Hancock County Historical Society
Carthage, IllinoisGunn IV
Page 44DEATH OF GEORGE H. STARR
George H. Starr, retired farmer of Sonora township, passed away in St. Joseph hospital in Keokuk Thursday, July 26, 1945, at 4:30 p. m., aged 73 years and four days. Mr. Starr took suddenly ill about noon Thursday and died in the hospital 4 1/2 hours later.
George Henry Starr was born in Floyd county, Virginia, July 22, 1872. At the age of 11 years he was left an orphan and made his home with different families in the vicinity in which he was born until he attained the age of 17, when he came to Audrain county, Mo., later coming to Illinois in 1891. After a few years spent in Illinois he returned to Virginia, where he was married to Lona M. Mabry on January 7, 1894. In 1896 he and his wife and eldest son came to Illinois, settling near Bentley, where the family resided until 1917 when they came to Sonora township. To this union six children were born, one son dying in infancy. Mrs. Starr preceded her husband in death on May 15, 1934. The surviving children are: Cleophas Starr, Enoch Starr, Mrs. Forrest Simon, Mrs. Stella Schmitz and Barney Starr, all of this vicinity.
His father, mother, three sisters and four brothers are deceased. Surviving are two brothers, A. V. Starr of Glen Morgan, Va., and Emmett Starr, of Willis, Va. He also leaves to mourn his passing, eighteen grandchildren, two of whom are in the armed forces -- Pfc. Loren Schmitz on Luzon, in the Philippines, and Pvt. Lester Starr at Camp Wolters, Texas; also nieces, nephews and other relatives, besides a host of friends.
Mr. Starr was an honorable and upright man and his many friends regret his sudden departure from this earth.
Funeral services were held the Golden Point Christian church Sunday at 2:30 p. m., with the Rev. John Botkin of Denver officiating. Pallbearers were: Jam?? Horton, Lee Diton, Oscar Haa?, Arthur Pilkington, Don Park?? and Lawrence Simon. Burial was in Oak Grove cemetery.
