F. M. Castetter Dead

Word reached Blair Saturday afternoon that F. M. Castetter, president of the Banking House of A. Castetter of this city, had died at the Clarkson hospital in Omaha at 1:48 that day. While it was generally felt that Mr. Castetter could not recover, his demise was not looked for so soon and the announcement of his death was a shock to the friends of the bank and the family.

Mr. Castetter has been suffering for the past three years with a leakage of the heart, but it has only been within the past year that the trouble became serious, since which time he has visited Hot Springs, Ark., and Battle Creek, Mich., in the hope of regaining his health. Neither trip seemed to benefit him and when he was brought home from Michigan a few weeks ago his friends realized that it would be only a short time until death would claim him.

An Omaha specialist was consulted a few weeks ago and suggested that there might be some hopes for Mr. Castetter if he were taken to the hospital in that city. Accordingly as a last hope the trip was made Wednesday and death followed Saturday. Mr. Castetter was conscious up to the last, but was unable to speak for several hours before death. His wife, who has been a faithful attendant ever since his illness, was with him at the end, as were also Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Claridge of this city and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Nash of Cleveland, Ohio.

The remains were brought to Blair Sunday morning and the funeral held at the late home at 3:30 Monday afternoon, Rev. A. E. Marsh of the Episcopal church in charge. The funeral was largely attended, many friends of the deceased coming from Omaha and different parts of the state, and the business were closed during the funeral.

Mr. Castetter was widely known in banking circles and has always taken an active interest in the meetings of the bankers’ association. He was an affable man, a warm and true friend, an ideal husband and father, a shrewd business man, and ready and willing at all times to extend the hand of charity as well as devote his time and money to the upbuilding and betterment of the community in which he lived. That he will be greatly missed around the bank where he has been a familiar figure for years goes without saying, and that many friends will miss his counsel and advice is another certainty. He was a man who wore his rough side out, but those who knew him best know he had a heart of large proportions and his friendship was highly prized.

Francis M. Castetter was the sole male survivor of the late Abraham Castetter, founder of the Banking House of A. Castetter, and was born at DeSoto July 5, 1858. He came to Blair with his parents when the town was first started and attended our city schools. Later he was taken in the bank with his father, and upon the retirement of the old gentlemen in 1900 was made president of the institution. Besides a wife he is survived by three daughters, and two sisters, the latter being Mrs. F. H. Claridge of this city and Mrs. Joseph Nash of Cleveland, Ohio.

Pilot 25 Dec 1912

The death of F. M. Castetter, president of the Banking House of A. Castetter, which occurred at the Clarkson hospital in Omaha Saturday afternoon, was not wholly unexpected, though the end came sooner than was expected. He was taken worse on Sunday of last week and on Tuesday Dr. Arthur B. Dunn, of Omaha, was called in consultation with Dr. Morris Nielsen. It was thought best to take him to the Clarkson hospital in Omaha, where Dr. Dunn could watch the case more closely, and on Wednesday Chris Schmidt, president of the Blair National Bank, took him and Mrs. Castetter and Mr. Claridge down in his auto. Dr. Dunn found the heart to be the principal cause of the trouble of the past year, there being some valvular difficulty, and the patient sank slowly to the end, which came at about 2:30 Saturday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Jos. H. Nash, of Cleveland, Ohio, arrived Saturday morning in time to see him before the end came, but he was too weak to recognize them. The body was brought up on the train Sunday morning and the funeral held at St. Mary’s Episcopal church at 3:30 Monday afternoon. Bishop A. L. Williams, of Omaha, officiating, assisted by Rev. A. E. Marsh and his son, Rev. Arthur H. Marsh, of Washington, D.C. The pall bearers were: Jas. Wae, W. H. Belknap, F. E. Bugeon, Jas. E. Maher, Henry Grimm, C. Charlton. Francis Marion Castetter was born July 5th, 1858, in DeSoto, Nebr., which was a flourishing town in the early days. His father, A. Castetter, started the bank there, but when Blair was made the railroad center the family and the bank was moved here in 1868. He grew to manhood here and on August 5th, 1884, was married to Miss Anna Catherine Noble, who now survives, with three daughters, May, Shirley and Frances. His father died in April, 1900, his mother in May, 1909 and his sister, Mr. B. F. Haller in Aug., 1909. Two sisters only are left, Mrs. F. H. Claridge and Mrs. Jos. H. Nash, of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Castetter began his banking training under his father and upon his father’s death was advanced from the position of vice-president to that of president. He inherited considerable means but he had proven himself a very successful business man, both in handling what was left him and in adding to it by his own ability and foresight. Personally he was of the brusque, business type, but those who got nearer to him found a kind heart and a noble, generous nature. An automobile accident a year ago last summer gave him a severe shock and is thought to be the beginning of the break down that followed shortly after. He did everything he knew to do to regain his health, went to Hot Springs, Ark., and later to the famous Battle Creek Sanitarium, but it continued to fail and when he returned from the latter place some two months ago not much improved his friends feared he would never recover. In the very prim of life he has now gone from us and the community has suffered a distinct loss in his passing. Greater still is the loss in the home he loved so much and to which he had given so much are and attention. The entire community extends its deepest sympathies to them and especially to the invalid daughter, May, who was the special object of his love and care and who will miss him most of all.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~