Published in Blair Courier, October 16, 1902

The family of Hon. J.R. Cantlin received a telegram from Valdosta, Ga., at 10 o'clock last Saturday evening that Mr. Cantlin had suffered a stroke of paralysis and in half an hour another one came announcing his death. He was appointed a delegate by Governor Savage to the Farmers' National Congress at Macon, Ga., and was on a pleasure trip to St. Augustine and Valdosta was the first place of interest visited.

The body arrived here Tuesday afternoon, accompanied by H. A. Talcott, of Crete, Neb., also a delegate to the congress. Mr. Talcott was a total stranger and the family of the deceased are very grateful for his kindness.

The funeral will be held at 10 o'clock this morning at the Catholic church and immediately after the service is over, the G.A.R. will take charge and hold a short service at Germania hall. The remains will be taken to Ridgely, Neb., on Friday for burial by the side of his first wife and four children.

Mr. Cantlin was born at Ottawa, Canada, July 22, 1841, and came with his parents to Illinois when but five years of age. He served three years in Co. A., 104 Ill. Vol. and after the war spent several years as a railroad agent in Illinois. He was married to Miss Eliza Curran in 1866 and in 1869 he came to Nebraska and was in the employ of the U.P. road at North Platte. Two years later he removed to Dodge county, where he lived on a farm until last July when he sold out and moved to this city. He was a member of the state legislature in 1881 and was secretary of the State Grange for many years, also a member of the State Board of Agriculture and for the past three years had charge of the agricultural hall at the state fair.

John was a two term Nebraska State Representative from Dodge County. He was secretary of the state grange for eight years and was appointed by Gov. Savage as a delegate to the Farmer's National Congress at Macon, GA. After leaving Macon, he and other men were going to tour St. Augustine, FL, when he suffered a stroke while aboard the train. He was carried to the Valdes Hotel in Valdosta, GA, where he passed away. His body was shipped back to Blair, NE, where it lay in state for two days at Germania Hall. Every place in Blair closed for his funeral, which was held at St. Joseph's Church. His body was then transported to Webster, Dodge County, NE, and buried in St. Mary's Cemetery beside his first wife, his mother, and four of his children.

Woodmen of the World purchased the lot and erected this memorial to him in the Blair City Cemetery....a Protestant cemetery. John Robert was Catholic and was buried in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery.

His first wife died in 1888 and in 1890 he married Miss Lucretia Lippincott, of this city, who survives him. There are eight children living, J. H. of Alliance, Neb.; G. W. of Mitchell, Ill.; E. E. at Ferris, Wyo.; R. B. at Boone, Ia.; F. C. at North Bend; and E. Maude, Edna J. and Ralph L., of this city. Besides his membership in the G.A.R., he was a member of the A.O.U.W., W.O.W., and M.W.A. lodges and carried about $8,000 insurance.

Obit provided by, and used with the permission of, the Wash. Co. Geo. Soc., Blair, NE
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Cenotaph here