Edward L. Whiting’s Obituary

Edward L. Whiting

Edward L. Whiting was born at West Bloomfield, New York, Aug. 29^th, 1848, and died at Spencer, Nebraska, Jan. 30^th, 1923, being 74 years, 5 months, one day of age.

His boyhood days, until the age of 15 years, were spent with his mother on the farm near West Bloomfield, his father having died when he was a small child, leaving two brothers, two sisters, himself and the mother to face the trials of the Civil War.

Being of English and Scotch-Irish descent, the Puritan blood of his forefathers who settled in the New England states ran high as the war raged on so he received the permission of his mother to enlist in Co. D., First Regiment of light artillery of New York volunteers, on Aug. 11th, 1864 and was discharged May 30, 1865, near Alexander, Va. He then returned home and in 1867 came to Sioux City, Iowa, and having part of his earnings, as he divided with his mother, he was persuaded to buy a tract of land in the heart of the present site of Sioux City, Iowa. But his aim on leaving home was to “go west and grow up with the country” as Horace Greeley’s advice to young men was always before him, so he disposed of his land and joined the army, marched with his regiment to Ft. Randall, So. Dakota. They carried all their luggage except food, which was transported for them up the Missouri River in steamboats. He was stationed at Ft. Randall until 1874 when he was sent to New Orleans, La., where he was discharged, and he returned to Ft. Randall, and later took a homestead in Holt County, near Paddock, Nebraska, and was the first county superintendent of schools in Holt County.

He married Mary Herman July 22, 1880, in St. Ann’s Church near Wheeler, S. Dak. They resided at Ft. Randall until 1884, then moved to Boyd County, six miles south of Spencer, and lived there 32 years, then moving to Spencer seven years ago, where he passed away.

Mr. Whiting’s life was one of generosity to his neighbors, for it has never been known that he refused the needy when they asked him for a few dollars or some food, and when on his death bed, he often asked if they had forgotten him, and when convinced by the family that all still remembered him with prayers, when casting off his terrible suffering, he peacefully passed away.

He leaves to mourn his death his widow, five sons, Edward L. Jr., Jacob H., Thomas F., all of Carter, S. Dak.; David B., St. Francis, S. Dak.; William L. of Spencer; and three daughters, Mrs. Nellie Larmer, Winner, S. Dak., Mrs. Harriet Whitcher, Louise E., Spencer, all of whom were present at the funeral, and 24 grand-children. His daughters Mary E. and Mable M. preceded him in death, also his mother, brother and sisters in New York.

Impressive funeral services were held at St. Mary’s church, Spencer, on Thursday, at 10:30 a.m. under auspices of Civil, Spanish American and World War veterans. The pallbearers, American Legion boys in uniform, were John Hynes, Francis Martin, Anton Hambek, Guy Combs, Sidney Stevens, Will Langan; honorary pall bearers, P.C. Murriatt, M.L. Headley, M.D. Barnes, T.A. McCright, members of G.A.R. and Spanish American members, Matt Classen, Fred Cotton, Pete Nelson and Harry Proaty. The floral offerings were beautiful.

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Card of Thanks

We take this means of expressing our heartfelt thanks to those who assisted during the sickness and death of our beloved husband and father.

Mrs. Mary Whiting and Family