grave import

Obituary

Col. John S. David, a native of Kentucky, and one of Burlington's early settlers and wealthy citizens, died May 29th, 1880, in the sixty-seventh year of his age, and (forty-fifth as a resident of Burlington). Col. David was one of Burlington's most enterprising and successful business men; a most efficient, outspoken worthy citizen. And during the active period of his life was identified with or incorporated in every movement of material interest and local developments of the city, having built and maintained many of the finest business houses in the city. He also invested in manufacturing and railroad corporations and other enterprises, and contributed liberally to churches, etc., from the ample means he always commanded. He was a man of native ability, and a vigorous constitution, natural economy, common sense, persistent energy and industry marked the lotlines of his character; i.e., a strong man, fitted for the times. Perhaps no private citizen in Iowa was so widely known throughout the Mississippi valley as John S. David. As a private citizen and a neighbor, the writer, for over a quarter of a century, was on the most intimate and friendly terms with him, and during all that time we exchanged family visits and personal calls. He was a good liver, and always maintained a well equipped country residence, beautiful grounds, well kept lawns, and a bountiful table when his numerous friends were always warmly received and kindly entertained. He was good to his relatives and extremely kind to his own family. For the past five years he has been in failing health; that is, he seemed to lose his hold on material things, accompanied with fits of nervous prostration, melancholy and fear of poverty. At the time of his tragic death he was packing his grip sack (his trunk having been sent to the depor), to go to Colorado, in company with an old friend and former neighbor, A.W. Comstock, of Mt. Pleasant. He died from a pistol shot, from his own hand, with his open grip sack beside him, wherein he had just placed his traveling ca, coat strap, shaving materials, brush' comb, pocket Bible, etc. His wife was in the room north of him, and his daughter Minnie in a room south, when the fatal shot was fired. He was immediately found sitting in a low rocking chair, legs crossed, with the pistol in his hand upon his lap and his head lying over the back of the chair, bleeding form a wound under the glottis, the ball having passed upward through the brain, in a direct line from where the pistol was found in his hand. His face and neck were not powder-marked to any extent hence the most reasonable deduction from all the immediate circumstance attending his death is that it was not intentional but accidental. He had made every preparation for the trip, settled all his business affairs upon a trustee and provided means for his family's and his own personal expenses. He seemed the evening before his death to be freed from much of his former anxiety and talked upon business matters, concerning mining, smelting, etc.