JACOB WAYMIRE                        GRAVESTONE PHOTO                      

Linn County Republic, Friday, Feb. 1, 1907

UNCLE JACOB WAYMIRE.

______

AN OLD SETTLER WHO LIVES IN

THIS CITY.

______

Has always been a friend of the

Republic ever since it has

been in Existence.

  Who is there especially in Linn county, who does not know “Uncle Jakey” and who is not glad to see him and pass as many pleasant hours in his society and that of his good, amiable life companion as possible.  Every man, woman and child in Mound City is ever ready to great them cheerily and even the babiesmiles (sic) and hold out their hands to them entreatingly and enjoy happy moments on their knee.

  The subject of this sketch was a very welcome visitor at the REPUBLIC office Monday and furnished us with the following information concerning his life.

  He was born of the highest German ancestry in Fountain county, Indiana February 14, (St. Valentine’s Day) 1831, and is nearly seventy-six years old, and was reared in Madison county of the same state.  His parents were pioneers in the good Hosier state and “Uncle Jakey” was a tiller of the soil from his boyhood until 1892.  On October 28, 1851 he was united in marriage to Emily R. Beeler, who was the daughter of a properous farmer in the county of Wayne.

  In 1851 they moved to Linn county with their little family and pre-empted the farm in Centerville township now known as the Hoag farm and later moved to Wall Street and converted another portion of wild land into a farm and happy home.  In the darkest hour of his country, in the spring of 1862, he heeded “Father Abraham’s call for 300,000 men and enlisted in Co. G, 12th regiment Kansas infantry volunteers.  His regiment was a part of General Steele’s command in the Red river expedition in Arkansas and he was severely wounded at the battle of Jenkins Ferry on April 30, 1864.  On July 1, 1865 he was honorably discharged at Fort Leavenworth Kansas, with a soldier record, given only to those who had served their country faithfully during their terms of enlistment.

  Nine children were born to their union, five girls and four boys, only one girl and three boys are now living, Geo. W. of Pleasanton, Kansas; Noah, of Hoquiam, Washington; Wm. W. Tocoma, Washington, and Hattie E. Hubbard of Kansas City, Mo.

  In 1892 he was elected Probate Judge of Linn county, and was re-elected in 1894, serving two terms, from 1893 to 1897.  He moved to Mound city in 1892, soon after his first election to office since which time he has resided here.  He owns a comfortable home and draws a pension from a grateful country.

  When the first newspaper in Linn county was established, The Linn County Herald at Mound City in 1860, he, having more wood than cash, hauled a load with an ox team from the Marais des Cygne river to Mound City on a winter day to pay his subscription to the paper, and ever since although many editors and several changes of the name of the paper have intervened, “Uncle Jakey” has stood as faithful to his home sheet as his country and family.  Next summer they will hold semi-centennial anniversary celebration of their settlement in Linn county and that, will be a record breaking event of good fellowship, congratulations, gayety and frolic.  These old boys, (heaven bless them) are always young until the reaper calls them.  All wished them joy at their marriage and all wish them joy and happiness now.  He is Mound City’s nicest valentine.