Wednesday, January 4, 1905
DEATH OF DR. D.M. SHIVELY

Well known Practitioner

Prominent Physician Passed Away at His Home In Yorktown- Had Practiced Long in Delaware and Henry Counties

   Dr. David M. Shively, 64, who was found unconscious in his office in Yorktown two weeks ago, died at his home there at 6:45 o'clock Tuesday morning of Bright's disease.  When he was taken ill his only son, Dr. Augustus Shively, who practiced with him, was in a hospital in Indianapolis, and an effort was made to keep the news from him, as it was feared that he would become worse.

   Dr. Shively had been a resident of Yorktown for many years , first settling there in 1874. He moved to Rush county for a short time, however, but soon returned to Yorktown.  He was born in New Castle in 1840 and was raised on his fathers farm.  His early education was obtained from the district schools and he first took up the study of medicine under Dr. Ray, of New Castle , but had to give it up.  He then was employed as a blacksmith and became one of the best in the country, working for other men and then for himself.  He did not give up reading along medical lines while at work, and in time entered the Physio-Medical institute of Cincinnati, from which he graduated.  At the time of his death he was one of the best-known physicians in the county.

  In 1864, the deceased was married to Miss Jennie Moore, of Middletown, who survives him.  One son and a grandson also survive.

  Dr. Shively was a Democrat in political life, but never sought any public office.  He was vice president of the Moore Family Reunion association and was a heavy stockholder in the Consumers Gas company. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made, other than that burial will be made in Henry county near Middletown.
 

January 18, 1905
JACOB HENRY WYSOR CLAIMED BY DEATH

“Large Photo”
Photo Caption: JACOB HENRY WYSOR

Brave Struggle Ended and Prominent Citizen Breathed Last Early This Morning

DID MUCH TO MAKE MUNCIE

Identified With Many Valuable Interests and Amassed Considerable Wealth

After and long illness, which was the result of old age and a fall received
over a year ago, Mr. Jacob Henry Wysor, one of the oldest and most prominent
citizens of Muncie, died at his home, corner of Walnut and Wysor streets, at
2:40 o’clock this morning. He was over 85 years old and had been actively
engaged in various business interests until about three years ago. On Dec.
1, 1903, he slipped and fell on the ice at his home and suffered a
dislocated shoulder. He was confined to his bed a long time and never really
recovered from his injury. He was able to sit in a chair, but was never out
much from the time he fell until his death. He also suffered from heart
trouble. His death had been expected several weeks, but with the bravery
which he displayed in meeting the affairs of life he fought death until,
inch by inch, he was forced to give up the struggle.

REMARKABLE LIFE

The life which has just closed was a remarkable one in many respects. Jacob
H. Wysor was a man who knew no such word as fail, and this explains his
unusual success in business and other undertakings.

He came to Delaware county at a time when the forest still possessed the
greater part of the land. Muncie was but a struggling village. He was one of
those who put their shoulders to the wheel and in helping to build the city
and develop the county he profited thereby himself. He acquired extensive
land interests, which became more valuable as the years went by. He invested
shrewdly, for his mind was naturally adapted to business affairs. He once
owned nearly all the territory adjoining Muncie on the north for some
distance about and still owned the greater part of the Wysor bottoms, one
the north side. Wysor street was named in his honor.

Mr. Wysor was a principal stockholder and a director in the old First
National bank now the Union National. It is said that his wealth was at
least half a million.

Mr. Wysor was a man of action, not of words. He never forgot his friends. To
know him well was to respect him. and few men were held in more general
esteem throughout the county.

THE STORY OF HIS LIFE

The parents of Jacob Henry Wysor were Jacob and Margaret (Miller) Wysor, of
German descent and natives of Virginia. His paternal grandfather was a
commissioned officer in the war of independence. All the Wysor ancestors
engaged more or less in tilling the soil and were honest, hard-working
upright citizens, endowed with the strength and characteristics of the
Teutonic race.

Jacob H. Wysor was born Dec. 6, 1819, in Montgomery (now Pulaski) county,
Virginia. In 1835 the family moved to Delaware county, the first time that
he had been out of his native county. He attended school two winter terms,
and five years later returned to Virginia for another year of study.

In the following year, 1841, he returned to Muncie and engaged in the
grocery and dry good business. Only a few months had passed when nearly all
of his property was burned. Undiscouraged, the ambitious young man was
determined to try again and in March, 1843, he made another venture by
renting the Gilbert mills. After two years in partnership with John Jack and
James L. Russey, he bought the mills and conducted the business himself.

At length he embarked in a sailing vessel, which was thirty-four days in
making the journey to San Francisco. After he had been there a short time
Mr. Russey was killed by the Indians in the summer of 1850. Mr. Wysor
organized a party which successfully avenged the death and taught the
Indians a lesson. Mr. Wysor tried mining for a while, making some money with
which he bought an ox team, and then became a teamster and stock trader, as
he saw that so many were crowding the field that all could not get the
coveted gold.

RETURNED TO MUNCIE

He returned to Muncie in the spring of 1852 and in 1854, with the remaining
partner, Mr. Jack, he began building a large grist mill. It was completed in
1856 and is now known as the Wysor & Hibbitts mills. The firm was Wysor &
Jack until the death of the latter in October, 1859. William B. Kline had
been admitted as a partner in 1859 and on the death of Mr. Jack the firm
became known as Wysor & Kline. Through the crisis of 1857 and the depression
of trade which resulted from the war, he steadily and safely conducted his
increasing business.

He dealt largely in land and availed himself of his early experience in
farming. As wealth increased it was employed in useful enterprises, such as
the building of railroads, turnpikes and other improvements. He was the
president of the Muncie and Greenville Turnpike company. In 1872 Mr. Wysor
built the Wysor Opera House and in 1892 he built the Wysor Grand, one of the
finest buildings in the city. Mr. Wysor was a strong Democrat, but never
aspired to political honors.

MARRIED IN 1854

On April 5, 1854, Mr. Wysor was married to Miss Sarah Richardson, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. John Richardson. She was born in Virginia, but came here
with her parents. To them four children were born, the eldest of whom died
while a child of six years. The others were William, who died in 1894, Harry
R., who now resides in Muncie, and Mrs. Will Marsh, of Philadelphia.

The long wedded life of Jacob and Sarah Wysor was full of happiness and was
not broken until 1893, when Mrs. Wysor passed away.

TRIP TO CALIFORNIA

In 1849 Mr. Wysor joined the throng of gold seekers that hurried towards
California. With a party including Captain James Russey and others he went
across the Gulf of Mexico and thence over Panama, where, owing to the rush,
he had to wait five weeks before a passage up the coast could be secured.
Mr. Wysor walked nearly the entire distance across the Isthmus of Panama.
Nearly all the way, he with another man carried Steven Hamilton, a member of
the party, on their backs as they traveled. Shortly after reaching the
tropics Hamilton became ill and as there was no place to leave him, Mr.
Wysor and the sick man’s brother, Arch Hamilton, took turns at carrying him
the entire distance across.

MAY SOON REJOIN COMRADE

Another pioneer, who was a member of the party with which Mr. Wysor made his
trip to California, and whose death is expected at any time, is Samuel
Leaird. He is now critically ill at his home in Eaton, suffering from
paralysis, brought on by old age. He is well known throughout the county,
having been one of the early settlers. In 1849, he joined the party which
was led by Jacob H. Wysor and made the trip to California, through the south
and across the isthmus to the Pacific, thence to San Francisco.

January 5, 1905
Dr. David M. Shively
WORKED AT BLACKSMITH’S TRADE WHILE HE ALSO STUDIED MEDICINE

“LARGE PHOTO”
Photo Caption: Dr. David M. Shively

The funeral of Dr. David M. Shively, 61, who died at his home in Yorktown,
Tuesday morning, will be conducted in the residence at 10 o’clock Thursday
morning. Rev. L. A. Sevits will officiate. Burial will be made in the Miller
cemetery in Henry county. The casket will be open only until the hour of the
funeral.

Dr. Shively was one of the best known physicians of the county and had lived
in Yorktown, for nearly thirty years. He was practically a “self made” man
and had pursued his study of medicine while young at the same time he was
working as a blacksmith for others. His death came after an illness of two
weeks.

January 17, 1905
L. LAFAYETTE HODGE

PIONEER CITIZEN AND MERCHANT WAS CALLED BY THE GRIM REAPER

“ Large photo”

Photo Caption: L. LAFAYETTE HODGE

In the death of L.L. Hodge, which occurred early Sunday morning at his home
in Riverside. Muncie lost another of her old residents and pioneer citizens.
He had lived here all of his life with the exception of a period of a few
years and was highly respected by all who knew him. For several years he
conducted a hardware store.

The funeral will be conducted in the residence at 2 o’clock Tuesday
afternoon. Rev. G. I. Keirn will officiate. Burial will be made in Beech
Grove cemetery.

 January 24, 1905
Uncle Jimmy Gronendyke

DEATH OF “UNCLE JIMMY”

Well Known In the County

Eccentric Farmer, Who Always Wore Trousers Legs Tied to Keep Out Snakes,
Leaves a Large Number of Friends

James or “Uncle Jimmy” Gronendyke, 68 years old, a well known eccentric
character of Delaware county, died of apoplexy at his home in Mt. Pleasant
township at 3 o’clock Monday morning. Death came after an illness extending
over four days, during which time he was never conscious.

Wednesday afternoon about 4 o’clock Mrs. Lon Black, who with her husband
lived on the farm with Gronendyke,
 

“Long Column Width Photo” Caption: “Uncle Jimmy” Gronendyke.

found him lying in an unconscious condition in a fence corner, where he had
fallen. She thought at first that one of the men employed on the farm had
left his coat lying near the fence, but when going closer saw it was “ Uncle
Jimmy”. He was removed to the house immediately, where he died.

The funeral will be conducted in the Pleasant Run church at 10 o’clock
Tuesday morning. Wednesday morning the remains will be taken to Beeson, near
Connersville, and buried at the side of his mother, according to a wish he
always expressed.

“Uncle Jimmy” was known all over the county and was noted for his peculiar
ways. The farm on which he died he inherited from his father, who came to
this country in 1819 and settled on land given by the government. Until 1882
the deceased lived in South Carolina, but then came to the farm which he had
inherited. He rented the farm to others and lived with the people who worked
it and at last deeded it to them with the understanding that he was to be
kept until he died.

One of the eccentricities of the deceased was to always keep his trouser
legs closely tied with a string at the bottom. He said the reason was that
he was afraid that snakes would crawl up his legs. Another peculiarity for
which he was noted, was the way he always went for the mail.

Every day he took and large gab and no matter if he only received a postal
card it was carefully put in the bag and carried home. In his room he had
four trunks and in one corner of the barn he had full possession. No one was
allowed to enter that corner, and he kept things which were dear to him
there. Several times he drove overland to his old home in South Carolina and
had never traveled on the trains. He said he was afraid there would be a
wreck. He never married.

Among those who knew him well he had a name for honesty and integrity.
Although considered very peculiar, his memory was very remarkable.

Wednesday, January 25, 1905
DEATH OF THOMAS DUNCAN

Former Resident of Muncie Was in Livery Business Many Years

Word has been received here of the death of Thomas Duncan, who for years was
engaged in the livery business in this city, which occurred last Thursday
night in Franklinville, N.Y., at the home of his sister. The funeral was
held last Saturday.

He lived in Muncie for thirty years and was familiarly known as “Tom”
Duncan. Over a year ago he disposed of his livery interests and a few months
ago moved to Franklinville. Recently he suffered a stroke of paralysis and
this had something to do with his death. James Duncan, an adopted son,
resides in this city now.

Friday, January 27, 1905
MR. AND MRS. THOMAS L. CLARK

AGED COUPLE, KNOWN IN MUNCIE, WERE SOON REUNITED IN DEATH

“Oval Photo”

Photo caption: MR. AND MRS. THOMAS L. CLARK

With the death of Mrs. Eliza Jane Clark at her home in Greenwood, last
Friday, and funeral Sunday, the third death in the same family within five
weeks was recorded. Just five days before, on Sunday, Jan. 15, Thomas L.
Clark died at his home in Greenwood after a few hours illness of pneumonia.
From the time of his funeral, on Tuesday, his wife suffered from heart
trouble and her death resulted the following Friday. A few weeks before the
death of a grandson of Mr. and Mrs Clark occurred in Acton from a gun shot
wound accidentally received on Thanksgiving day.

Mr. and Mrs. Clark had quite a number of acquaintances in Muncie. Although
they had never lived in this city they had been the guests of relatives here
and several live in Muncie who formerly lived near them in other Indiana
towns. S.L. Potter is a nephew of Mrs. Clarke, who is a sister of his
mother, deceased. She was the last survivor of her fathers family.

Monday, February 6, 1905
Jasper North
ANOTHER PIONEER HAS BEEN CALLED

“Large Photo”

Photo Caption: MR. AND MRS. JASPER NORTH

With the death of Jasper North, which occurred suddenly Thursday afternoon
at his home, 315 North Mulberry street, Delaware count lost another of its
pioneer citizens. Mr. North had been a resident of the county for fifty
years and lived in Muncie for twenty-five years. He had held officers of
trust in Hamilton and Center townships, which included trustee, assessor,
court bailiff and others. Mrs. North whose picture appears with that of the
deceased, was his third wife and was married to him two years ago last
Friday.

The following children survive Mr. North: Mrs. Jacob Stiffler, Mrs. L. W.
Cates, Mrs. James McCormick, Mrs. G. C. Kuhner, Mrs. Jennie Houck, Newton
North and Arthur North.

The funeral which was conducted Sunday morning in the Eden church, was
unusually largely attended. The Rev. J. F. Burnett, pastor of the First
Christian church, Muncie, delivered a high eulogy upon the character of the
deceased. Burial was made in Union cemetery near Eaton.

Thursday, February 9, 1905
Alfred W. St. John
FUNERAL OF AL. W. ST. JOHN WILL BE HELD FRIDAY

Body Will Lie in State Today In Elks Rooms and South Entrance Will Be Open
to the Public

“Small Photo”

Photo caption: Alfred W. St. John

Funeral services over the remains of Alfred W. St. John, the well-known
Muncie tobacco merchant whose death occurred after a long illness Tuesday
evening, will be conducted from the Elks’ home in South Walnut street,
Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock. E. G. Clarke, who is in charge of the
arrangements for the funeral, states that a postponement from the previously
announced date of Thursday has been deemed advisable.

Yesterday the remains of Mr. St. John were taken to the parlors of the Elks’
rooms, of which order he was a prominent member, where they will lie in
state until the time of the funeral. After 9 o’clock this morning, that
friends may be given an opportunity to view the remains, the south entrance
to the rooms will be opened to the general public.

Messrs, P. P. Busch, John R. Hickman, Lee M. Glass, C.A. Prutzman, F. J.
Whiteley and Charles Emerson will act as pallbearers at the funeral
services. The Rev. Harry Noble Wilson will be the officiating clergymen.
Burial will be made in Beech Grove cemetery. Final arrangements for the
funeral will be made at the regular meeting of this order tonight, at which
a full attendance is desired.