Benjamin Franklin Sedgwick, 1844-1935

Daily Iowegian - 16 July 1934
------------------------
B. F. Sedgwick At 90 Retains His Activity
Daughter Pays Tribute in Verse 
to Father of Well Known Family as He Reaches 90

  B. F. Sedgwick of Jerome was 90 years old Friday, July 13, 1934. The Sedgwick family of seven children are living, some in Appanoose county, and some elsewhere. While they attempted no regular family reunion for his 90th anniversary, some of them visited him and found him full of life and in excellent health and spirits. He has lived a temperate life, eaten regularly and not to heavily, and always has had his exercise. Since he has not been engaged in active farming he gets it by walking and by exercising about the home. He walks every day. If he cannot get outside he does it in the house. He walks, swings his arms and breathes deeply and always goes to the table with a good appetite.

  Born at Rice's Landing in Pennsylvania, July 13, 1844, he came to Appanoose county when abot 25 years of age and within a year was married to Catherine Thomas of the Concord church vicinity in the northwest part of the county. They lived there until the early eighties when they moved to the Jerome vicinity.

  Eight children were born to them, the oldest, Joseph, dying in infancy. The others are: Tom R. of St. Louis, Mo.; Anna, wife of C. C. Bollman of Jerome; Owen, living on the home place, a half mile west of Jerome where the father now resides; William of Des Moines, Iowa; Vera, wife of Sam J. Owen, living west of Jerome; B. F., grocer on West Van Buren street, Centerville; Theodore M. of Jerome. The wife died April 17, 1924. 

  As Mr. Sedgwick enters on the last decade toward his hundred years he shows every indication of being in condition to complete the century. He keeps himself interested in current events, can read the newspapers without glasses, and is alert to what is going on about him. His many friends congratulate him on his long and useful life and on the cheerful attitude he has carried into old age.

  The occasion of his 90th anniversary were celebrated by some verses written by his daughter, Mrs. Anna Bollman, which are very apt and contain both sentiment and history. They relate incidents in his eventful life and pay tribute to his character, as follows:


Ninety years old today, today,
Ninety years since your first birthday;
Why father dear, it seems strange to say
That you are ninety years old today.
Your step so firm, you eye so bright,
Your form not bent, your hair not white.
But thick and glossy and silvery gray,
And yet you are ninety years old today.


On your natal day you were far from here;
On Monongahala's banks so dear
Nestled, the home where you saw the light,
And your spirit awoke to life's delight.
On its banks did you play, on its stream did you lave,
And the mountains and hills o'er-shadowed its waves.
The old Alleghanies and Blue Ridge too,
You knew from childhood, and loved them too.


Of brothers and sisters, a merry thong,
Four older and four younger, no day was long;
With tasks and playtime and school and books,
And mountain and stream and shady nooks,
The child to youth, then to manhood grew,
'Twas then as now, Youth longed for the new.
So westward he turned in the prairies great,
And journeyed to this beloved State.


In six short months he had won him a bride,
Dearer than all in the East beside;
And mountain and stream and hill and dell,
Had lost their charm, for he loved her well.
More than fifty years they journeyed together,
In sunshine and shade, and stormy weather.


They welcomed their first born, a little son,
This sweet flower was plucked ere life had begun;
Nine short months and the gift was taken
Back to the Giver, but he shall awaken.
Five stalmant sons and daughters two,
Went from this home, to build anew.
'Tis a tale oft repeated, they have not won fame,
But when life called to battle, they answered their name.


At eighty thou wast left alone,
They mate was flown, they helpmate gone;
Ten long years hath the marble pressed
The grave of her you loved the best.
Thou are nearing the shore of an unknown sea,
To launch thy bark for eternity.
But we may be nearer, 'tis hid from our sight,
"My spirit may slip from its moorings tonight."


The life of man, how brief the span!
Swift as weaver's shuttle ran.
The fleeting years have winged feet,
They bear us on till death, we meet.
'Tis not a hopeless sorrow, no!
Christ the first fruits, a vanquished foe.
And all them that in Jesus sleep,
Shall wake in peace, no more to weep.

------------------------
Daily Iowegian - 26 February 1935

------------------------

B. F. Sedgwick, 90, Dies of Pneumonia; 
Funeral Thursday

Retired Appanoose County Farmer 

Ill Since Feb. 1 at Home West of Jerome

  Pneumonia, contracted Feb. 1, proved fatal to Benjamin Franklin Sedgwick, 90-year old Appanoose county farmer, who died at 8 p.m. Monday at his home west of Jerome, where he had lived 53 years. He resided with his son, Owen S., and family at his death.

  Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the home, with burial in Jerome cemetery beside Mrs. Sedgwick, who died 11 years ago.

Born in Pennsylvania

  Mr. Sedgwick was born July 13, 1844, at Rices Landing, Pa. When 25 years old, he came west and settled on a farm northeast of Plano, and a year later married Catherine Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Sedgwick moved to the present Sedgwick farm west of Jerome in 1882.

  Mr. Sedgwick had been in good health until the last year. He exercised by walking about the house, was keenly interested in current events and read daily without glasses.

Daughter Wrote Poetry

 The Iowegian published poetry written by his daughter, Mrs. Anna Bollman of Jerome, and dedicated to him on his 90th birthday.

  Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Bollman and Mrs. Vera Owen, of Jerome; five sons, Thomas R. of St. Louis, Mo., William of Des Moines, Benjamin F. Jr. of Centerville, and Owen S. and Theodore M. of Jerome; brother, Dr. Theodore of McKeesport, Pa.; half-sister, Mrs. Emma McGregor of Ohio; 21 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Gravestones for
Benjamin and Catherine Thomas Sedgwick

in the Jerome Cemetery

Row 6, Block 29, Lot 6

-----------------------
Early Grooms Marriages 
in Appanoose County, Iowa, 1846-1900
[Appanoose County IA Genealogy Society, 1986]
Sedgwick, Benjn. 21 to Catherine Thomas 16 
June 8, 1871 - Book 5, Page 285
-----------------------

Note: Catherine Thomas who married Benjamin Sedgewick was a sister of Ellen Thomas who married George Sidles. Both families lived near Jerome. Catherine and Ellen were daughters of Asbury Thomas and Mary Bowers.

-----------------------

Family Tree on Ancestry.com Posted by Carri5893

Family Group Sheet for Joseph Sedgwick (1811-1882) and Priscilla Rice (c1815-Bef1850). 

Father: Joseph Sedgwick, born 5 Oct 1811, Greene Co., PA; died 3 Mar 1882

Mother: Priscilla Rice, born abt 1815, Greene Co., PA; died bef 1850

Child: Thomas Sedgwick, born abt 1836, Greene Co., PA

Child: Samuel Sedgwick, born abt 1838, Greene Co., PA

Child: Sarah Sedgwick, born 1840, Greene Co., PA

Child: Elizabeth Sedgwick, born abt 1842, Greene Co., PA

Child: Benjamin Sedgwick, born abt 1844, Green Co., PA
Note: This Family Tree provides some ancestral information for Priscilla Rice.

-----------------------

Census Records for Benjamin Franklin Sedgwick
and Catherine Thomas

--1850 U.S. Federal Census, Place: Jefferson, Greene, Pennsylvania; Roll: M432_783; Page: 126; Image: 246.  [Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1856 Iowa State Census, Independence, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: IA_48; Family Number: 60. [Asbery Thomas Family] [Ancestry.com. Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925 (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]

--1860 U.S. Federal Census, Place: Jefferson, Greene, Pennsylvania; Roll: M653_1114; Page: 506; Image: 275. [Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1860 U.S. Federal Census, Place: Independence, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: M653_311; Page: 97; Image: 98. [Asberry Thomas Family] [Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1870 U.S. Federal Census, Place, Independence, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: M593_375; Page: 443; Image: 187. [Asbury Thomas Family] [Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census, (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]

--1885 Iowa State Census, Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: IA1885_144; Family Number: 7.  [Ancestry.com. Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925 (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1895 Iowa State Census, Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: IA1885_287; Family Number: 92.  [Ancestry.com. Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925 (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1900 U.S. Federal Census, Place: Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: T623_416; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 16.  [Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1905 Iowa State Census, Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: IA_75.  [Ancestry.com. Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925 (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1910 U.S. Federal Census, Place: Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: T624_390; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 21; Image: 1428. [Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1915 Iowa State Census, Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: IA1915_25; Image: 690 - Katharine Sedgwick; Image: 687 - B. F. Sedgwick; Image: 692 - T. M. Sedgwick.  [Ancestry.com. Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925 (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]
--1920 U.S. Federal Census, Place: Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: T625_477; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 24; Image: 344.  [Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]

--1925 Iowa State Census, Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: IA1925_1952; Line: 22; Images: 10, 11 and 12.  [Ancestry.com. Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925 (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]

--1930 U.S. Federal Census, Place: Lincoln, Appanoose, Iowa; Roll: 641; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 17; Image: 333.0. [Ancestry.com.  1930 United States Federal Census (database on-line), Provo, UT, USA]