Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1899 — Obituary. [ARTICLE]

Obituary.

MARION L. SPITLER. Marion L. Spitler was born March 12, 1836, in West Lebanon, in Warren county, Indiana. He was the eldest son of George W. and Malinda Spitler, and, except those who 5 died in infancy, had brother Thomas J. Spitler now deceased, and one sister, Mary V. Hammond wife of Hon. E. PHammond. His parents were very prominent in the development of the County, and their hospitality was recognized far and near While an infant his parents moved to a farm near Brook, Indiana, which at one time was the County seat of then Jasper County. They moved to Rensselaer in 1840 on the removal of the County seat to that place. Here his father and mother lived all the remainder of their lives; and it was also the home of the deceased. He was a graduate of Wabash College in the class of 1855. In 1857 the deceased moved to Kansas where he met and married Mary Emily Burnham, with whom he lived a happy and contented life until the time of his death. Nine children resulted from this union, of whom four remain and are present here today. Five died in child-hood. The deceased was a member of the Company A, 87th. Indiana Vol. in the war of 1861 and 1864 and always remained loyal to the flag of his country. He was educated a democrat but the greater portion of his life he was a republican. In his political and social intercourse with his neighbors and his friends he aimed to act the gentleman and was kin l and generous to all. His home was always opened to all well behaved persons, and in this his good wife was a faithful help-mate. It was always a pleasant home to visit His first effort at procuring a living was in teaching school, he having taught school before his marriage. He afterwards was a dry goods and hardware clerk and was in the hardware store of the Stackhouse Bros, when he went into the army, to which firm he returned after coming out of the service. In 1867 he was elected Clerk of the County, which office he held during the constitutional limit. He was ever regarded a capable courteous and faithful officer, and made a conscientious effort to do his whole duty. On his retirement from the Clgfk’s office he went into the law office of Thompson & Bro. as a clerk for three years, at the end,of which time he became a member of the firm, and remained with it until the dissolution of the firm in 1896, occasioned by the premotion of the senior member of the firm to the judgeship of the 30th. judical circuit As an authority on real estate titles and the settlement of estates, his place will probably never be filled owing to his long residence and f amiliarty with County affairs. Soon after his retirement from active business the health of the decedent began to fail, and in July 1898 he was compelled to quit work and has never since been regarded as in health, although he moved around in our midst with a cheerful disposition until weakened by disease so that he seldom left his home. The decdent was elected a member of the Fiftyeighth General Assembly of the State of Indiana for *the Counties of Jasper and Newton, and was a conscientious* faithful member of that body. He was a man of warm friendship and was ever faithful to those he admired. His great ambition seems to be to do good whenever he could, and

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none who came to him went away empty. He was progressive and willing to do his part in the upbuilding of society and of such public enterprises as met his approval. He was a generous and loving father ever willing to grant the wishes and fullfill the wants of his family who loved and reverenced him dearly.