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Ferne Irene Leedom, Goodsell
Mrs. Goodsell Dies after Long Illness
Funeral services held Monday for wife of County Sheriff
Mrs. Ferne Irene Goodsell, 37 years of age and wife of Sheriff Tilden A. ‘Tony’ Goodsell, died at her home in Dakota City last Friday morning after a lingering illness of about a year.
Mrs. Goodsell was born August 8, 1912 on a farm near of Dakota City and had been a resident of this county all of her life. She was married to Sheriff Goodsell on March 16, 1929.
She was a member of the Methodist Church and the W. S.C. S. of Dakota City, the Rebekah Lodge and the Women’s Club of South Sioux City.
Survivors are the widower: two sons, Clarence and Tommy and a daughter, Karen; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Leedom, all of Dakota City; six brothers: L.E. Leedom of Tracy, Minn.; George and James of Dakota City; and Raymond and Chester of South Sioux City; six sisters, Mrs. Grace Swanson of Sioux City; Mrs. LIda Penry, Mrs. Cecil Holan, Mrs. Elizabeth Curry and Mrs. Margaret Wingett of South Sioux City; and Mrs. Florence Wingett of Hubbard.
Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the Methodist Church in Daktoa City with Rev. Virginia L. Myers officiating. Mrs. Luella Hink and Mrs. Esther Heiker sang, accompanied by Mrs. Jack Orr. Interment was in the Dakota City cemetery under the direction of Becker’s funeral home.
Pallbearers were Gerald B. Longwell, Victor N. Hansen, Al Bierman, Raymond Ream, Peter Baumer and Joseph E. Marsh.
A large concourse of relatives and friends attended the services to pay their last respects to a well known and respected resident of this community.
Courtesy of Peggy Weber Durand
Typed by Peggy Mayberry Powell

G.W. Leedom Passes Away at White River
Died February 22, 1940
George Washington Leedom died at Rest Haven in White River, Tuesday evening at 1:45 o’clock, after a lingering illness, at the age of 83 years and 14 days. While his death was not altogether unexpected, yet his passing cast a note of sadness and regret among his many friends in this county.
G.W. Leedom was born at Pittsburgh, Pa., on February 11, 1852, where the family lived until Wash was about 18 years of age, when he and his parents moved west and located at Dakota City, Neb., where he grew to manhood. He attended Humboldt College, and in December, 1872, he was united in marriage to Mary E. Campbell of Galena, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Leedom made their home a Dakota City for a number of years. To this union eight children were born, four boys and four girls, Gilbert M. Leedom of Phoenix Ark.; Miles Leedom, present address unknown; J.W. Leedom of Rochelle, Ill.; Robert J. Leedom, who died at Sioux City, Ia., in July of last year; Mrs. Cora Brown of Wood; Mrs. Elizabeth Fleming of Omaha, Neb.; Mrs. Mabel Davis, who died at Oklahoma City, Okla., in 1932, and Mrs. Eva Cooper, who died in New York while serving as a government nurse in 1922. He is also survived by two brothers and one sister, Gene Leedom of Sioux City, Ia.; Fred Leedom of Jackson, Neb., and Mrs. Belle Bachert of Dakota City, Neb. He also leaves to mourn his death 12 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. His beloved wife departed this life at Dixon, S.D., in the year 1908.
While a resident of Dakota City Mr. Leedom was employed as a government commissary boat that plied the Missouri river between Kansas City, Mo., and Bismarck, N.D., reapplying the various government posts with their supplies along the river front.
For a number of years he was employed on a farm for a Dr. Wilkinson and in 1893 he and his family came to Castalla, S.D., where he was employed as a scout along with Jim Burns, Jack Sully and John Wall and other more or less famous frontiersmen of that day. Wash loved the frontier and loved and acted and lived the life of a true frontiersman.
He always took a great interest in politics, and was a staunch republican all his life; no weather was too severe for him to ride horseback many miles record and tried to keep abreast of changing conditions.
In 1907 he and his family emigrated to Dixon, S.D., in Tripp county, where he homesteaded and later opened a blacksmith shop, and later moved his shop to Hamill, where he lived until March, 1916, when he bought the blacksmith shop in Wood and followed that avocation until about [12] years ago, when he retired and moved on a ranch northeast of Wood.
Age slowed up his activities in later years, and while he was a man of a very rugged constitution, yet he felt that his very active life was drawing to a close and he became very feeble, and about two years ago he moved back to town, and several months ago he went to Rest Haven at White River, where he could received better care and attention.
Wash was one at those early day frontiersmen, who are rapidly disappearing from the picture. He delighted in telling of early day history and escapades and he was well posted on historical events in this section of South Dakota. While of a rather rough exterior, yet he had a good heart and he was ready and willing at all times to help those in distress or trouble.
Funeral services were held at the Paradise theatre in Wood on Thursday afternoon at two o’clock, with Rev. Carswell of the local Congregational church conducting the services. Many of his old time friends were in attendance to pay their last respects. The remains were taken to the Evergreen cemetery, where they were laid to rest beside those of his son-in-law, Mr. Brown.
This community mourns the passing of Wash Leedom and extends its deepest sympathy to the survivors.
Rev. Carswell in his sermon said: ‘Mr. Leedom has been a man of tremendous activity. About 60 years of his life was spent in the state of South Dakota. He had been engaged in different kinds of government work and took a keen interest in the political life of the county and was well posted on all political questions.
‘There is no doubt that in those early pioneer days he would be a friend of the needby. Amid the rough and tumble of everyday life with very little culture and educational advantages as we have today, yet underneath the apparent frailties of everyday life there was a manifestation of friendliness and neighborly spirit, a wiliness to help in time of need.
‘Let us thank God for that group of people who try to overlook the (?) and follies of mankind and look at what little men can do to make life a little more cheerful. Jesus said, ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of my brethren ye have done it unto me.’”
Who Sent in this Story? Dated July 9, 1940
In last Saturday’s Sioux City Tribune this story appeared under a Wood date line: ‘George Washington Leedom, a long-time resident of Mellette county and the state is dead. He would have been 88 years old February 11. Mr. Leedom took part in many historical events of the state. He served in the army under Gen. Nelson A. Miles.’
There is absolutely no truth in the above story. Mr. Leedom is at present staying at Rest Haven in White River, in order to received better care and medical attention, and about three weeks ago he did have a rather bad spell of illness, but he recovered, and we understand that he is now in his usual health for a man of his age and is able to take nourishment regularly.
Sometimes it seem there is an epidemic of bird rumors break out and just at the time we seem to be passing through just such an epidemic. Too many people are prone to spread such rumors among their acquaintance, apparently to be [?] mongars.

Courtesy of Peggy Weber Durand

Barney Gribble
July 1, 1916, Dakota County Herald, page 4, col 7-8
Barney Gribble, one of the oldest pioneer residents of Dakota county, died Sunday evening at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Harry H. Adair, in Dakota City, in his 79th year. His last illness was of short duration, he having been confined to his home but a couple of weeks. His death was due to senility.
Mr. Gribble was born in Springfield, Ill., in 1837, and he came to Dakota county in 1857, when the settlement was in its infancy. He accumulated considerable property and was considered one of the largest land owners in Dakota county at the time of his death.
He assisted in organizing the Pioneers and Old Settlers’ Association of Dakota county and was in attendance at all its reunions.
When the civil war broke out he enlisted in Company I, Nebraska volunteers, and saw considerable service, principally Indian warfare.
Mr. Gribble was married to Ellen G. Walden at Prairie City, Ia., in 1864. She died at their farm home in this county in 1889. He is survived by four children – Mrs. H.H. Adair and E.H. Gribble, of Dakota City, and John W. and George Gribble, of South Omaha, Nebr. A brother, Samuel A. Gribble, of Goodwin, S.D., and a half-brother, Joe Jackson, of Meadow Grove, Neb., also survive him.
Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 from the residence, Rev Bray, Presbyterian pastor of Ponca, Neb., officiating. Interment was made in the Taylor cemetery.
Thus another of Dakota county’s most honored pioneers, so long identified with the development of this part of Nebraska, goes to his last long home, leaving a vacancy that but few men are as well equipped to fill.
June 1, 1916, p 5, col 1
Samuel Gribble arrived Tuesday morning from his home near Goodwin, S.D., to attend the funeral of his brother, Barney Gribble.
Typed by Peggy Mayberry Powell

Dakota County Coordinator

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