Polk County Historical & Genealogical Society P. O. Box 636 Benton, TN 37307

Obituaries from the Past

Robert F. Sloan died at his home in Elizabeth at 10:10 o'clock last night after a brief illness, at the age of 79. Mr. Sloan was born in Polk County, Tennessee August 5, 1830. His boyhood days were spent on the farm until at early manhood he embarked in the mercantile business at Ocoee, that county, and was engaged therein until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he went to the Virginia Army in 1861 as an independent soldier. He served through Virginia campaign with the Third Tennessee Confederate Infantry, when he returned to East Tennessee and with J. G. M. Montgomery raised a company at Cleveland. Montgomery afterwards became lieutenant colonel of the Fifth Cavalry and Mr. Sloan became the adjutant of the regiment. He served through the war, surrounded (sic) at Macon, Georgia in May 1865.

Four years later, in 1869, Mr. Sloan married Miss Annie Stuart, of Cleveland, Tennessee who, with three sons, R. F., Jr., and F. B. Sloan survive him and all of whom were at his bedside when he died. He is also survived by five brothers, James B. and Dr. F. W. of Seattle, Wash. William T., of Los Angeles, California; Dr. F. B. of Cowan, Tennessee and A. N. Sloan of this city. - Chattanooga Times

After two days illness at the family home five miles south of Benton, Mrs. Augusta Lowery Fetzer, wife of J. J. Fetzer, a prominent farmer and an employee of Tennessee Power company at Parksville died Friday afternoon. She was the daughter of Capt. W. F. and Ruth Jane (Crews) Lowery born May 21, 1884 and in early life joined the Methodist Church at Chestuee remaining a member until her death.

She was a member of the Eastern Star and of the Daughters of the Confederacy. On October 7, 1902 she was married to Jesse J. Fetzer and had two children who survive, Ruth and Jessie Lowery Fetzer. Two brothers, Thomas L. Lowery and W. Marvin survive her. Her grandfather entered the Lowery ancestral farmlands in 1837 near Chestuee or Lowery's Chapel.

Funeral services conducted by Presiding Elder J. E. Wolfe assisted by the Benton Circuit Pastor, Rev. W. T. Moore, were held at the Benton Methodist Church in the presence of about a thousand people. Interment followed in the town cemetery. Her death was a great shock to the communities of Polk and Bradley where the families are so well and favorably known coming so suddenly within 48 hours after a physician and nurse were called. Harve Fetzer and wife Manerva Fetzer, parents of J. J. Fetzer and all the living relatives of the deceased were present besides the many hundreds of friends.

The funeral of Charles Alexander Beckler was held at the Mine City Baptist Church Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock. Rev. Org Foster and Rev. L. C. Cutts officiated.

Mr. Beckler was born October 29th, 1893 in Silco community where his grandfather settled as an early pioneer back in 1830. His father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Beckler moved to this community when Charles was just 7 years old. He has spent his entire life in this immediate section.

During the world war he served some eleven months in the army, nine months of which were spent overseas. He was in the 80th Division. He taught school at Isabella Tennessee for some 8 or 10 years and was greatly loved and honored by both parents and children. He was a member of the Mine City Baptist church, where the funeral was held.

He was one of the trusted and honored citizens of Ducktown where he resided and at the time of his death was serving as Postmaster. He is survived by his wife, who was formerly Miss Ruby Witzel, three children, Elizabeth, Witzel, and John, his father and mother and five brothers and one sister, Sam, Russell, Melvin, Herbert, Robert and Effie. Interment was in Lebanon Cemetery, Brewer was in charge.