LEVI L. ALRICH              

Cawker City Public Record, Thursday, Oct. 25, 1917, Pg. 1

Vol. XXXV, No. 34

SUDDEN DEATH

OF

LEVI L. ALRICH

______

  Levi Lockard Alrich, son of Peter L. and Eliza L. Alrich was born in Philadelphia, Penn., October 5, 1840.  His father died when he was eight years old leaving five children from 5 to 12 years of age.  His mother kept them in school through the grammer grades, when Levi took the place of errand boy in a clothing store which had been made vacant by John Wanamaker, who started his own store using a wheelbarrow for transportation.  Levi had a mechanical turn of mind and an eye for the beautiful and an ambition to be an artist.  When 17 years of age he started “west”, coming down the Ohio river he fell overboard on Fourth of July, and reaching St. Louis, met a salesman who introduced him to J. M. Linn an Indian trader and he went with him to Ft. Scott, Kansas and to Osage Mission, now St. Paul, when Mother Bridget was the only white woman there and Father Ponzliona the priest in charge.  Going over to Linn’s Mills and to the new town of Carthage, Mo., he was foreman of all business, dealing in furs, and when 20 years old patented a keyed faucet.  The war of the rebellion becoming so apparent and secession sentiment so strong he left for the east and May 1861 enlisted under McClellan and took part in fifteen battles, being sent home to die of dysentery and rheumatism.  February 13, 1866 he was married at Cape May, C. H., N. J. to Miss Emma Eldridge, and was for eight years foreman of Richardson’s umbrella factory, and for four years proprietor of a grocery store.  In 1876 he had charge of an exhibit in the Centennial grounds and the Kansas display made a strong call for him to return to Kansas and July 1878, he again started west, following the Central Branch railroad to Beloit, arrived in Cawker City, January 1879, where he was clerk until 1882 when he began to publish the Camp Fire, a soldier paper, and in April 1883 bought the Free Press, changing the name to the Public Record and making Republicanism the chief feature.  For thirty-four and one half years he has been instrumental in Cawker township, holding the balance of power in Mitchell county, fearless in what he believed was right, condemning the wrong, and as was said at the last great gathering here, “no one can measure the influence for good the Record has had in upbuilding Cawker City.”  He was in the longest continuous service in the Sixth district except W. L. Chambers of the Stockton Record, who is only a few months longer.

  In 1904 Mr. Alrich had a severe illness that baffled the skill of the physicians and was confined to the house for nearly a year, having a great deal of pain in his head and sometimes unable to walk.  Twice he set his time to die making all preparations, but he lived to bury all the comrades he selected to take part in his funeral and of the seven physicians who thought it not possible for him to live, doctors Saunders, Borst, Daily and Home have gone before him.

  He was a great Bible student compiling a genealogical Bible dictionary accompanied by a chart which had 4000 names on it, found in the Bible, their ancestors, descendants, comtemporaries and every reference.  For fifty years this was his Sunday employment and had just finished it.

  In the meantime he held the various offices of city councilman, school director, police judge, justice of the peace, postmaster four years under President McKinley.  He is the last charter member of Reynolds Post, and for many years its adjutant, the past few years been continuous as Commander, and the past year Aide on the National staff of the Grand Army of the Republic.  He was a member of the Masonic Lodge 28 years, a promoter of the Board of Trade of early years as of the present Commercial Club and a week ago signed the Home Guard list, again willing to protect his home from any enemy.

  February 1916 he and wife celebrated their golden wedding anniversary when hundreds took part, and just two weeks later their only daughter.  Rachel Canby died suddenly.

  October 14th he put his 77 cents in the birthday box at Sunday School, telling how the Lord had led him on a various ways, an on the 23rd inst. he attended the lecture by Rev. Burris Jenkins and walked home seeming to be unusually well during the day telling the Comrades who called that the reason he kept well was because he was busy.  He slept well all night and being so very methodical in all his work and hours overslept 15 minutes on the morning of the 24th and did not rise until six o’clock.  Mrs. Alrich also rose quickly after the clock struck and hastened down stairs to light a fire for him to dress by.  Just as she struck the match she thought there must have been an explosion down town as the windows rattled, and the second thought was he might have had a fall.  Calling up stairs “Levi did you fall” and no answer, she ran upstairs and he lay on his back dead.  He had put on one sleeve of his dressing gown, and fell on the other.  Studying an instant to chose whether to stay by him or go down to call for help, she realized that nothing could be done, and called Central to send both doctors, and Mr. Vasterling at once and then went back to him.  Dr. Brown entered first and kneeling by him said “too late, he is gone.  He has worked until the last minute.”  Dr. Mason entered and said “a stroke.”  Kind neighbors and friends entered and phoned for the son A. G. Alrich of Lawrence who arrived with his family at 9 p. m. when arrangements were made for the funeral in the Baptist church on the 26th at 2 p. m. conducted by his pastor Rev. H. P. Blunt and Rev. C. M. Lattin of the Presbyterian church.  The Masonic Lodge will have a ritual service, and as has always been his request, the soldier will have the last words at the grave in the G. A. R. service, the Sons of Veterans will fire a salute and he will rest in the burial place he had been so interested in preparing the past year.

  “No one knows but mother” or feels the loss of one who has been an inseparable companion for nearly 52 years and it can be said:  “Our fears, our hopes, our aims were one, our comforts and our cares” through all our life.

  “Death touched him and he slept.”