PIONEER PASSES AWAY AFTER SHORT ILLNESS…CAUSE HEART TROUBLE…FUNERAL SERVICES WEDNESDAY

After only a few days illness at his home nine miles north of Arlington, Rev. C.G. Bisbee, at the age of 85 years, answered to the call of the Master of our destinies and passed to the Great Beyond at 4:00 p.m. last Saturday. The cause of his almost sudden taking away was heart failure. There remain to mourn his loss, his wife and five children, four of which were present at the funeral services.

Rev. C.G. Bisbee was born in Plainfield, Mass., Dec. 24, 1827. In his early boyhood his parents moved westward to the state of Ohio. His father died when he was quite young. He soon helped to support his sister and mother, who being anxious for him to get an education, made many sacrifices to keep him in the public schools, after which he went to teaching and by strict economy worked his way through college, graduating from Oberlin College in 1857. He then took a theological course, part at Union Theological Seminary at New York City, finishing and graduating from the theological department at Oberlin in 1860. He was ordained as Congregational minister and took charge of the church at Alpena, Michigan for four years. Then he accepted the position as principal of the union schools of Morreville, Ohio and from there was called to the Congregational church at Fontanelle, Nebraska, serving as pastor two years. Next he took charge of the Doane College located at that place, at that time the only college west of the Missouri river. From this he filled the office of superintendent of public instruction in Washington County for four years. In 1860 he married Miss Helen M. Ferris, who was also a graduate of Oberlin College and had supported herself while there by teaching winter schools in Oberlin and other places. They became the parents of five children who are now located as follows: W.B. Bisbee, Benjamin, Tex.; Mrs. R.D. Bacon, Fremont, Nebr.; Mrs. L. Grace Davidson, Lakeport, Calif.; Mrs. Helen Moody, Santa Monica, Cal.; and LeRoy Bisbee, Arlington, Nebr.

Aside from his work as an educator much of the time he was connected with religious work as a minister, organizer and superintendent of Sunday schools and teacher in them.

Always a great lover of good music, many of those who were young people in the early days of the country remember him as their singing school teacher.

In the early 70’s he moved out onto his homestead six miles east of Fontanelle and eight miles north of Arlington, on which, with other good improvements, will be found one of the large orchards of the county.

Besides the cares of the farm of 160 acres he taught in the surrounding district schools several terms, was also school director of District No. 42, twenty years and township clerk for Lincoln Township twelve years, and up to the time of his almost sudden demise he was an exceptional example of useful, helpful right living humanity. Funeral services were held at the home at 12 o’clock Wednesday and at the Congregational church at 2 p.m., Interment being in the Arlington Cemetery.

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

Find a Grave Memorial #9069549