Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence
This is week 42 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog,
No Story Too Small.
Watson Deralsy Lashbrook was born Mar 16, 1852 in McHenry County Illinois, second born and second son of Thomas Lashbrook and his wife Hannah Rosetta Wilson. About 1856 the parents moved the family to Bremer County Iowa.
In work provided by Dave Clark, Clarksville, Iowa, there is a typed transcription from a newspaper, dated 1878, not identified, which reads:
"W D Lashbrook has returned from Janesville Wis., where he has spent the past six months learning the telegraphic art."
On January 4, 1881 Watson married Alice L. Tyrrell at Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa.
Watson and Alice had the following children, subject to notes below:
Dr. Elam Eugene Lashbrook
Ellen Lashbrook (It is possible that this child either died early or is not a child of this marriage, she is only found on the 1895 State Census, Bremer County, Iowa. Ellen is enumerated as 13 years old.)
Warren Thomas Lashbrook
Mabel Rosetta Lashbrook
There is a lengthy biography in a book with no title on the spine, but the title "The Beautiful City, Waverly, Iowa" on each page, publication data unknown, appears an article on W.D. Lashbrook. The book, possibly, is one and the same as
found on WorldCat, dated 1896.
 |
| W. D. Lashbrook, Source information not available, possibly from the following biography. |
"W.D. Lashbrook. Watson D., second son of Thomas and Hannah (Wilson) Lashbrook, was born at Dunham, McHenry County, Illinois, March 16, 1852. With his parents he came to Bremer county, Io., in the summer of 1856, and his boyhood was spent on a farm in Douglas township. In 1864, his father bought a farm in Washington township near Waverly and Watson attended the public schools of this city acquiring a good education. He obtained a certificate to teach but concluded to learn telegraphy instead. He therefore attended a school for that purpose the winter of 1877 and 78. The following winter he had charge of a Western Union office in Chicago, but found the work too confining to suit him. He consequently gave it up and returned to his home in Waverly.
On Jan. 4, 1881, he was married to Alice L., daughter of Thos. Tyrrell, one of the old settlers of Bremer county. Miss Tyrrell was born in Washington township Bremer county, Io., Nov. 25, 1858. She received her education from the public schools of this city and taught a number of terms of school in the country, making an excellent record as a teacher. Mr. Lashbrook's parents having moved to town Watson and his wife took charge of the homestead east of the city. In 1883 he was the democratic nominee for county treasurer and although defeated, ran ahead of his ticket a large number of votes. The county at that time was strongly republican. With his eldest brother he engaged in buying and selling agricultural implement business and continued in it until the spring of 1896. After the death of his mother, which occurred in 1890, business and the advanced age of his father made it expedient for him to move to his father's house in town to live. Three years later he erected a residence which he leases. Mr. Lashbrook is a director of the First National Bank and in 1895 was elected city alderman. He is one of the substantial men of Waverly and endeavors in every honorable way to make our city a credit to its people. Mr. & Mrs. Lashbrook have three children, Elam E., born Jan. 27, 1882; Warren T., born Oct. 7, 1885; and Mable R., born Oct. 25, 1897. These children are being educated in the Waverly public schools where every advantage is given them and they are making a very creditable record for themselves.
Mr. Lashbrook has been called upon to serve in many official position in the business and social circles of our city and has interested himself in the improvement of his own and his father's property and surrounding and has brought them to that state of perfection where in they are a credit to himself and to the city. He is a conscientious, upright, progressive citizen and is esteemed as such throughout the community. Should he see fit to let his name go before the voters again for the office which he sought at an inauspicious time, it is more than likely he would easily reach the goal and be heartily endorsed by his party and many outside of it. We consider him well qualified and competent. Mr. Lashbrook, like his father before him, has ever been a democrat. Not an effervescent, overbearing or bigoted democrat, nor yet a politician in the strict sense of the word, but one of those quiet undemonstrative, calm thinkers and talkers who when they become convinced in their own mind that their theory is the correct one do not deny the same privilege tot heir neighbors without in the least straining their friendly relations no matter how much their political views may differ. In his home relations Mr. Lashbrook is a good husband, a kind father and takes much comfort with his family. He is indispensable to his father and watches over his declining years with a solicitude that is exceedingly commendable. Mr. Lashbrook is a member of Tyrrell Lodge No. 116, A.F. & A.M."
The following two images are from newspaper advertisements.
From the May 14, 1891 issue of the Waverly Democrat, Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa. From his biography we learn that Cordell and Watson ran this business together until about 1896.
From the June 11, 1891 issue of the Waverly Democrat, Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa.
From the work, "The Beautiful City, Waverly, Iowa", a image of Watson and Alice's home in Waverly.
Sometime between 1920 and 1930 Watson and Alice had moved to Centralia, Lewis County, Washington.
Watson died November 25, 1931 at Centralia, Lewis County, Washington.
W. D.'s obituary, in a paper dated Wednesday, December 2, 1931, was provided by Dave Clark of Clarksville, Iowa as follows:
"W.D. Lashbrook Dies Suddenly in Washington
Well Known Waverly Man Thought Ill Short Time.
The message received by Dave Tyrrell Thanksgiving day stated that his brother-in-law, Watt D. Lashbrook, had died the previous evening at his home in Centralia, Wash. No particulars were given as to his illness.
W. D. Lashbrook, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lashbrook, was born at Woodstock, McHenry county, Ill., March 16, 1852, and in 1856 when four years old, he came with his parents to Bremer county, Iowa, where they settled on a farm near Frederika. They came to Waverly a few years later when his father built a farm home a half mile northeast of Waverly, the place now occupied by John Sebilsky. Mr. Lashbrook attended public schools and was among the first to be graduated from the Waverly high school.
Jan. 4, 1881, Mr. Lashbrook was married to Miss Alice Tyrrell of Waverly. For a time, they lived on a farm and then moved to Waverly where Mr. Lashbrook was engaged in the farm implement business. Later they moved to Cedar Falls where they lived a number of years before going to Centralia. For many years he was a member of the Waverly Masonic lodge and he served as councilman several terms.
The Lashbrook family was prominent in the business affairs of this city and a number of present-day business places were erected by Mr. Lashbrook's father, among these being the three- story building now owned by George Kohlmann, the third story of which was used exclusively as a theater and for other amusements until 1877 when the opera house was built. He also constructed the stores occupied by the Club cafe, Nemmer's hardware, and the J.W. Zoller meat market. In addition to these he built a number of dwelling houses. He was the first man in the county to engage in bee raising on an extensive scale and for many years operated a large sugar bush at the northeast edge of town, where great quantities of maple sugar and syrup were made.
Mr. Lashbrook is survived by his wife and three children, Dr. E. E. Lashbrook of Marble Rock, Warren T. Lashbrook of Chehalis, Wash., and Mrs. Mable Easton of Eagan, Wash.; also two grandchildren, one great grandchild, and his brother, Clarence Lashbrook who lives in Arkansas."
Watson and Alice are both buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Centralia, Lewis County, Washington. I maintain their memorials at Find A Grave.
Watson and
Alice.
Wish list for Watson: nothing specific, as you can see the research has been bountiful. Due to the generosity of other researchers we have quite a nice lot of information. Additional details and stories, are always welcomed.
* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.
** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of
Amy Johnson Crow.
*** I use many resources to research,
FamilySearch.org is a free site.
Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc.
Fold3, is another site I subscribe to and pay for. None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them. See my
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