F. H. CLARIDGE LAST RITES HELD SUNDAY

Former Blair Banker For 50 Years Died Friday December 2nd

F. H. Claridge died in Omaha last Friday. For fifty years the deceased was in the banking business in Blair, and during that time he made many close friends who will always have nothing but words of praise for him. He is survived by his wife.

During the time of his service to this county in the banking business, he was the adviser of men in all lines of business, and his timely advice coupled with his financial backing put many a man on the road to a comfortable business, and in time to a competency for old age.

During the war he was first in every local move to assist his country, and his influence and his money were used without reserve. When the slump came he feared for the safety of his bank, which like every institution of the kind was hard pressed, and not being able to meet his old friends and depositors he disappeared. His bank, the Cassetter bank, dated back to the early times and was first started at DeSoto and later moved to Blair.

During all these long years, it had weathered many a depression and had he stayed at the helm, it would have weathered this one as was later shown when the bank’s collaterals were shown and the settlement made.

His disappearance was in February, 1921. He later voluntarily returned and gave himself up and was given an ovation by his friends who readily signed his $10,000 bond. The case was thrown out of court and Mr. Claridge was exonerated of any blame. He had turned over his entire fortune to the bank, and had done everything humanly possible to protect his friends and depositors even to beggaring himself.

He later moved to Omaha where he held positions of trust until his age incapacitated him for work. But Blair was his home, his heart was here and he visited here often, and was always given a welcome by his old friends.

The funeral services were held Sunday afternoon from the Episcopal church here in Blair, and interment was made in the Blair cemetery. The following out of town guests were present: Mrs. Flora C. Nash, Mrs. Anna Cassetter, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Donaldson, Miss Frances Casstetter, Miss Betty Noble, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Aye, Mr. and Mrs. Alva Smith, Waldo Dennis, J. B. Adams, Mrs. Thos. Quinlin and son, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Jeep, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Cook, all of Omaha, Nebraska; Mrs. Margaret O’Connell, Chicago, Illinois and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Waltemath, North Platte, Nebraska.

The pallbearers were chosen from his old friends who had known and respected him - Ed Grimm, H. J. Cooke, Dr. Morris Nielsen, Clyde M. Allen, W. W. Wilkinson and J. H. Bolin.

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

FindaGrave # 114254264