Mournful Monday: Death Claimed Mr. W. A. Juhan

From Macon Telegraph (Georgia), 5 December 1893 edition:

"DEATH CLAIMED MR. W. A. JUHAN

An Esteemed Citizen of Macon Has Been Called to His Reward.

DEATH CAUSED FROM LA GRIPPE

At 8:15 O'clock Last Night the Summons Came While Surrounded By His Sorrowing Family -- Funeral This Afternoon.

Mr. William Alexander Juhan, one of Macon's oldest and most highly respected citizens, died at his home on Second street last night at 8:15 o'clock of la grippe, after an illness of one week.

Just one week ago yesterday Mr. Juhan attended the funeral of Dr. E. W. Warren, who was his bosom friend and pastor in life and from the long exposure to the damp atmosphere at the cemetery he contracted the grip, and on returning home went to bed feeling very unwell, but not anticipating serious sickness, both he and his family thinking he had only contracted a severe cold. They soon discovered that he was seriously ill, however, and a physician called, but his strength was not sufficient to withstand the ravages of the terrible disease which terminated in his death.

Mr. Juhan was in every sense a good citizen and enjoyed the respect and esteem of the community. As a Christian gentleman, he was loved by all Christian people and respected by the worldly minded for his consistency and integrity. As a business man he enjoyed the confidence of the public and admiration of the commercial world. As a husband and father he was loving, indulgent and patient, and his chief aim in life was to make his home and the lives of those around him happy and contented. His death is a loss to the community that will be long felt and mourned.

Mr. Juhan was born in Jones county in 1827, making him 66 years old at the time of his death. When a young man he conducted a general merchandise business in Clinton, Jones county, and while thus engaged he was married to Miss E. J. Caldwell in Clinton. To them several children were born, four of whom, Messrs. W. J., C. J. and Louis Juhan and Mrs. C. W. Gnice of Eufaula, Ala., survive, together with his wife. His aged father and a sister are living and reside in Texas.

In 1872 Mr. Juhan moved to Macon and became a member of the wholesale dry goods house of J. B. Ross and S. T. Coleman, which was at that time the largest wholesale dry goods house in the state, if not in the South. After remaining with this firm for several years he engaged in the retail dry goods business in Triangular block under the firm name of W. A. Juhan & Co., Mr. C. B. Ellis being the silent partner. This business, of which he was at the head, was conducted successfully for a long number of years, and was one of the largest retail dry goods stores in the state. Several years ago the firm failed, but it was regarded by everybody as an honest failure. Afterwards, when Messrs. C. J. and W. J. Juhan engaged in the retail dry goods business, he became associated with them, and up to the time of his last illness he was actively engaged.

The funeral will take place from First Baptist Church this afternoon at 3 o'clock. Rev. George Braxton Taylor and T. W. O'Kelly will conduct the services.

The following gentlemen have been requested to act as pallbearers:

Holmes Johnson, J. H. Williams, R. W. Bonner, George R. Barker, H. V. Napier, J. G. Medlock, Dr. Polhill, W. J. Moore."

John W. Kimbrew: Railroader and Saturday Soldier

I first wrote about the KIMBREW family plot with Emmitt Kimbrew: a Couple of Inaccuracies. As stated there, the plot is located at the bottom of a hill in Eglantine Square. There is a short brick wall on three sides, with concrete ledger markers filling the plot. If it wasn't for the military marker standing for John W. Kimbrew, the plot could be easily, very easily, overlooked.

The entrance to the plot, as well as a marker in the back brick wall, leads you to believe the plot was owned by John W. Kimbrew, but Rose Hill Cemetery records show the plot was purchased in July 1876 by E. S. Kimbrew. Edward S. Kimbrew was John William's father, per the 1880 Macon, Bibb County, GA Federal census. By that time Edward was married to his second wife, Lula Mosly. Edward married his first wife, Ella E. Lowe, 23 December 1869. There is one unidentified burial in the E. S. Kimbrew lot, and I suggest that interment is John's mother, Mrs. Ella Kimbrew.

The working life of John W. Kimbrew was dominated by the railroad and the military. He enlisted in the United States Army at Ft. Worth, Texas 15 September 1893 at the age of 22. His birthplace was given as Macon, GA as well as an occupation of Railroader. John was described as having light blue eyes and a fair complexion. Though he enlisted for five years, it appears he was discharged after three on 14 December 1896 with an excellent service record.

John next appears in Maloney's Macon Miscellaneous Directory for 1897. He was a flagman for the G. S. & F. Railway. He enlisted again with the U. S. Army 16 May 1898 at Macon, GA. And again he was described as having light blue eyes, brown hair, and a fair complexion. This entry in the U. S. Army Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 database online at Ancestry.com ascribes to John the duty of Cook, which is also found on his military tombstone. John was discharged 23 August 1899 with a very good service record.

The 1900 Macon, Bibb County, GA Federal census shows John with his new bride Ada. He is back on the railroad as a flagman. In 1910, John and Ada were still in Macon with three children. This time, John was a Railroad Conductor. John W. Kimbrew lived less than one month past the taking of that census in April. He died 16 May 1910 in Macon, GA.

From the 18 May 1910 edition, Macon Telegraph:

DEATHS AND FUNERALS
KIMBREW
The burial services of J. W. Kimbrew who died at his residence on Oglethorpe street Monday morning took place yesterday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. from the residence and the interment was made in Rose Hill cemetery. The pallbearers were selected from the group of railway conductors and the burial was according to the rites of the Masonic order.

Emmitt Kimbrew: a Couple of Inaccuracies

Emmitt Kimbrew
Aug 11, 1900
Aug 1, 1953

Emmett rests in the Kimbrew family plot at the bottom of a hill in the Eglantine Square section of Rose Hill Cemetery. Not too far from the railroad tracks and Ocmulgee River. Nearby are his parents, John W. (1871-1910) and Ada A. (1877-1959).

When searching for information about Emmett, I found there are a couple of inaccuracies between his ledger gravestone inscription and other records. The name on his ledger marker is spelled as Emmitt, with an "i". Most other record sources list it as Emmett, with an "e". Notably, his World War I Draft Registration Card of 1918, bearing his signature. The full name there is Emmett Virginus Kimbrew.

Something else that is off is Emmett's death year. The gravestone inscription gives his year of death as 1953. However, the Georgia Deaths database online at Ancestry.com lists the year of death as 1952.

One consistency in the latter years of Emmett's life was his occupation. According to city directories from 1945 to 1950, Emmett was the proprietor of Kimbrew Grocery at 1502 Broadway in Macon, Georgia. Here's what that area looks like today. I dare say, not much different?