grave import

Obituary

Mr. Joseph W. Blythe, general counsel of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railroad system, leader of the republican party in Iowa, and beloved citizen of Burlington, was born in Madison, Indiana, on January 16, 1850. His father, Joseph William Blythe, was a Presbyterian minister, a man of parts whose strong intellectuality and masterly purpose made themselves felt wherever his duty called him, whether as a missionary in the new middle west, chaplain in the union army during the trying days of the rebellion, college officer or pastor. His mother was of the famous Green family of New Jersey. Mr. Blythe’s boyhood and youth were spent for the most part in New Jersey. Mr. Blythe’s boyhood and youth were spent for the most part in New Jersey. He was a student at Lawrenceville academy and went to Princeton college for two years but was not graduated. The degree of B.A. and M.A. were afterward conferred upon him by this institution while he was honored with the degree of Doctor of Laws by both the Bethany College of Kansas and Hanover College of Indiana. His college days over he became a teacher at Lawrenceville academy under his relative, Dr. Hamill, a famous school teacher of that day. He then studied law with his uncle, Caleb Green, at Trenton and was admitted to the bar.
He came to Burlington in 1874 as assistant attorney under Judge Rorer for the C., B. & Q railroad. A year later he formed a law partnership with Thomas Hedge under the firm name of Hedge & Blythe. The firm had never been dissolved until now. Later he became general solicitor for the entire Burlington system, which position he held at the time of his death. He administered the affairs of his great position to the entire satisfaction of all concerned and the full confidence of CE Perkins, his successors, and Mr. James J. Hill. At Mr. Perkins’ death a year ago. Last November, it was found that he had made Mr. Blythe one of the executors of his estate.
On October 15, 1877, Mr. Blythe was married to Miss Margaret E. Gear, a daughter of Senator and Mrs. John H. Gear. She and a son, Heugh, a member of a leading brokerage house in Chicago, survive him.
Mr. Blythe’s death is more than a loss to his family, his friends, and the Burlington system. It means a vast deal to the citizens of this city and the state who have known him and profited for so many years from his wisdom, his example, and his never failing humanity. He was a great man in every sense of the word, great in the knowledge of men and affairs, great in truthfulness, great in integrity and honest purpose, great in self-denial, great in love of home, friends, and neighbors, great in heart and mind and great in little things which perhaps after all, are the larger things.
His life in Burlington is pleasant to contemplate. He loved the town, its people, and its ideas, and in return, no man was held in regard more firmly rooted in the hearts of his friends and neighbors. His position and station in life were high ones, but he ever retained that kindly simplicity which is said to mark the truly great. His office at the Union station was accessible to all and no one ever went there with honest purpose who was not the better for it.
He liked and understood young men and had “time” for them. He was good to the newspaper boys and gave them his confidence. Today it is pleasant for them to know that this kindly confidence was never abused. Ask one of them what were Mr. Blythe’s most distinguished traits and he will tell you “truth-telling, perfect courtesy, and freedom from all malice for those who bitterly assailed him.” His love of outdoor life was remarkable. He delighted in the companionship of his gun, his dog, and his thoroughbred horse and took an industrious pleasure, after the day at the office in his and took industrious pleasure after the day at the office, in his garden at his home on West avenue. His loyalty to Burlington and its interests was firm and was manifested in his hearty support of all sensible measures tending to the city’s improvement and betterment. He was charitable to an extent the general public will never know of. He was a firm and loyal friend in the full strength of the word, and many a man in Burlington has cause to bless his memory today.
In politics, he was a power and high in the councils of the republican party. His political leadership was unique in the annals of politics in that he always told the truth and kept his promise. He was fair to his political opponents and harbored no malice or hatred. Absolutely free of envy and above all jealousy, he was able to laugh at and forget those things which remain a canker to men of lesser caliber. As a political organizer, he had no equal in the state, and as a political general, no leader ever was more untiring and successful. He asked no reward and history tells us that when Governor Shaw offered him the United States senatorship when Mr. Gear died, he courteously refused the signal honor. When factional fights are forgotten and political rancor runs its course, the name of the quiet man from Burlington will endure with those of the state’s greatest sons.
The funeral will be held Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock at Christ Episcopal church. The public is invited to this service. The interment will be at Aspen Grove and will be private.