William Bond Mendenhall, son of Oliver and Lydia Mendenhall, was born on the old Mendenhall farm 2 1/2 miles southwest of New Castle, June 23, 1850. He grew to manhood on the farm where he was born, receiving his education in the public schools near by.
On June 1, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Emma J. Shirk. They began there home in the community where Mr. Mendenhall had lived, from which they moved a few years later to Spiceland. After a brief residence there, they moved to the farm where the family has lived for 27 years, north of Sugar Grove Methodist Episcopal Church.
To Mr. and Mrs. Mendenhall were born seven children, six of whom with the wife and mother, survive.
About 18 years ago, Mr. Mendenhall declared his faith in Christ and was baptized in the Sugar Grove Church. He was a man of exemplary habits and lived a clean life. He was a man who loved the country, and greatly enjoyed the out-of-door life of the farm. From his childhood, he was rugged physically and had been sick but very little, until early in the year when he suffered an attack of influenza. After that he complained some from time to time, but kept at his work until the end. Saturday evening last, after the day's work was over, while sitting at the fireside, the fatal summons came and almost without warning his spirit slipped away and his earthly life was over.
He leaves to bear him in precious memory, his devoted wife, two sons: Fred and Walter, both of Henry county and living near the old home, four daughters: Mrs. Vernie Harvey, India, Catherine and Edith, all of them living at or near the old home, and four grandchildren: Earnest and Josephine Mendenhall and Gerald and Mark Harvey. One son, Ollie, died at the age of six months. Besides these, he leaves three brothers: Jessie O. of New Castle, Luther of Greensfork and Charles, who lives on the original Mendenhall farm where the deceased was born and raised. Two sisters: Miss Orilla, who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mendenhall and Mrs. Frank Modlin, who lives west of New Castle on the Cadiz Pike. These with a large number of other relatives and friends, will not soon forget him.
"Life! We've been long together,
Through pleasant and cloudy weather;
'Tis hard to part, when friends are dear;
Perhaps 'twill cost a sigh, a tear;
Then steal away, give little warning;
Choose thine own time;
Say not, good night, but in some brighter clime,
Bid me good morning."
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Card of Thanks
We wish to sincerely thank all our friends who so kindly helped and remembered us during the sickness and death of our dear husband and father, William Bond Mendenhall.
MRS. EMMA MENDENHALL AND CHILDREN
