SPRECHER, GEORGE
Death of a Pioneer
    On Thursday afternoon, November 28, George Sprecher, or as he was familiarly known, Grandpa Sprecher, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. John Dane, in this city. He had been very feeble for several months, but death came without a moment’s warning. Half an hour before his decease he had been walking around apparently as well as usual. He had lain down and wishing to get up again had called to Mr. Dane to help him. Mr. Dane lifted him up, but he fell back upon the bed and in a moment life was extinct.
    George Sprecher was born at Lebanon, Pennsylvania, October 22, 1808. On August 20, 1843, he was married to Sarah A. Renshaw at Miamisburg, Ohio. He enlisted in the 34th Ohio ---- in 1862 and served his country for three years. He was fifty-four years of age at the time of this enlistment, an age at which few men would have endured the hardship of army life.
    Mr. Sprecher came to Nebraska with his family in 1872 and settled on a farm in the Midland precinct, Colfax County. In the winter of 1883-84 he moved to Schuyler where he resided until his death.
    Twelve children were born to Mr. And Mrs. Sprecher, ten of whom-seven sons and three daughters-are still living. Two daughters died in infancy. The surviving children are Mrs. Mary Thomas of Lincoln, Nebraska, Mrs. J. O. Dane, of Carpenteria, California, Mrs. John Dane of this city, John P. of Washington, D.C., Scott of Scotia, Nebraska, Frank of Omaha, Phillip F. and Theodore of Norfolk, Edward S. of Sheridan, Wyoming, and Clarence of Kansas City, Kansas. Mrs. Sprecher died in June 1899, at the age of 73 years, 4 months and 27 days.
    Mr. Sprecher was a familiar figure to the older residents of Schuyler, but of late years he has been much too feeble to get around much. In politics he was a staunch republican, and if he was able to get around at all he never failed to attend their political meetings and always had a seat on the stage. Occasionally he was called upon to talk, which he sometimes did. His mind during the past few years, however, was too feeble to be concentrated upon any one subject-save the bible-for any length of time. The funeral services will be in charge of the Masons and will be held at the Methodist church at 2p.m. this afternoon. Revs. D.C. Pattee and J.P. Yost will speak. The interment will take place in the Schuyler cemetery.
[Schuyler Quill, November 30, 1901 - Submitted by Jon Sprecher--NOTE: See picture of George Sprecher - Click back to return to this page]