Posted on: PaloAlto County Obituaries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ia/PaloAltoObits/653 Surname: Spies, Jackman, Hossack, Reeves, Boles, Sherman ------------------------- Emmetsburg Democrat, Friday, November 25, 1938 Jake A. Spies of Graettinger Died Suddenly Widely Known Northwest Iowa Banker and Land Owner. Was 79 Years of Age. Buried In Illinois. J. A. Spies, 79, a resident of Graettinger since 1884 and prominent northwest Iowa banker and land owner, died suddenly of a heart attack at his home at Graettinger, shortly after the supper hour Saturday. Mr. Spies had just completed his usual light evening meal and had seated himself in a rocking chair in the room. He was enjoying a short visit with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Hossack, and was also petting his favorite dog. Within a minute or two it was noticed that Mr. Spies had thrown his head back and appeared to be enjoying a joke. His daughter detected a strange look on his countenance. Becoming alarmed she came close to him and discovered that he appeared to be lifeless. Summoning a local physician immediately it was found that Mr. Spies was dead. His sons Adloph of Graettinger and Charles of Emmetsburg were also immediately summoned to the home but they arrived after his death. Mr. Spies became ill while on a vacation trip to Florida during April of last year. He returned to his home in Graettinger in a serious condition. He later visited Rochester, Minn., St. Louis, Mo. and Excelsior Springs, Mo., for the benefit of his health and had been greatly benefited. During the past several weeks he had been feeling as robust as usual. He was making it a practice of taking sufficient exercise daily. He and Mrs. Spies had planned to send the present winter months in California. At ten o'clock Monday morning short funeral services were held at the Spies home in Graettinger. Rev. J. J. Kelly, pastor of the Catholic church in Graettinger, following the Rosary, talked briefly about its origin. He also paid a high tribute to the Spies family record for Christian living and American citizenship. Following Father Kelly's remarks, Rev. Wm. G. Bohi, Methodist pastor, conducted the funeral service. The remains were then brought by car to Mr. Spies' old home at Marine, Ill., where at 3:00 o'clock Tuesday afternoon they were interred in the Spies family lot in the Marine cemetery. Local pall bearers were Carl Spies, Jr., Fred Spies, Att'y Carl Spies Jr., Otto Spies, Kurt Spies, Richard Spies, Kenneth Reeves and Sam Boles. There were large numbers of old friends and neighbors who called at the home Sunday and Monday before the remains of Mr. Spies were taken to Illinois. Jacob A. Spies, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Spies, was born at Marine, Illinois, on March 14, 1859. He spent his youth in that locality and graduated from the Marine public schools. He later attended McKendree College at Lebanon, Ill., from which institution he graduated. Mr. Spies enrolled in the College of Law and was finally admitted to the state bar. His roomate through law school was the late Senator L. V. Sherman who later became such a brilliant figure in Illinois political circles. Messrs. Spies and Sherman had intended to engage as partners in the practice of law in Kansas, but Mr. Spies later contracted a severe case of malaria. He decided to visit Germany where he took mud bath treatments for the benefit of his health. It was during his stay in Germany that he met Miss Anna Spies, who was later to become his wife. Upon his return to the United States, Mr. Spies spent a short time in his home town of Marine. About that time his father purchased a number of quarter-sections upon which the towns of Mallard and Graettinger now stand. Mr. Spies, Jr. came out to Palo Alto county from Illinois in 1884 to look after his father's land interests. He remained here for two years. He returned to Marine in 1886 where in June 17 of that year he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Spies of Germany who had come over from her native land for a visit with her American relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Spies, immediately following their marriage, came to Graettinger where they have since made their home. Four sons and daughters were born to Mr.and Mrs. Spies. A daughter Agnes (Mrs. John Jackman) died in 1925. One daughter, Mrs. Wm. Hossack of Graettinger, survives, as do two sons - Adolph Spies of Graettinger, and Carl Spies of Emmetsburg. Mrs. Spies is also left to mourn the death of her husband. One sister, Mrs.Bertha Kolb, of Marine, Ill., remains of a large famiy of brothers and sisters. Mr. Spies built the first home in Graettinger. He and his family lived in it for five years. They later built a splendid home on the section of land adjoining Graettinger. This has been the homestead for many years. Mr. Spies organized the first grain elevators and lumber yards in Graettinger, Wallingford and Osgood. He later disposed of these interests. In 1904 Mr. Spies established the German-American Bank in Graettinger. He conducted this institution for twelve years, selling it to the First National Bank in 1916. In 1918, Mr. Spies and his family moved to St. Louis, Mo., where for a year Mr. Spies handled the affairs of a large dairy company. They returned to Palo Alto county shortly after the death of Mr. Spies' brother Louis Spies, in St. Louis. In June 1929, Mr. Spies organized the Iowa Trust & Savings Bank in Emmetsburg. He was president of the institution until his death. At one time Mr. Spies was director of the Globe National Fire Insurance Company. Mr. Spies was an extensive Iowa land owner. It is reported that he owned over forty choice Iowa quarter-sections of land. He also had lumber interests in the south and in the west. In addition to Mr. Spies' reputation as one of the most careful, shrewd and successful business men in Iowa, the Spies home at Graettinger was widely known for its genuine spirit of good fellowship and hospitality. Friends were always welcome in the Spies home. Mr. Spies was a gentleman of excellent character. He loved his home and he took a sincere, fatherly interest in his sons and daughters. He provided every opportunity for them to secure for themselves the best of educational preparation and following their entry into the serious business of life, he afforded each of them splendid business opportunities. Mr. Spies was a man who also respected his fellows for their true worth. Privately he often performed charitable acts about which the general public knew little. While Mr. Spies was not affiliated with any particular religious denomination he proved himself generous and substantial in his support of them. Mr. Spies' moral character was of the highest calibre. His influence for good was wide. Palo Alto county will long remember J. A. Spies as one of its leading citizens and as one who contributed much to the early and later development of this section of Iowa. His family will always remember him as a provident and kind father whose every interest centered in them. They have the sincere sympathy of a large circle of friends in his death.