Surnames: Cummings, Darrow, Secord, French, Longenecker, Broiher, Filitz, Opelt, Luck, Dalhe, Duxbury, Leonard

----Source: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thursday, 04/06/1922

Cummings, John W. (1842 - 29 March 1922)

John W. Cummings, a well-known town of the Pine Valley pioneer, died at his home there about 4 o’clock last Wednesday afternoon, March 29th, 1922, after a few days illness with pneumonia.

Mr. Cummings was suffering from slight cold ten days earlier when his wife was summoned to Black River Falls by news of the alarming illness of Mrs. Darrow, her mother. Mr. Cummings developing pneumonia a few days later, Mrs. Cummings was called home, and Mrs. W. E. Secord, his oldest daughter, of Green Bay, was advised by wire of his father’s illness. Responding at once, both women were soon at his bedside on Monday, when it was not thought that he was alarmingly ill. Grave symptoms developed Tuesday and hope was abandoned Wednesday morning.

Mr. Cumming was born in Ireland in 1842 and came to Canada when but twelve years old. There he grew to manhood and married Miss Mary O’Brien in 1869 and with his bride came on to Wisconsin and took up residence here the same year. A daughter, Nellie, was born to them the next year and when this child was but nine days old, Mrs. Cummings died. Deceased continued to reside here on the home place, the child very happily being cared for by the mother’s sister, Mrs. Robt. French, Sr., then residing at Hatfield. Mr. Cummings remained a widower until the year of 1887, when he married Miss Florence Darrow. She, with their four children, Darrow, of Neillsville, Frank, Cornelia and Henry, all of home and Nellie, Mrs. W.E. Secord, of Green Bay, (the child by his first wife), survived him. All were here and in attendance at the funeral, which was held from the Congregational church at Neillsville last Saturday afternoon, with Rev. Geo. Longenecker, the resident pastor, officiating. Burial was made in the Neillsville cemetery, beside the body of his first wife. The pall bearers were George Broiher, Otto Filitz, W.E. Secord, Max Opelt, Chas. Luck and Jack Dalhe.

Mr. Cummings was a man whose friendship was worth having. He never betrayed a confidence for he was honest, upright and persevering. The sympathy of all who know them is with the bereaved relatives.

Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Secord of Green Bay, Miss Emma Duxbury of Alma Center, and H.D. Leonard of St. Paul were here to attend the funeral .