Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1907 — DEATH OF SIMON KENTON. [ARTICLE]

DEATH OF SIMON KENTON.

Simon Kenton, one of the best known of Jasper connty’ssurviving early settlers, died suddenly Sunday afternoon, on his old home farm, jnst east east of Surrey, and about four miles north west of Rensselaer. He had just recently returned from Burnett, California, where he had made his home lor the past two or th.ee years, and where his wife died last February. He was expecting to spend thesummer here mostly with his son Omar, on the old home place, having reached here only about two weeks ago. He had always enjoyed excellent health and members of his lamily state that they never knew him to need the services of a physician. Suuday he seemed in his usual robust health, and in the forenoon ate largely ol walnuts, so much so that he ate bnt little dinner. About one o'clock his son and wife went away to visit her faiher, James Swaim’s people, some miles distaut, leaving Mr. Keuton at home with the hired hand, Mr. Stibbe. Mr. Kenton complained of being c.)ld, and (after lying behind the stove for a time, and then abont four o’clock told Mr. Stibbe that he would go upstairs’and cover up in his bed. This he did, but removed only his coat and shoes. Abont five o’clock Omar and his wife returned and he called to his father but getting no answer, went to his room and found him dead. He lay upon his back evidently just as he had lain down, had died without a struggle. It is sup posed he died from some form < f heart disease, brought on probably from aente indigestion from the walnnts he had eaten. Mr. Kenton was born in Champaign County, Ohio, in 1836, bis father being Jofcn C. Kenton, a native of Kentucky, and a brother of Simon Kenton, the celebrated Indian fighter and companion of Daniel Boone. His father moved to this county in 1843; which has ever since been Simon’s home, save for the few years he has spent in Arizona and California. He was married in 1859 to Josephine Spry, whose death only last February, is above mentioned. Of eight children born to them only four survive. Mrs. Alda Parkisou, wife of Addison Parkison, of Rensselaer, Mrs. Emma Berray and Melvin Kenton, both of Globe, Arizona, and Omar, on the old home farm. Mrs. Parki son and her husband have been -pending the winter in California, and are now on their way home, by way of Portland, and it is donbtfnl if the telegrams that have been sent will reach her. No arrangements for the funeral will be made until word Is received from the Arizona relatives.