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Jesse P. Stevens, for two terms coroner of Silver Bow county and a
resident of Butte for 14 years, died at Murray’s hospital yesterday
afternoon at 4 o’clock at the age of 71 years.
His death had been anticipated for several days, as since last
Saturday he had not been conscious. From
9 o’clock yesterday morning the pulse was faint and at times during the
day was all but gone, yet no decided change in his condition was apparent
to either his physicians or nurses until just five minutes before his
death, when the nurse informed the watchers that the end was a hand.
The funeral will be held Friday afternoon from the family
residence, 1124˝ East Galena street, and the Grand Army veterans, with
the Elks, will fall in line to escort the body of their comrade and
brother to its final resting place.
Cheerful to the End
Mr. Stevens’ illness covered a period of 18 months.
He died from the effects of bone cancer, for which he had been
operated on four times. He
went into the hospital Nov. 18 and with the exception for a few days had
been confined to his bed. Since
Jan. 11 he had never been up, although up until last Saturday evening he
was convinced that he would recover and often told of what he intended
doing when he left the hospital. Saturday
evening, however, he gave up the valiant fight that he had made for months
and asked the nurse to send for the members of his family.
His wife, three sons and a daughter, besides his little
grandchildren, arrived at the hospital shortly afterward and he told them
he was satisfied he was losing ground and would not be able to recover.
Mrs. Steves, who is 65 years of age, all but collapsed, but by
force of will feigned a composure and an optimism she was far from
feeling. In a quietly resigned
manner he asked them to see that some of his wishes were carried out
His Last Battle
“I had thought to get better,” he
explained in a low voice, “but this is the last battle I can make and I
must be resigned to quit loser.”
He asked that whatever flowers should
reach him afterward be sent to the ill and suffering in the various
hospitals.
“They are pretty tributes, but when
‘taps’ will sound for me,” said the dying veteran, “I would like
to know that they are then of cheer to someone whose lonely hours they may
brighten.”
He asked that Rev. Mr. Groeneveld conduct
his funeral service and that the flag under which he fought through the
civil war be wrapped about him.
“My old Grand Army uniform, too, I would have as my last dress
suit,” and he smiled faintly in attempt to be cheerful to the last.
Bravely Bids Them
Farewell
Turning to his little granddaughter, Ruth, the 6-year-old daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. J. Scott Stevens, and a great favorite of his, whose
birthday fell on the same day as that of his own, Jan. 11, he said:
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“Ruth, little girl, you won’t forget your old grandpa, will
you, dear? Every time you have
a birthday you will remember that it was grandpa’s birthday, too,
won’t you, and say ‘God bless dear old granddaddy?’
Grandpa will look after you and love you always, as he does right
now.”
The
dialog between the aged veteran and the baby girl was pathetic in the
extreme, as he in the labored breathing of one
in the winter scene of life smiled faintly at the assurance given him by
the lisping wee girl that she would not forget him.
The watchers at the bedside were in tears as he bade his daughter
and each of his sons goodbye in a clear, though weak, voice.
Parting
of a Soldier
Looking at the bowed white head of his aged wife who knelt beside
his bed, he reached out and clasped her hand.
No word was spoken to her, and only the tightening of the lips and
the perceptible close clasping of the fingers were all that told of a
farewell, which, soldier though he was, and resigned though he believed
himself to be, he dared not trust himself to murmur.
Jesse P. Stevens was born at New Grenada, Fulton county,
Pennsylvania, Jan. 11, 1841. Here
he received his education and grew to manhood.
When the call for volunteers was made he enlisted as a private in
Company A, Third regiment of Pennsylvania heavy artillery, on Nov. 28,
1962, receiving his discharge at the close of the war, June 29, 1865.
During these years he saw service at Fortress Monroe and engaged in
numerous trying sieges. He
served as orderly under various generals and was always to be relied upon
in any and all emergencies.
Removes
to the West
After his discharge he remained in the east until 1880.
He married Rebecca Wagner in August, 1867, and of this union five
children were born, He came
with his family to Boulder, Colo., in 1880, and in 1885 went to Aspen,
Colo. During these years he
was engaged in the meat business conducting wholesale and retail shops.
In 1898 he came to Butte, where he had made his home ever since.
He had been employed as watchman at various properties of the
district and was twice elected coroner on the republican ticket, a
position he held at the time of his death.
The funeral will be in charge of the grand Army of the Republic and
full military honors will be given the old soldier and comrade.
He was senior vice commander of the Montana department of the G. A.
R. and an honored member of Lincoln post.
Mr. Stevens is survived by his wife and five children, Mrs. C. W.
Wagner of Boulder, Colo., J. Scott Stevens, Joseph H. Sevens and Mrs. C.
E. Black of Butte, and Aubrey H. Stevens of Halfway, Ore.
First
One to Go
Mr.
Stevens was the oldest of a family of nine children and his was the first
death among them. three of his
brothers reside in Illinois and three other brothers and two sisters are
still in Pennsylvania.
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