Prominent Jeffersonville Citizen Passed to Great Beyond

In last weeks issue of the RECORD a brief notice was given of the death of Watterman Bestow, who had died on Wednesday morning. For the ordinary span of a human life Mr. Bestow has been a citizen and prominent person in the life of the county. his grandfather founded the village of Jeffersonville and the deceased lived practically all his life and died in the home founded by the grandfather.

"Wat" Bestow was energetic in all things and always courageous and staunch for the right as he saw it. He was liberal and broad minded and he has left an impress on the community in which he lived that will always be an inspiration for the higher and better things in life. He never intentionally did a wrong act and the high respect in which he was held by the community was shown by the fact that the church house was not large enough to hold those who gathered to attend the funeral.

He had the warnings of approaching appoplexy that had taken his father and also his brother and he could feel that his days were numbered. He had prepared for death as one who wraps his robes about him and lays down to gentle sleep. Many mouths ago he asked Rev. S.S.Lappin, of Cincinnati, a former Jeffersonville boy, to officiate at his funeral and had made the preparations against the time of the coming of the grim reaper. He wanted to live for life was dear to him and he loved his family and friends but he bravely set his house in order and was prepared for the day when it came.

The funeral which was one of the largest in the country's history was held at the Christian Church in Jeffersonville, Thursday p.,. Elder S.S. Lappin, Editor of the Christian Standard, Cincinnati, Ohio., preached the sermon from the text Heb. 13:7, "Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." Elder Dan Logan offered the prayer and Elder Earenfight, the pastor read the scripture reading. The sermon was a loving tribute to the memory of the departed. The male quartette of Fairfield furnished the music. The church where he worked so many years was decorated in white and banked with potted ferns and cut flowers. Many and beautiful were the floral pieces, one of the most beautiful being a large pillow from his S.S. class and the church.

A short prayer was offered at the home after which the pall bearers, all men of his S.S. Class, carried the body to the church and then to Bestow cemetery which had been established and dedicated to the public out of the original Branch Bestow estate. Uncle Wat as he was lovingly called was a man whose place cannot be filled, but whose memory and Godly influence will live forever.

"He is not dead but sleeping:
Gone on to greet us at our coming."

Relatives and friends from a distance were I.O. Hart and family, Evansville, Indiana; Mr. and Mrs. A.F. Tate and son, Beecher City; Dr. and Mrs. J.W. Armstrong, Centralia; M.G. Karr, Rinard; Ralph Karr Cisne, George Adams, Muskogee, Okla.; J.A. Hilliard, Kansas City; Mrs. Jane Rochelle and Miss Agnes Rochelle, Rinard; and a large number from Fairfield, Mill Shoals, Wayne City and Cisne attended.

The following appropriate obituary notice was read at the funeral and has been supplied to us for publication.

OBITUARY

Watterman Bestow, son of John C. and Phoebe Bestow was born at Chester Meiggs county, Ohio, Dec. 5th 1846. Died at his home at Jeffersonville, Ill., Feb. 10, 1915, aged 68 years, two months and five days. He was married to Florence A. Rinard, Sept. 26, 1867. To this union there was born three daughters: Carrie B., Martha A. and Lucy Ada. These have all preceded him to the other world after having arrived at the estate of womanhood. The wife died Jan. 25, 1877. He was again married to Martha A. Branch in 1880, who died some two years later.
On March 1, 1883, he was married to Samantha B. Karr. To them there has been born seven children, two sons and five daughters, Bessie, Jessie, Edna, Lowell, Lynn, Blanche and Phoebe; Bessie and Edna have gone into the beyond. There are left to mourn his loss, his wife, five children and six grandchildren. Mrs. Harriett A Rinard of Fairfield, a sister of his mother is only near relative aside from the immediate family. She is a dearly beloved aunt to him and to all his family.

When fifteen years of age he came from Ohio to make his home with his grandfather at Jeffersonville, Ill. About a year later his parents followed. Since that time his home has been at Jeffersonville. Of the persons living at Jeffersonville when he came here he has been the only surviving resident for some years past.

From early boyhood he has taken an active interest in the affairs of the Sunday school and church. When about sixteen years of age he had a prominent part in the work which resulted in the organization of the first Sunday school in the place. From this school has grown the present M.E. church.

A few years later on a lot donated by his grandfather the present Christian church was erected. On Jan. 25, 1879 he was baptised and united with this church under the ministry of C.A. Manker. June 2nd, 1881, a little more than two years later, he was ordained to the office of elder in that congregation, which office he faithfully filled up to the (unreadable) of his life. From the organization of the church he has been leader of the adult class in the Sunday school. In Sunday school conventiehs he has always been present and has at times visited the various schools in the county, for some time acting as county superintendent. In the community and in the church, where at times he struggled against discouraging circumstances, a loss will be deeply felt for years to come. During his last illness he made all the detailed arrangements for the funeral services, including selection of pall bearers, ministers, etc.

(Wayne County Press - Fairfield, Illinois - Thursday 18 February 1915 - Page 1)