Frank G. Lohman

DEATH OF F. G. LOHMAN

Close of Brilliant Life

The funeral was held yesterday afternoon at the Congregational church conducted by Rev. Runalls assisted Rev. Bird and under the suspices of the Knights of Pythias richly complemented by the M. W. of A. lodge of Piper City.  About 75 Knights formed an escort composed of representatives of neighboring lodges, Paxton, Gibson, Melvin, Buckley and the home lodge, which though few in member, yet are worthy of the principle they emulate "to help a worthy brother: which they have done nobly and effectually in that in days of Bro Lohman's adversity and anxiety for those dependent upon him the lodge, his Bro. Knights assumed the payment of dues on this life insurance and carried it to the end and there in now provided $6,000 the amount of the policies held, for the family maintenance.
This is the charity for which the K. of P. society is organized, the practical, helpful charity that seeks to care for the widow and orphans, and for which pastor Runalls publicly thanked the Knights.
Probably 1,000 people attended the funeral and burial, the church was too small by half to accommodate the large crowd. Pastor Runalls preached an excellent sermon from the text "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." II Tim. 4:7 and spoke touchingly of the scenes of the sick chamber and triumphal death in fulfillment of Mr. Lohman's half jesting words when he came home sick last January, "I have come home to die on June 1st -- my wife's birthday" which was literally fulfilled as he died at 7 o'clock that evening after taking an affectionate farewell of his family and friends about him then a "farewell to every body" he passed into unconsciousness.  Dr. Anderson and others held a postmortem and found many small tumors on the liver. It was thought trouble was cancer of the stomach.
The following obituary was read from the sacred desk by Rev. Runalls:

OBITUARY

Franz Gotlieb Lohman was born of German parents in Watertown, Wis., January 7th, 1849, died in Roberts June 1st, 1897, thus being 48 years, 4 months, and 25 days old.  When but one year and a half old both of his parents died of cholera and the little orphan was cared for by his grandfather who himself was a widower.
When our brother was nearly 13 years old his grandfather died leaving some means for the education of his grandchild.  He was sent to the Northwestern University of Watertown an institution under the auspices of the Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin.  At the age of 17 he passed a successful examination for the freshman class but the means being exhausted which were set aside for his education he left the institute although offers from the faculty and private friends were made to enable him to complete his course.  He then turned his attention to scholastic duties beginning his labors as a teacher of the primary department of a German parochial school in Watertown, Wis.  Then he become teacher of the Grammar department in a German school in Milwaukee. Returning to Watertown, Wis., he held a postitin in a a steam saw mill where he had formerly worked in his boyhood days and during vacations. In 1869 he was attacked with hip disease, which dislocated his hip joint resulting in lameness to the day of his death.  Removing from Wisconsin, Bro. Lohman came to Ford county where for several years he worked upon a farm.  In August 187? he was united by marriage to Miss Florence Belle McCann and to their union five children have been born, two sons, Sherill B. and Howard A. and three daughters, Leona A., Florence B. and Adelaide O. all of whom with their mother survive the deceased.  In 1875 Mr. Lohman again assumed the duties of teaching and so marked was his success that in 1882 and again in 1886 he was elected as Superintendent of Schools of Ford county which office he filled with ability.  On March 11th, 1877, he united with Roberts Cong'l church since which time he has been closely identified with all its work.  As church clerk, trustee, deacon, Sunday school teacher, and Superintendent, and at the time of his death was chorister being re-elected to that office on June 9th last.  In every case our brother was worthy of the honor put up on him and trust ?? to him.
Our brother Lohman being dead yet speaks in numberless lines and we rejoice in thinking of him as one who "Has fought a good fight and finished his course and has kept the faith."
I think that it is proper right here to say that when I returned from Peoria, Brother Lohman was anxious to tell me that he was perfectly satisfied that every thing known that could be done for him had been done and would be done. And now as I think of our prayers in March and see its answer on June 1st we can say:
How blest the righteous when he dies,
When sinks a weary soul to rest;
How mildly beam the closing eyes,
How gently heaves the expiring breast.
So faded the summer cloud away,
So sinks a gale when storms are o'er;
So gently shuts the eye of day,
So dies a wave along the shore.

--Melvin Transcript.  11 June 1897.