Obit: Pitcher, Benjamin (1822 - 1908)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: PITCHER WICKER

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 09/24/1908

Pitcher, Benjamin (17 AUG 1828 - 19 SEP 1908)

Sunday morning, word flew over our town as on the wings of wind, that uncle Ben Pitcher had passed from this life. He died at the home of Howard Wicker, Saturday night, Sept. 19th, 1908, aged 80 years, 1 month and 2 days.

Benjamin Pitcher was born in Carr Settlement, Clay township, Onondaga Co., N.Y., Aug. 17, 1828, where he grew to young manhood. July 10th, 1853, he was united in marriage to Mary Wicker, and in 1855 came to Wisconsin, settling at Barton, Washington Co., where he resided until the fall of 1873, when he came to Colby, Clark Co., Wis., and settled on the farm two miles south of the city, where he continued to reside until about two years ago, when he sold his farm and made his home with A. Lamont’s family. On May 2nd, 1887, his good wife answered her Master’s call and crossed the dark river to await her husband’s coming.

It was the writer’s good fortune to have known Uncle Ben long and well, and we only knew him to esteem him more highly as the years passed by. Today we miss his kindly smile and friendly greeting. There is no language at our command by which we can fittingly portray the sincerity of his character; he was strictly honest in the service he rendered; he was an honorable gentleman in the highest sense that term implies. To man, woman or child, he always extended a cordial greeting that lent a ray of light to brighten their pathway in the journey of life. Another name is stricken from the ever lessening roll of our old settlers.

The funeral was held from the M.E. Church, Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock, conducted by Rev. J.A. Moats, and the remains were interred beside those of his wife in Colby Cemetery.