Oswald Surname Obituaries, Warren County, Ohio
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Oswald Surname Obituaries
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John N. Oswald (1826-1900)

NOBLE LIFE ENDED.
J. N. Oswald Answers The Final Summons.

J. N. Oswald, after an illness of a few weeks, during which time he was able to be about, on Saturday morning last joined the silent majority. Only a week before he returned from a health resort in Indiana, where he had been for a short time, hoping to recuperate. His malady was of the nature of an internal growth or tumor, and was incurable. Although in failing health for some time, few were aware of it and his death was outside of more intimate friends, unexpected.
A business experience of a third of a century in Lebanon gave Mr. Oswald an acquaintance which extended throughout the county, few men in private life being as widely known as he, and assuredly none stood higher in the esteem of his fellow-men than the one of whom we write. He was industrious, public-spirited, generous to a degree that often caused him to be imposed upon, upright and God fearing in all his dealings and kind to all. But an extended eulogium is not necessary for Mr. Oswald, neither would it be in accordance with his expressed desire. Most of our readers know the loss sustained by the community in his death, while to his own family it is far greater.
John N. Oswald was born in a southern province of Germany, May 12, 1826. While he was a mere lad his father died and at an early age he was apprenticed to learn the cabinet-makers’ trade, going far away from home. After working in his native country for nine years he went to Vienna, walking the entire distance of eight hundred miles, where he was employed at his trade for seven years, part of the time doing work for the royal palace. In 1853 he came to America and about ten years later came to Lebanon and engaged in the business which he followed until death. May 9, 1866, he was married to Miss Fredrika Bobe, of near Lebanon, whose parents were born in Germany. Five children were born to them, four of whom with their mother, survive and reside in Lebanon.
In the issue of the Star of June 7, we gave some reminiscences related by Mr. Oswald to us, bearing on his early life. These were full of interest, although we will not reprint them here. But according to his wishes the letter written to him by his mother about sixty years ago when he was a lad far from home, urging him to be a good Christian boy, was kept and lay beside his body in the casket. It is also worthy of repeating that when he heard of his mother’s illness he walked one hundred miles in twenty-four hours to her bedside, arriving in time to receive her dying blessing.
It is interesting to note that in his thirty-five years of business here as undertaker, Mr. Oswald buried three thousand, three hundred and twenty-six persons – more people, likely, than are living in Lebanon to-day. For nearly thirty years he had no competition her in his vocation.
The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from the Presbyterian church. Rev. Silvius, of the C.P. Church, read a Scripture lesson and offered prayer and Revs. Gerfen and Meyer, of the German church, of which deceased was a member, made short discourses, the latter in German. Rev. Gerfen also read an obituary notice.
The funeral was one of the most largely attended of any ever held in Lebanon.
Mr. Oswald was a member of the I. O. O. F., Red Men and Royal Arcanum, but at his request the Lodges did not attend the funeral in a body.

Source: The Western Star (Lebanon, Ohio), Thursday, August 9, 1900, page 2, column 3
Copy from the Obituary Collection at the Warren County Genealogical Society,

by
Arne H Trelvik
9 January 2011

 

 

 


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