The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa Thursday, September 21, 1905 The many friends in this community were greatly shocked to learn of the death of MRS. CLARA ALEXANDER, wife of Mayor G.W. ALEXANDER, which occurred at the family residence on Main Street on Saturday morning, September 16, 1905, after an illness of seven weeks with kidney trouble. It was not generally known that her condition was critical and the news of her death came with great surprise. Funeral services were held at the home on Sunday afternoon at three o'clock, conducted by her Pastor, Rev. W.S. McCullagh, and were attended by a large concourse of sorrowing friends. The floral offerings were varied and beautiful, parting tributes to the memory of the deceased. Beautiful emblems were contributed by the city council and by the members of the Chariton Bar Association of which MR. ALEXANDER is a member. The members of the Grand Army of the Republic manifested their sympathy for their sorrowing comrade by attending the last sad rites in a body. At the close of the servic! es the remains were gently laid to rest in the Chariton Cemetery. The members of the city council, Messrs. C.P. Connell, Frank Manning, Fred Yengel, J.H. Darrah, H.H. Larimer and B.R. Van Dyke acted as pall bearers. CLARA H. HENDRICKS was born in Vermont in October, 1840. When but a very small child she went to the State of New York where she lived for several years and then moved to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, where she was married to EDWARD DODSON who died in 1869. They were the parents of one son, CHARLES DODSON, who passed away in Oskaloosa a few years ago. She was married at Manchester, Iowa, on December 30, 1872, to G.W. ALEXANDER who survives her and who has the deepest sympathy of the entire community in his great grief. MR. and MRS. ALEXANDER came to Chariton immediately after their marriage and this place has since been their home. When quite young she was converted and recently united with the Presbyterian Church. During her illness she frequently expressed her readiness to depart this life and her only regret was the separation from her husband and her granddaughter, ETHEL DODSON of Davenport, who came last Friday and was present at the funeral services. MRS. ALEXANDER was a lady of strong mind, well read and a character most excellent. Her highest happiness came from being helpful to others and she often ministered to the sick when in ill health herself. She was quiet and unassuming in her manner, and possessed to an unusual degree those lovable womanly qualities that are always so much admired. She had a wide circle of loyal, devoted friends who will mourn her death sincerely. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CARD OF THANKS I wish to thank most earnestly each and everyone of my kind friends for their help and sympathy during the sickness and at the death of my wife. --G.W. ALEXANDER. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Grand Army Veterans did a most graceful act Sunday afternoon in attending the funeral of the late MRS. CLARA H. ALEXANDER, wife of Mayor G.W. ALEXANDER. They were out enmass and no finer tribute of respect has ever been paid in Chariton and exemplifies a charity as broad as humanity, prompted by the spirit that emanates from the infinite. Capt. G.W. ALEXANDER fought for the lost cause and assisted in the attempt to carry his native Tennessee out of the Union under the justification of the Whilom doctrines of states rights, but when the policy of Nationalism was established through the results of the conflict no one accepted it more readily than he and during his twenty-five years residence in Chariton has enjoyed the comradeship of those whom he opposed at arms during the waning days of the confederacy. This comradeship never more strongly asserted itself than on Sunday and in the dark hour of bereavement it forms the silver lining to his cloud of despair. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert September 2, 2004 [email protected]