, Jones, with his great strength, pushed the boat out in the stream, and then the oarsmen, with desperate efforts, worked to save going over. It was no use, and over and down they went; not, however, until Jones and Sundell had partially taken off their coats to prepare for the struggle to follow. Jones and Kribs were seen no more, to be distinguished, though one of them, they knew not which, was discovered floating, and an agonizing cry for help some two hundred feet below, and an instant afterwards smothered forever. The other three struggled with the boat until it was swamped in the undercurrent and they swam out, each some distance below, nearly exhausted. Several men in the mill heard the alarm and rushed to the rescue, but there being nothing but a flatboat far below, nothing could be done until it was all over.

The shadow of sorrow has deeply settled over our city, for the young men were well known and highly esteemed in their circles of society. Mr. Jones was but 22 years of age; a graduate of our high school; for some time a successful teacher in different parts of the county, and at the time of his death a law student in P. M. Sutton's office, soon to be admitted to the bar. He was a member of the Woodbury running team, and had returned only Saturday before from Council Bluffs.

Mr. Kribs was an employe (sic) in the Times-Republican bindery---a son of W. H. Kribs, the foreman of the job office-- about 20 years of age.

A diligent search was continued until this---Thursday---morning, when Cal. Woodworth and Joe Johnston found the body of Jones, a short distance above the Stewart bridge, on the opposite side of the river, entangled in some drift-wood. About the same time Wm. Long discovered the body of Kribs, some forty rods above where the former was found on this side of the river, caught in a tree that had fallen into the water. Both bodies were on the surface when discovered.

The funeral services of young Kribs were held at the residence of his parents, this--Thursday--afternoon at 4 o'clock; after which the remains were taken to Union Grove for interment.

The remains of Mr. Jones we (sic) taken to the Marshalltown Cemetery for burial about 6 o'clock this--Thursday--afternoon. The Times-Republican will issue no Daily (to-day) in honor of Mr. Kribs and Jones.

Transcribed by Dora Rettger

Deny the Boycott
Marshalltown, Ia., March 5, - Special
A. S. Burnell, secretary of the state business men's association, authorizes a
positive denial of the statements to the effect that the association has inaugurated
A war against the farmers' alliance or that any boycott is contemplated.
The only reference made in the recent state convention of the association relative the farmers alliance was in its favor.
[Morning World Herald - March 6, 1891 - Submitted by Frances Cooley]


Marshalltown, Feb. 11, --Special: A young woman died at the county poor farm today under sad and mysterious circumstances. Three weeks ago she came to this city alone and penniless and begged shelter and protection in a private family, She was well dressed, educated and refined and was an artist of considerable talent. She was soon to become a mother. She refused to reveal her identity or anything connected with her past except that her parents were wealthy and lived near Waterloo; that she had ran away from home to get married; that her husband had since abused her and that she had left him. A few days later she was taken to the poor house, and a week ago she gave birth to a son. Yesterday the physician told her she couldn't live and urged her to disclose her identity, but she still refused and died with her lips sealed.

[The Sioux City Journal, February 12, 1895 - Submitted by Amanda Jowers]

Marriage of William Randall Stewart and Annie Grace Keefer March 17, 1898
from Marshalltown Times Republican Sat. Mar. 19, 1898:
Stewart - Keefer
At the beautiful new home of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Keefer, ten miles northeast of the city, Thursday evening, occurred the marriage of their daughter, Grace, to Mr. William R. Stewart. It was one of the prettiest weddings of the season in that vicinity. The bride wore a gown of white wool trimmed in silk and lace. At 8 o'clock Miss Mamie Jackson began to play the wedding march, and the bride and groom took their places in the doorway leading from the parlor to the sitting room. Rev.. O. H. L. Mason performed the ceremony. The bride is one of Vienna's most accomplished young ladies and the groom, the son of the well-known A. T. Stewart, of Taylor township, is a very energetic young man and a successful teacher. After congratulations a dainty supper was served. The company was favored by recitations and music. Many beautiful presents were received. At 11 o'clock the company was favored by a selection from without consisting of music from various instruments.
Submitted by Dora Rettger

Editorial in Marshalltown Times-Republican Sat. Feb. 14, 1981
about the life of Frances (Mrs. E.L. Williams)

Unusual Centenarian It is not too uncommon nowadays to top the century mark, but few who reach their 100th birthdays are as active and alert as was Frances (Mrs. E.L.) Williams when she celebrated hers last June. Not only did she receive visitors all day (aside from a two-hour nap after lunch) but the next day she took her first ride in a small plane to see Marshalltown from the air. Hers was a busy life of community service, including Sunday School teaching at Grace United Methodist, which she joined the year it was founded as State Street Evangelical; 40 years on the Public Library Board, which ended only because she backed the wrong candidate for mayor; 56 years as a Red Cross volunteer, including Marshall County chairman from 1933 to 1945, and her years of service on the Salvation Army Board, School Board and PTA council. Her charities included donation of land for the Mental Health Center of Mid-Iowa; continued contributions to Westmar College at LeMars, founded by the Evangelical Church; and countless local fund drives. A lifetime of unselfish service and charity with no thought of public acclaim--that was Frances Williams.
Paul G. Norris, Jr.

Submitted by Dora Rettger

Editorial in Marshalltown Times Republican when Gaylord Stewart died July 24, 1982.

Pioneer Flying Farmer
One of Marshall County's pioneer Flying Farmers is dead at 82. He was Gaylord Stewart, a life-long farmer north of Marshalltown who had been a member of the Flying Farmers of America since 1946. He was among the early hosts to the Flying Farmers breakfasts at the then Niederhauser Airport here shortly after the war. Son of Bill Stewart, a member of the Marshall County Board of Supervisors a generation ago, he was as successful a farmer as his father, but shunned public life. However, he was a member of the board of the United Methodist Church of this city for 38 years (sic-this is not accurate!), a director of the First State Bank of Conrad and its vice president for 14 years, a community minded man but self-effacing.
Paul G. Norris, Jr.
transcribed and submitted by Dora Rettger