Iowa Old Press

LeMars Sentinel, August 2, 1897, Page 3, Column 5:

"Just Married Today."

A LeMars friend in Spencer Friday saw Wallace McArthur working like a badger
to tear off a big placard from his trunk while his bride of a day stood and
looked on and encouraged him to pull hard. The card came off at last and
the following inscription showed up in big black letters, "Just married
today." Some good friend in LeMars was afraid the bridal couple would not
have enough attention shown to them and had securely tacked on the card
before the trunk left the LeMars depot. The placard was not noticed when
the trunk was rechecked at Spencer early in the morning and the bride and
groom could not tell why people smiled so when they passed their baggage
until they found the card at Spencer.

LeMars Sentinel
Aug. 31, 1897

DEATH OF STEPHEN REEVES

One of the Prominent Pioneers of Plymouth County Dies at Garretson

Stephen Reeves died at Garretson, South Dakota, Sunday, August 28, 1897, at
8:20 o'clock p.m. He was born in Kent, England, May 10, 1824, was married
in 1843 to Rhoda Reeves and came with her to America in 1849, settling in
Schenectady, New York, where his wife died, November 13, 1852, leaving two
small children and on January 1, 1853, he was married to Mrs. Abigail
Magulphin, of Schenectady, New York. This union was blessed with nine
children, all of whom are still living. He moved to Kane County, Illinois,
in 1855 and was a successful farmer there until 1868, when he moved to
Plymouth County, Iowa, and located on a homestead in Elgin Township which
adjoins the town of Seney, where he resided through all the vicissitudes of
pioneer life and saw the wild prairie bloom into beautiful homes. In 1886
he moved to eastern Iowa, where he resided for a few months, then moving to
Nebraska, where he lived for two years when he again moved back to Plymouth
county, but soon concluded to cast his lot in South Dakota and moved to
Garretson, where he spent the last six years of his life.

During the pioneer years of Plymouth county, Iowa, he was prominent in
public affairs, holding many offices of trust, among them being a member of
the board of county supervisors, in which capacity he made an honorable
record. He was a consistent member of the M.E. Church and lived a religious
life, trusting in the Master always and setting an excellent example for the
large family of children which came to his care. He was a loving father and
husband to the dear wife and children who are left to mourn his departure
who can never find anyone to fill the vacant place left in their hearts by
his going.

His second wife, Abigail Reeves and their children, also the children of his
first wife, all survive him as follows: Samuel Reeves of Hitchcock,
Nebraska; Mrs. Sarah J. Small of LeMars, Iowa; William H., Walter S.,
Josephine and Alfred H. Reeves of Garretson, South Dakota; A.M. Reeves and
Mrs. M. H. Sheely of Sioux City, Iowa; M.S. Reeves of South Sioux City,
Nebraska. His surviving wife also had two children by a former husband, who
were babes when she married the subject of our sketch and they were the same
as his own. They are Mrs. Sarah M. Jenkins of Akron, Iowa, and Mrs. E.
Callihan of Oregon. All the members of the family with their husbands and
wives were present at the last sad rites, excepting Samuel and Anna, who
were too far away to get the summons in time.

Funeral services were held at the M.E. Church at Garretson on Monday, August
30th, at 4 o'clock p.m. and the remains taken to Sioux City on the Sioux
City & Northern train where they were taken to the residence of M.H.
Sheeley, one of his sons-in-law, and a short service held on Tuesday
morning, after which interment was made in Logan Park Cemetery.

To those who knew Uncle Stephen, as he was called in life, it is hard to
realize that he has gone. His familiar voice and step will long be missed
by friends. He has gone to receive the crown of glory of which he
constantly talked while with us here below. He died, as he lived, praising
God, from whom all blessings flow.