C. A. Fridley, one of Comanche-co.'s pioneer settlers and best known citizens, died at 2:50 p.m. on last Tuesday, December 21, 1920, at his home in this city. For about two years he had been afflicted with a form of liver and kidney trouble and had been confined to his home much of the time. His condition grew worse a few weeks ago and from that time he gradually weakened. Toward the end he became unconscious and finally sank away as though passing into a sleep.

Funeral services were conducted from the home on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., and were in charge of the Woodmen Lodge, of which order Mr. Fridley had been a member for a number of years. The Male Quartet sang and Rev. J. T. Wheeler and Rev. Frank Johnson conducted a brief prayer service. Interment was in the Coldwater cemetery, where the Woodmen had charge of the burial service.

Clarence Andrew Fridley was born near Springfield, Ill., on October 29, 1862. His age at the time of his death was, therefore, 58 years, 1 month and 28 days. In Winfield, Kans., on November 24, 1884, he was united in marriage with Miss Cora L. Bever. In the year 1886 Mr. and Mrs. Fridley came to Comanche-co. and here they continued to make their home except for about a year and a half which were spent in Denver, Colo. Mr. Fridley was known all over the county and among all his business associates he was always highly esteemed. His natural impulses were kindly, generous and sympathetic, and he was true to his friends and faithful as a husband and father. In the death of Mr. Fridley, Comanche-co. loses another of the men who helped to build the county and town, a real pioneer who came when the county was young and stayed with it through all the years of its development.

Mr. Fridley is survived by his wife and by seven children, five daughters and two sons, as follows: Mrs. Kathryn Coon and Mrs. Ina Ruggles of Bellingham, Wash., Mrs. Annie Wall and Misses Edith and Lucile Fridley of this city, also Albert Fridley of Enid, Okla., and Floyd Fridley of this city. All except Mrs. Coon were present at the funeral. Five children preceded the father in death. The bereaved family have the sincere sympathy of all.

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The Western Star, September 5, 1947.

Coldwater Pioneer Dies in Florida

Mrs. Cora Fridley Had Been A Resident Here Since 1887

Mrs. Cora Fridley, pioneer Coldwater mother, passed away on Tuesday, August 26, at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Kathryn Coen, in Rockledge, Florida. Funeral services were held in the Coldwater Presbyterian church last Saturday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock and were in charge of Dr. S. A. Fulton, the pastor.

A ladies trio composed of Mrs. Geo. R. Stewart, Mrs. Melvin Taylor and Mrs. Helen Currier sang "Jesus Savior Pilot Me" and "Abide With Me," accompanied on the organ by Mrs. A. A. White. Burial was in Crown Hill cemetery by the side of her husband. The pall bearers were: Wm. H. Avery, Frank Dodson, Geo. R. Stewart, M. E. Haun, Donald Nicholas and Bert Griffith.

Obituary. Cora Lucinda Bever was born April 11, 1866, in Noblesville, Indiana, and passed away in Rockledge, Fla., August 26, 1947, at the age of 81 years, four months and 11 days.

She came to Kansas from Indiana in 1872 making the trip in a caravan of covered wagons and settling at Udall, this state.

In 1883 she was united in marriage with Clarence A. Fridley in Udall. In 1887 they moved to Comanche county and Mrs. Friday continued to make this her home until about a year ago when she moved to Florida to be near some of her children as age advanced. She is survived by six living children, Mrs. Anna Wall, Los Angeles, Calif., Mrs. Kathryn Coen, Rockledge, Fla., Albert L. Fridley, Orlando, Fla., Floyd E. Fridley, Enid, Okla., Mrs. Inez Beach, Rockford, Ill., and Mrs. Lucille Cinnamon, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Mrs. Fridley had been a faithful member of the Coldwater Presbyterian church since 1894 and lived a consistent Christian life. She was a friend of all who knew her and was a kind, patient and loving wife and mother as well as a good neighbor. Her thoughtfulness of others and many deeds of kindness were among her outstanding qualities and she will be missed by her many Coldwater friends.

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Gravestone for Clarence Andrew Fridley
Crown Hill Cemetery, Comanche County, Kansas.
Photo by Bobbi (Hackney) Huck.

1904-05 County Officers: On upper steps from the left: R.A. Strain with beard: above him, Anna Huffmaster, County Supt,; H.I. Burr, Register of Deeds; J.M. Griffith, County Treasurer; Jay T. Botts, County Clerk; upper right, Nellie Botts, clerk in Treasurer's Office; to her left, Park Thornton and Vernie Griffith.
Bottom row: from the left: Lawrence Bratcher, Register of Deeds; Ralph Maris, Deputy Sheriff; Dr. F.L. Holcomb, Coroner; C.A. Fridley, Sheriff; and W.C. Monticue, Clerk of District Court. Comanche County, Kansas.

The above photograph is from the Coldwater Diamond Jubilee, Coldwater, Kansas, Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 1959, Historical Souvenir Program. Coldwater, KS: Western Star, 1959.

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Also see:

About Comanche-co.'s Twelve Sheriffs
The Western Star, March 4, 1927.

Sheriffs of Comanche County, Kansas, 1885 - 2006

Comanche County Officers, 1885 - 2007

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Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!