grave import

Obituary

While a few knew of the illness of this venerable and much-esteemed citizen, none expected that he would so soon be called to lay down the burden of daily cares and enter upon the life eternal. After an illness of two weeks, beginning with a cold and developing general debility, which reached the heart, his death occurred this morning at 6 o'clock at his home, 1205, corner of South and Boundary streets. Stephen T. Acres was a man of high character, and his death will cause widespread regret. He was in born in Gibraltar Aug. 17th, 1816 where he married Sarah Newman, who died four years ago. His father was an Irish soldier and his mother a Spaniard, and in early life, he was a Catholic. He learned the bookbinding trade and came to this country in 1853, locating first at Waukegan, IL where he worked at his trade until April 29th, 1854, when he came to Burlington, landing here with not enough money to pay the drayage of his effects, but with a large stock of energy and determination to succeed. Through the aid and encouragement of W.F. Coolnaugh, Oliver Cook, Colonel Morgan, A.W. Carpenter, Smith McKenney, and W.D. McCord he was enabled to purchase an outfit of tools an machinery, and in Coolbaugh's block on Main street the work was started which in time was destined to extend throughout was destined to extend throughout the northwest. He conducted the bookbinding business until 1865 when Capt. John N. Bell became a partner. In 1867 E.C. Blackmar became a partner of the firm of Acres, Blackmar & Co. In 1868 John Culleton was admitted to partnership and the extensive business has been in the hands of these men since Mr. Acres having charge of the book-binding department. During ten years of his residence here Mr. Acres had charge of the circulation of the Hawkeye, which was printed by his firm. Mr. Acres has served the city as Alderman of the Seventh ward for three terms and in other public affairs has always taken a lively interest. He was Past Grand of Washington Lodge IOOF and at present Treasurer of Burlington lodge No 20 AF and AM. His family consists of eight children: Mrs. Mary Holman of Chicago, Mrs. John M> Bell of Dayton, Ohio; Mrs. W.S. Wotring, Mrs. Wm. Pilger, Miss Louie and Miss Carrie, Thomas R. and Henry L. of this city. Mr. Acres has two sisters and two brothers, Mrs. Raum, of Benecia, Cal., Mrs. Catharine Carreras of St. Louis, Peter Acres of Hamburg, Canada and Wm. Acres, the grocer of this city.
The death of Mr. Acres makes a void in the ranks of the First Methodist church that it seems impossible to fill. Since its organization, he has been chairman of the Board of Trustees, and his interest and devotion to the welfare fo the church was manifested at all times. He was a member of the Board of Trustees and Building Committee at the time the Division street church was built, in 1854-55, and has been an office-bearer in the church ever since. He was eminent in piety, conscientious in all his actions in life-measuring his conduct in public and private by the golden rule "do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you" In all business affairs of the church he was thoughtful and discreet and his judgment was rarely at fault in any important matter. It has been the strong desire of his heart for the past three or four years that the society should build a new church home. He was willing and anxious to make any personal sacrifice, only that a fit temple for the worship of the Almighty God should be erected, and to him more than anyone else, perhaps, is due to the recent determination to proceed at once upon that important work. During his short illness this enterprise has seemed uppermost in his mind, and to every friend that called he manifested his increasing interest in it, and his desire to be able to bear an active part in the arduous undertaking. His death seems an almost irreparable loss to the church, and for a long time, he will be missed from his accustomed place in the church and social meetings and in her councils.
Mr. Acres carried life insurance to the extent of $9,000 in the Keokuk Odd Fellows' Association, the Connecticut Mutual and the Bankers.