Obituary - E.Lanman
E. Lanman, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of Smith Center, passed away at his home in the west part of town Monday after an illness extending back into months and following a period of gradually failing incident to his advenced years. His rugged constitution and clean habits gave him strength to grapple with the ailments which came to him and enabled him to pass the four score mark in years.
Elias Lanman, son of George and Sarah Lanman, was the second son of a family of thirteen children. He was born near Leopold, Perry County, Indiana, March 30, 1839, and died May 19, 1919, aged 80 years, one month and nineteen days. He was a soldier of the Civil War enlisting in the 81st Indiana from which he received an honorable discharge. He was married May 5, 1863, to Miss Mary Robertson and they had four children. They were Anna Goble who died in the spring of 1897, Mansfield Lanman, who lives just south of Smith Center, Mrs. Ida Mosher, of Hartford, Kansas, and Theodore, a newspaper man at Hobart, Oklahoma. The family came to Smith county in the spring of 1885 and located on the farm south of Smith Center where they lived until 1897 when Mr. and Mrs. Lanman moved to Smith Center. The wife and mother passed away in October 1905. The deceased continued to reside at the old home until the end came. He bacame a member of the Baptist church in 1870. Mr. Lanman was a fine old man, who did all that it was in his power to do to make life pleasant for his family and for those around him. To mourn his departure there are two sons and one daughter, two sisters and one brother, besides plenty of friends.
The funeral service was held from the Baptist church Wednesday afternoon and was conducted by the pastor, Rev. J. B. Sims. There was a large attendance of friends and relatives. Interment was in Fairview cemetery beside his life companion.
