Obituary: Winnebago County, Wisconsin: George F. STROUD ************************************************************************ Submitted by Kathy Grace, June 2004 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ Daily Northwestern August 4, 1890 George F. Stroud Expires The Well-Known Paint and Oil Dealer Dies Yesterday Afternoon About fifteen minutes after five o'clock yesterday George F. Stroud, the well known paint and oil dealer, breathed his last at the family residence on Algoma street. He was a victim of locomotor ataxia, from which he had suffered more or less for four years. Hiss illness apparently commenced with an affection of the eye. When he first noticed that his vision was impaired he went to Milwaukee and Chicago and consulted specialists but their efforts were futile in coping with the terrible disease which had fastened itself upon him, for Mr. Stroud's eyesight was permanently impaired. From this time he failed rapidly, and during the past two years his friends have been alarmed at intervals regarding his condition. Since May last it has been critical. Upon several occasions his life has been dispaired of, and although he had the best medical relief, his symptoms have daily given evidence of his approaching end. Notwithstanding his condition, however, Mr. Stroud with characteristic persistence, visited his place of business as late as May, when, one day he was sitting in his office and his speect partially left him. At the time this occurred he was talking with a gentleman and apparently in good spirits when he suddenly became unable to articulate. The funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon from the house at half-past one o'clock. George Francis Stroud was born December 10, 1836, in Willsboro, Essex county, New York. His father, William D. Stroud, is a native of New Hampshire, and his mother, whose maiden name was Laura A. Lee, was born in Vermont. Two of Mr. Stroud's ancestors on his mother's side were signers of the declaration of independence. In 1851 Mr. Stroud's family emigrated to Wisconsin and Located at Oshkosh the 15th day of April in that year. For some time George attended a select school, and afterwards assisted his father in the management of his farm and also in getting out building stone from the stone quarry now known as the Lutz quarry, which was managed at that time by Wm. D. Stroud. He next engaged as a traveling salesman for a Rochester nursery until the fall of 1867. In the fall of he engaged in the paint and oil trade, and in the spring of 1868 opened the first store in the state devoted exclusively to this specialty. The business proved a sucess from the start. Commencing in a small way with limited capital, it gradually increased, until for many years Mr. Stroud had done the largest paint and oil business of any concern in the state outside of Milwaukee. For some time past, Mr. Stroud had left the details of his business largely to his brothers, James and Charles, and since his health began to be so seriously undermined he had left its entire managment to them. Mr. Stroud was married December 29, 1859, to Miss Angeline F. Reed, sister of Major L.B. Reed, and has three daughters. The eldest is Mrs. Harry Peck of Wichita Kas. Fannie and Mamie reside at home. Mr. Stroud was a man of very warm domestic attachments and was one of the kindest of husbands and a most indulgent father. His hospitality knew no bounds towards those who had the time and opportunity to accept it. Almost every traveling salesman for the large houses he dealt with was as warmly welcomed as a long lost brother, and a fish excursion, or a night in his billiard hall at his residence was always on the program. He always kept a guest chamber or two for those congenial spirits who would play billiards with him until the we suns' hours. He was a great lover of the game and was one of the most players in the northwest. He always attened the great national matches, and at one time acted as scorer or referee at one of them in Chicago. In all local affairs, political and industrial, Mr. Stoud was not only patriotic and energetic, but an active leader in almost every public enterprise for the welfare and progress of the city. In regard to projects requiring any public spirit he was an enthusiast, ()not only in his time and devotion to the work in hand, but with the means as well. While in the porime of health there was scarcely a public movement among the citizens for the securing of a new inducstrial concern or the accomplishment of some general improvement in which he was not one of the most active leaders in () from his business and devoted to the benefit of the city in such missionary work. Although he was not a politician and never held any office local or otherwise, and never woudl, he took much interest in assisting to elect the best men to office. He was president of the Garfield & Arthur club of 1880 and devoted much time and energy to the campaign. He was in all respects a self-made, liberal, energetic and upright man, whose love for the city in which he lived and the welfare of those about him was never allowed to go undemonstrated. Daily Northwestern August 6, 1890 Funeral of G.F. Stroud Obsequies Over the Remains of a Prominent Citizen The last sad rites over all that was mortal of George F. Stroud were observed this afternoon. The casket rested in the doorway of the parlors of the residence on Algoma street and was almost covered with wreaths and crosses of flowers, the last gifts of loving friends. At one side of the coffin and nearly at the foot had been placed a particularly beautiful offering. It was of pure white and represent the "Gates Ajar." The services, which commenced about a quarter of two, were conducted by the Rev. C.B. Wilcox, of the First Methodist church. The music for the occasion was rendered by Messrs. Heman Powers, William Herbert Dale, Miss Jennie Daggett and Mrs. R.F. Kellogg. After the services at the house had been concluded the remains were borne to their last resting place at Riverside. The following gentlemen acted as pall bearers: Orville Beach, C.W. Davis, C.E. Harlow, Ole Oleson, George H. Cameron and J.N. Hoaglin.