July 1920
Princeville Telephone (Princeville, Peoria County, IL Newspaper)

ACCOUNT OF LIFE OF LATE W. H. DE BORD

The newspaper published at Maitland, Mo., publishes the following account of W. H. DeBord former Princeville resident and referred to in the heading as "Maitland's foremost citizen".

Uncle "Bill" DeBord is gone!

His age was 75 years, 2 months and 2 days.

Only a few days ago he was among us—living and planning his business affairs as he had always done. Today his body lies slumbering in the silent ray(?) of the dead.

It hardly seems that is can possibly be so—yet it must be.

Only a yesterday or two since we ????ted him as he wended his way to the depot to take the train for the city where his friends and persuaded him to go with a faint hope that his health in a measure might be restore. We can see him yet as he tried to steady his step as he passed for the last time along familiar well-known street and greeted the friends he has known and loved all these years. No warrior ever went to battle with more courage! He paused for a brief moment on the street corner to greet a familiar face while his thoughts, no doubt were of his achievements of other days—the days of the pioneer, when he was so young and hopeful; when he first began as a home builder; yes even more than this! The days he entered the struggle of helping to open up this part of North-West Missouri so that you and I and thousands of others would be attracted to veritable Garden of Eden. How true were his judgments in that early day and how great his reward, even this trying hour—and when all things realize that he was looking on familiar scenes for the last time? How the sympathy of his friends—all Maitland and Holt county—went out to him in this last hour—when surging billows of death engulfed his poor tired body and hosts unseen came to carry that weary soul to other lands, we know not where, by where the streets are of gold and everything is pure; where the sick heart and pained can find a balm and where every wrong is made right; where flowers bloom and perfume is wafted on the breezes and where we sit by the wayside by the babbling brooks or in shady dells to wait the coming of the dear ones who missed us so much when we went away.

He was born in Peoria county, Illinois, April 27, 1845, where he grew to his manhood. On the breaking out of the Civil war he answered his country's call by enlisting in Co. E. 139th, Ills. Inft. at Princeville, Illinois. At the close of the war he returned to farming. In the fall of 1869, he and his wife came to Andrew county, and In 1871 they crossed the Nodaway and came to Holt county, planting his Jacob's staff in Clay township. It was a raw prairie 80, but he stuck to his job and finally became the owner of 200 acres of as fine farming land as you will find anywhere out of doors. He got tired of the farm life and for three years engaged in shipping stock at Mound City. But he got tired of this and went back to his farm which he conducted for five years threw up the job and became a citizen of Maitland and engaged in the lumber business for a dozen years and then went into the grain and coal business. In the summer of 1915, he with J. F. Cook of Maryville, built the Maitland elevator, which is now in the hands of the Farmers' Elevator Co.

William H. DeBord and Cordelia Bates were born and raised in Peoria County Illinois, and on February 13, 1868 were united in marriage at Princeville, Illinois.

They lived on a farm near Princeville, until, 1869, when Mr. DeBord believing that a new country offered a greater opportunity for a young man than his own, he started west by wagon road, in company with three other men about his age. When he left, his father told him he had a cousin somewhere in Northwest Mo., but did not know where exactly. They drove to Abeline, Kan. And not liking the country there, they came to Fillmore, Mo., where they stopped to get something to eat. On learning their names they were told that a man by the name of DeBord lived four miles north of Fillmore. They drove out to DeBord's and found him to be the cousin who lived in Northwest, Mo. Mr. DeBord rented a farm near his cousin's farm and in November, Mrs. DeBord and one child came to join him in their new home, where they lived until 1871, when they came to Holt county, where they have resided since.

Mr. DeBord served his country during the Civil war in Co. E. 139 regiment, Illinois Infantry.

Eight children came to bless their home, five of whom are still living, Mrs. Fred Collison of Maitland, Mrs. R. C. Hitchcock, Topeka, Kan., Ralph who is in charge of the home farm, Mrs. Carl Elliot of Nodaway county and LeRoy who died a few months ago.

He was mayor of Maitland and served the people faithfully and well. In politics he was democrat and was a member of the Christian church.

About twenty four years ago they move to Maitland and since that time Mr. DeBord had been one of our active business men.

Mr. and Mrs. DeBord celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1918.

Uncle Bill had been in failing health for some time but up until 3 years ago, he continued in charge of his work at the elevator. Always active in business he could hardly be expected to content himself in idleness, even though his friends urged that he has accumulated enough to live in comfort the balance of his years, and it was with much reluctance that he sold out his business to live in retirement. He was always a believer in Maitland, his home town and North-west Missouri. He was always a friend to those who were less fortunate in this world than he and his many deeds of kindness are only recorded by the unseen eye that we are told even notes the fall of the sparrow.

Uncle Bill DeBord easily ranked as one of our foremost citizens. What the Herald might say would not add to his laurels, for he was a man of character and steadfast purpose and the soul of honor and truth—his word was his bond. And now after a well spent and useful life he is called home to that reward that surely is waiting for him. His death occurred at St. Joseph, Saturday morning, July 10, and the remains were brought to his home on Maple avenue, this city, Saturday evening. The funeral was held at the Christian church on Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, the sermon being preached by Elder S. D. Harlan, who had taken him into the church and baptized him a few years ago. A large crowd came to attend these last rites and the church could not hold but a small part of them. After the sermon his remains were taken to the beautiful K. and P. Cemetery where tender and loving hands laid rest in sight of home and familiar scenes. Truly he will be missed by all who were so fortunate as to call him friend. Our sympathy goes out to his family and near ones who miss him so much in the long days that must come, or in the vigils of the night when that voice is not heard, or they listen for a foot-step that comes no more.

"Can storied urn or animated bust Call back the fleeting breath."

Nothing can change that mortal man could do could change his life and his coming and going was to us a beacon that surely leads to better things. We would not change his condition if we could—but leave him his cloak wrapped about him, the good lessons he left as a heritage, a recompense that money could not buy—a reward that can come only to such as he who had lived a life of service to those about him. Surely his reward is beyond the understanding of such weak mortals as we are left to struggle on a few years more—let us hope, as well.