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James Marion Peckinpaugh, The Leader Post, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada May 17, 1939

James Marion Peckinpaugh

J. M. Peckinpaugh Dies at Midale

Midale – There passed away at his home in Midale James Peckinpaugh, one of the oldest and best-loved residents of Midale.

James Marion Peckinpaugh was born Nov. 24, 1857, at Leavenworth, Indiana. In 1878 he married Harriet E. Sawyer, who survives him. The family moved to Canada in 1912 and for many years Mr. Peckinpaugh was engaged in the restaurant business in Midale. Last November Mr. and Mrs. Peckinpaugh observed their sixtieth wedding anniversary. Of their four children, only one, James of Winnipeg, survives. Marion, Mrs. F. A. Salstrom died in 1923 and two children died in infancy.

Mr. Peckinpaugh was a devoted husband and a kind father as well as being a man who took a great deal of interest in the welfare of the community. The past few years he was mayor of Midale, a position he held at the time of his death. He was also a J.P.; president of the Midale Co-op Creamery Association, and secretary of the local I.O.O.F. lodge. He had been a member of the Odd Fellows for 45 years and had occupied several offices in the provincial lodge. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. M. Lee of the Norwegian Lutheran church on May 1. Pallbearers were: J. Fiury, W. Shippam, M. Mose, R. Berg, H. Lindbom and A. Carlson. Burial was made in the Midale cemetery.

Editor’s note: James Peckinpaugh was postmaster of Olivia from 12 May 1897 to 20 Jan 1906. With the reorganization of Company H in May 1899, Captain Peckinpaugh took the command until 1901.

Samuel R Miller, Olivia Times, January 18, 1931

Samuel R. Miller

Capt. Samuel R. Miller, Aged 90, Died Monday, Funeral Rites Today

War Veteran and Pioneer Attorney Dead

Olivia’s Oldest and an Esteemed Citizen Answers Last Bugle Call on January 12th

S. R. Miller, Olivia’s oldest and an esteemed citizen, has passed away. His death occurred Monday morning at the family home in this village after an illness of about a year. Last winter he suffered a slight stroke which left him in an enfeebled condition since from which he never fully recovered. He was tenderly and lovingly cared for by Mrs. Miller, but owing to his advanced age, recovery could not be hoped for.

The funeral will be held this afternoon from the Methodist church and all of Olivia will pay respect to his memory during the rites. An account of the funeral will appear next week.

Samuel R. Miller was born in Mansfield, Ohio, January 17, 1841, and would be 90 years of age had he lived until next Saturday. His parents were of Scotch ancestry, his grandfather serving as a soldier in the Revolutionary War and died at the age of 100 years. He received his education in the district school and at Vermillion College and Wooster University, of Ohio. In April 1891, he enlisted in Company H, Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer infantry for three months. After his discharge, he went to La Grange, Indiana and accepted a position as superintendent of the city schools, but in July 1862 he resigned his position and re-enlisted in Company C, 100th Indiana Volunteer Infantry for three years and served until the end of the war. He participated in more than forty engagements, including the Battle of Bentonville, where General Joseph E Johnson surrendered to General Sherman. For nearly two years he was in command of the Scouts, doing secret service with the army of the Mississippi reporting and attached to General Sherman’s headquarters. He was captured twice, but both times managed to escape. He held the position of First Sergeant until the close of the Vicksburg campaign when he was commissioned a lieutenant.

Following the war, he taught school for a time and then entered the University of Michigan and graduated from the law department in 1871, He began the practice of law at Lake City, Minn. with Col. C. A. Wood and was later appointed postmaster at that place. In 1874 he came to Renville county, locating at Beaver Falls, the county seat. He remained there until the county seat was moved to Olivia when he came to Olivia and has made this place his home since. He was elected and held the office of county attorney in the county several terms and he appeared as an attorney in five noted homicide cases here. In 1907, he retired from practice on account of the failure of hearing, but he continued to hold public office, being appointed as an examiner of titles and also as a court commissioner.

In 1897, he organized Company H, Third Minnesota Regiment National Guard at Olivia, and was largely instrumental in securing the Armory built at this place. In 1898, he organized Company H of the Fourteenth Volunteer Infantry for service in the Spanish-American War and entered the service with the company as its captain, remaining with the company until July 1898 when he was obliged to resign on account of defective hearing. He was a member of the G. A. R., the I.O.O.F., the A. F & A. M., president of the Olivia Board of education for 12 years.

Capt. Miller was twice married; in 1892 to Jennie M. Frazier, deceased; and in 1912 to Mary C. Peterson, who survived him. He leaves one son, Fr. Rockwood P. Miller of Detroit, Michigan, and one grandson, Howard W. Miller.

Reference is made to the personal character of Capt. Miller in an editorial in today’s Times, but we desire here to extend to the bereaved widow and son, our sympathy and condolence, and to assure them that the sympathy of the entire community goes out to them in their sorrow.

Neuenburg Rites A Sad Occasion, Olivia Times, September 4, 1919

Last Obsequies for Beloved Olivia Mayor Held Thursday. Large Crowds Attends.

The funeral of the late Henry H. Neuenburg, mayor of Olivia and one of the best-loved citizens of this county, was held from the home here last Thursday afternoon with service at the M. E. church and it was the most largely attended funeral held here in many years. All places of business were closed and the entire community cames to pay their last respects to the memory of their distinguished fellow citizen, who had been so suddenly taken from them. Large numbers came from all over the county as well as many relatives and friends from a distance. The church was filled to its utmost capacity for the services. After hymns by a quartet the prayer service was conducted by Rev. Nobbs of Renville after which Rev. W. S. Emery preached an eloquent and inspiring funeral sermons for the man with whom he had been so intimately associated in life, as a faithful member of his congregation, as a friend and a comrade in the military service.

The floral tributes were profuse and beautiful. The Odd Fellows lodge attended in a body in full regalia and conducted the services at the grave with Grand Chaplain Nobbs in charge. Among the relatives present at the funeral were Peter Shipman and son, Peter, Diedrich Pope and son, Raymond and wife and Mrs. Jacob Krenick of LeSueur Center, Jacob Neuenburg and family of Wabasso, Will and Otto Lindeman and families of New Avon, Mrs. N. B. Anderson of Redwood Falls, Frank Neuenburg and family, John Schleter and family, F. M. Schoemaker and family, Wm. Dreyer and family, Ed Schumacher and family, Chas. Clift and family, Mrs. Lou Lindeman and daughter, Ernest Lindeman and family, Mrs. A. H. Page and daughter, and Mrs. Martha Lindeman of North Redwood.

Fairfax Branch of the Red Cross taken from the book “Renville County in World War I: 1917, 1918, 1919” published by the Olivia Times in 1920

Officers
Chairman: Wm. Fiss
Vice-Chairman: Dr. A.M. Crandall
Secretary: Mrs. Ellen Russell
Treasurer: Mrs. Emily F. Sell

The Fairfax Branch was organized on June 18, 1917. Its activities covered a large field, the townships of Cairo, Wellington, and Camp being within its territory. The branch held many public meetings, solicited large sums of money and made up and shipped articles for the army camps and hospitals, all of which work completed favorably with that of any of its sister branches. Among the enthusiastic and earnest workers of the members, who gave hearty co-operation to the officers in their work, were Frank and C.H. Hopkins, Rev. Father Georgen, A.F. Carver, Charles Lammers, Mr. & Mrs. Ed Bregal, Ed Brown, and undoubtedly many others. The farmers in the district, men and women, worked faithfully also and are entitled to an unusual amount of credit. The results show their willingness to undergo many sacrifices in order to accomplish a noble purpose.

Mrs. Ellen Russell, secretary of the Fairfax chapter of the Red Cross

Editor’s Note: If you have any family information on any of the above-mentioned people please contact Nicole at the Museum. I have located information on William Alfred Fiss who is buried at Fort Ridgely Cemetery. He was born on December 12, 1879 and died on May 5, 1922. He was married to Gertrude Olga Fiss, but I do not have her maiden name.

Mayor H.H. Neuenburg Answers Death Angel’s Sudden Summons, Olivia Times August 28, 1919

Henry H. Neuenberg

Olivia in Mourning Over the Death of its Prominent and Beloved Citizen. Was Spanish War Veteran and Major in National Guard. Funeral Today From Home.

Henry H. Neuenburg, major of Olivia and beloved citizen is dead. The call came suddenly after an illness of only four days’ duration. The news of his death came as a terrible shock to the people of this vicinity on Tuesday morning. As a result, sorrow was depicted on the faces of the town people as they appeared on the streets and gloom spread to every home in the village. It seems so hard to realize that he, who was attending to his business affairs and mingling with other businessmen in town on Friday had been called so suddenly.

Mr. Neuenburg was taken ill on Friday from an attack of acute appendicitis. Dr. Mesker was called and alter Dr. Peterson of Minneapolis, who advised an operation. On Sunday he was taken to Minneapolis, where he underwent an operation at Fairview hospital. Here it was found that an abbess which formed on the appendix had broken and gangrene had set in. His condition left little hope for his recovery and immediately his two sons, Donald and Wilbur, were sent for and they, with Mrs. Neuenburg and of her relatives were at his bedside when he passed away at 3 o’clock Tuesday morning. The remains were brought to Olivia Tuesday evening and arrangements have been made for holding the funeral this afternoon at 1:30 from the home and 2 o’clock from the M.E. Church.

Olivia mourns today for one of its very best and most esteemed citizens, the history of whose life has been closely interwoven with the history of this village. Born in LeSueur County, Sept. 1, 1867, he came with his parents to Renville County at the age of nine years. The family settled on a farm in Beaver Falls in 1876 and here Henry remained until the age of 18, attending the public school in Renville and Redwood counties and later taking a course in a business college. In 1885 he entered the employ of Heins & McClure in their hardware store at Beaver Falls and this position he held until the death of Mr. McClure when the business closed. In 1890 he came to Olivia taking the position here as cashier of the Peoples Bank, which position he held until 1897 when he engaged in the lumber business forming a company known as H.H. Neuenburg and Co. He continued in this business until 1909, when he was appointed postmaster at Olivia. He served as postmaster for eight years and shortly after leaving the government employ he purchased the Olivia Roller Mills and was conducting this business at the time of his death.

During all the years of his residence here he concerned himself with the affairs of the village and community, filling various public offices and giving his support to the furtherance of every movement for the betterment of the community. At the time of his death, he was acting as major of the village, member of the board of education, member of the armory board, member of the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen lodges and stockholder of the Canning Co. and other local enterprises.

Captain Henry H. Neuenburg
Co. H Spanish-American War

In 1898 at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he enlisted with Company H and served during the war. He remained with the company during the years since, serving as a lieutenant, as captain, and finally as major of the battalion.

On Jan. 14, 1892, he was married to Miss Ida McClure, who with two sons, Donald aged 15, and Wilbur, aged 9 survive him, another son, Vern, having died in the service of his country in the late war.

A proper estimate of the character of the deceased cannot be given in this limited space, but it should be said of him that he was ever loyal to his town and country ever true to his friends and fellow citizen, ever devoted to his home and loved ones and always worthy of the compliments paid him and the honors conferred upon him. To have known Henry Neuenburg was to admire and esteem him, for he possessed in a marked degree those qualities of heart and mind which make men admirable and lovable. He will be sadly be missed from the social and business life of Olivia, but most of all from the home where the influence of his lovable nature and kindly impulses was most felt. To the bereaved widow and sons, the sympathy of the community goes out in full measure. May they find comfort in the thought that their departed loved one has left to them as a rich legacy, an honored name and that his life was filled with deeds which merit eternal reward.