Isaac Shields HASTINGS Born 27 Oct 1833 Died 10 Apr 1917

Mrs. Isaac S. Hastings

The following originally appeared in 1917 in the local newspaper in Bloomfield, Davis Couny, Iowa. It was written by Isaac's son, Daniel Webster HASTINGS.

ANOTHER PIONEER GONE

Isaac Shields Hastings was born the youngest in a family of 14 children, of whom 13 grew to womanhood and manhood; he was the last to survive his brother, Ephraim, having died in San Diego, CA, two years before. His father was Scotch - Irish. His mother, whose maiden name was Schultz, was German. They lived in a community " Pennsylvania Dutch " whose language they spoke, and whose manners, customs and traditions they retained during their lifetime.

In 1838, the family came to Ohio, settling near Dayton. In 1846 they came to Davis county, locating east of Floris on what was afterward known as the QUIGLEY farm, where one of the sons, Samuel, who had preceded the family, had taken a claim. Isaac, the subject of this sketch, was at that time thirteen years of age.

In the vicinity of Floris he grew to manhood. On January 23, 1853 he married Mary Jane ALLEN, whose father had located at Floris a fews months before the coming of the Hastings family. Here in Floris and vicinity their married life of sixty - four years was spent. They were the parents of eight children, six of whom are living : Dan and Ed of Floris, Henry of Eldon, Alva of Moulton, Sarah SWINNEY of Floris, and Flora MEREDITH of Pulaski, Iowa. Only five persons are known to be living who were in the vicinity of Floris when the ALLEN and HASTINGS families came there 71 years ago. Those five are : uncle Hohn ( sic ) DUFFIELD of Bloomfield, Davis FIEDLER of Ottumwa, Jacob MINNICK of Alabama, Mrs. Jane GARRETSON of Floris, and Mrs. Margaret CRITES of Oklahoma. The two last were CLARKs, sisters of the CLARK boys east of Floris. Isaac was a chair maker by trade and operated a factory for years at Floris, and later on the old homestead east of Floris, in all thirty years. In the spring of 1870, he started with his family to Greeley, CO, going as far as Kansas and returning the winter following. In the spring of 1871, he purchased the farm east of Floris, known at that time as the HUTLER farm, which was his home for 46 years. He was reared in the faith of Mennonites, though he never belonged to that communion. He became a Christian in the winter of 1871, was baptized by S.B. Downing, and united with the Christian Church in Floris, of which he died a devout member. He was deeply interested in the extension of the Master's kingdom, at home and abroad, always making mention of it in his prayers and giving for its support as he had opportunity. Though blind for years, he took great interest in the affairs of the world. There came to his home a daily, and other papers, secular and religious, which, until her last illness, his wife read to him much to his delight and profit. Thus to both were spent many happy hours. The day after his wife's funeral, which he was unable to attend, he took a severe cold. He was taken a short distance to the home of his son, E.A.Hastings, where he was very tenderly cared for until he passed away. He wanted to go and his was as quiet and peaceful as a gentle flowing river. He knew whom he believed and was persuaded that he is able to keep that which he had committed unto Him against that day ( sic ).

Funeral services were held at the Floris Christian Church, April 12, 1917, conducted by J.W. Altheide, assisted by Elder Lockhart, after which the remains were laid to rest in the Odd Fellows cemetery in Floris.