Notes:
Decatur County Journal
Leon, Iowa
Thursday, March 2, 1911
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WILLIAM HENRY SPURRIER was born in Harrison Co., OH, February 23, 1839.
With his parents he came to Iowa in 1841, the family residing in Johnson County, and later in Henry County. On the 6th day of December 1858, Mr. SPURRIER was married to Miss SARAH JANE CAMMACK. To them six children were born, four sons and two daughters, but two of the sons have passed away. There remain NAPOLEON SPURRIER, of North Platte, Nebraska; FRANK O. SPURRIER of Lamoni; Mrs. LIZZIE MUMMA, of Iola, Kansas, and Mrs. GERTRUDE BRIGGS, of Lamoni. These were all present with their mother when the father passed away. In 1876, Mr. SPURRIER and his family came to Decatur County, settling first on what is now the Bathe farm three miles northwest of Lamoni. Later they removed to the farm just at the southwest edge of the town, where they lived until they took up their residence in Lamoni. Mr. SPURRIER put under cultivation and improved 1,000 acres of land, having broken the prairie sod for farming purposes. He had nothing when he started but by industry and economy was able to accumulate a competency. His cheery disposition and lack of fault finding are remembered with special affection by his family, to them he was always a loving husband and father. For the past five years Mr. SPURRIER was an invalid, and for the last three weeks of his life suffered intense pain. Death ended his suffering on February 22, 1911, when he quietly passed away at his home in Lamoni, being within one day of 72 years of age.
Besides his wife and the four children, there remain his brother, RALPH C.SPURRIER, who is now the last member of the family, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held from the home at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon, Rev. Cyrus Devoe, of Pleasanton, and Rev. R.M. Shipman, of the local Methodist Church, officiating. The former was a long time friend of the family and spoke feelingly of his departed friend. The body was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.
[Copied by Nancee (McMurtrey) Seifert - November 29, 2009]