grave import

Obituary

Funeral services will be held here today for John Blaul, 79, businessman and community leader for nearly a half-century, who died at Burlington hospital Sunday morning at 7:45.
Private rites will be held at the home, 317 South Fifth Street, at 3:30 pm, and services to which friends are invited will be held at First Evangelical church at 4 pm, with the Rev. JH Buescher, pastor of the church, officiating. Interment will be in Aspen Grove cemetery.
The prominent civic leader had been seriously ill for six weeks with a kidney ailment and was operated on at the hospital on Thursday.
The operation failed to receive his condition and he did not rally afterward, continuing to grow weaker until Saturday when he began to sink rapidly, falling into a coma.
He was taken to the University hospital at Iowa City for treatment several weeks ago. Prior to his last illness, his health had been good.
Mr. Blaul was president of John Blaul’s Sons company, wholesale grocery firm founded by his father, John Blaul, and was prominent in the life of this community for many years. He was admitted to partnership with his father in 1882 and later the other sons of the elder Mr. Blaul became members of the firm, at which time the business was conducted under the name of John Blaul & Sons.
The father remained as the administrative head of the business until his death Jan. 27, 1885, after which John Blaul, Jr., the eldest son, succeeded to the presidency of the company. With the incorporation of the business Feb. 1, 1903, under the name of John Blaul’s Sons company, the officers were John Blaul, president; Charles Blaul, vice president; Theodore Blaul, treasurer, and EG Koonz, secretary.
The elder John Blaul had at first entered the retail grocery business, in partnership with Theodore Poehler. The business was located at the site where the Rock Island depot was later built and as the steamboat travel what heavy in those days, the location was a good one.
Mr. Blaul continued the business alone after Mr. Poehler withdrew from the firm, later entering the wholesale grocery business which is still in operation, known throughout the entire middle west. The first wholesale establishment was at 113 Jefferson Street, with Philip Hoerr as a partner. Mr. Blaul took the entire business over in 1869.
Mr. Blaul was born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 11, 1853, the son of John and Maria Anna Neufeld Blaul, natives of Germany, but had been a resident of Burlington since he was four years old. At the usual age, he became a pupil in the public schools, passing through the grammar grades and taking up the work of the high school. His business training was received in the employ and under the direction of his father and after reaching the age of 16 his entire time and attention were given to the grocery trade.
He was chairman of the Chamber of Commerce waterways committee and one of the midwest’s best-known enthusiasts for the development of inland waterways. He was also a member of the chamber board of directors.
Active for many years in the interests of waterways, Mr. Blaul was a director of the Mississippi Valley Association and the Upper Mississippi association formed at St. Paul two weeks ago.
Because of his work in the waterways movement, Mr. Blaul gained national prominence and was a well-known authority on the movement. He was greatly interested in the nine-foot channel project and gave liberally of his time and his money to further this work. He was the personal friend of General Ashburn, head of the inland waterways corporation, Col. Clarence a Doulas, vice president of the Mississippi Valley Association, and a score of other waterway officials.
It was largely through Mr. Blaul’s influence and acquaintances that Patrick J Hurley, secretary of war, came to Burlington two years ago the meet with Chamber of Commerce officials and the dock commission relative to the furthering of the channel project.
When the new docks were opened at Rock Island, Mr. Blaul was one of the guests of honor and was introduced as “one of the biggest waterway boosters in the midwest”. He was also a special guest at the formal opening of the Peoria docks and often visited other river cities where his opinions and views on waterways were sought.
A close follower of waterway problems, he kept abreast with new developments and believed in the use of the most modern methods and equipment available. He was voted for his willingness to work with the various organizations and groups interested in waterways and his death is a distinct loss to the movement.
He was president of the Burlington Hotel Company, an official of the Iowa Soap company, and had other business interests, including interest in the Iowa Biscuit company, Leopold Desk company, Burlington Building, and Loan Association, Drake Hardware, and Schramm and Schmeig company.
He was never a politician in the sense of office-seeking, yet for four years filled the position of alderman and exercised his official prerogatives in support of many progressive public movements.
He was a member of the Rotary club, active in all its projects. He was a member of the Patriot lodge, Masonic, and other Masonic organizations including Iowa Chapter No. 1, Consistory, Commandery, and Shrine; also being a member of the Elks, Odd Fellows, and Carthage Lake club.
As a member of the board of directors of Burlington Hospital, he served for 20 years and was vice president at the time of his death.
Believing implicitly in Burlington, Mr. Blaul not only earned his money here but invested it here. Giving liberally of his time in scores of movements and activities, he scoffed at the warning of close friends that he might overtax himself.
Despite his many outside activities, he followed his business interests carefully and it was characteristic of him that he never shifted responsibilities upon others, constantly holding up his share of work in all enterprises.
He was never too busy or too occupied to give advice to friends or to talk with them at his office. Calling upon him, one was as apt to find a laborer there seeking aid or advice, as well as business associates and friends.
Known as an unusually good “news source”, he was ever keeping out of the limelight himself, providing considerable information and help on condition that he be given no personal publicity. It was thus in the many community activities with which he was associated.
Mr. Blaul was president of First Evangelical church council and was prominent in the work of the church for many years. He was treasurer of the Iowa district of the Evangelical Synod of North America for 45 years and was also a member of the board of control of Elmhurst college for many years. A member of the district council of Iwo, he was a delegate to the general conference of the church a number of times. Mr. Blaul was also treasurer of the Synodical Insurance company of the Evangelical church, with headquarters in Burlington.
Mr. Blaul was chairman of the church building committee when the building was erected in 1926. He and other members of his family presented the church with an organ in memory of Mrs. Blaul.
He was married to Miss Louise Dewein in Burlington, May 13, 1877. Seven children were born to this union, three of whom died in early life. The other four, three sons and one daughter survive. They are Milton, Mark, and Robert Blaul, all associated with John Blaul’s sons company, and Mrs. Walter P Kriecbaum.
He is also survived by a sister, Miss Amelia Blaul, Burlington, and nine grandchildren. His wife preceded him in death.
Funeral services for John Blaul, business leader who passed away on Sunday morning, were held at the late residence, 517 S. Fifth Street at 3:30 this afternoon and 4 o’clock at the First Evangelical church with the Rev. JH Beuscher officiating. Burial was in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
Pallbearers, business associates of Mr. Blaul, were Ed Koonz, RH Andrews, AW Drum, AH Feldman, Frank Esau and Emil Gerdon. Honorary pallbearers were JS Beard, TW Driecbaum, EC Gould, Cha. Krueger, F Albert Klein and HC Culkin.
The John Blaul’s Sons company wholesale grocery house of which the late John Blaul was president was closed this afternoon.