George B. Dayton

GEORGE B DAYTON

Posted By: Kelsey M. Alexander (email)
Date: 2/14/2025 at 17:16:06

Clinton Herald September 2nd 1908
Accident and death come in succession
Veteran George B. Dayton died this morning, following two family accidents. Was not injured
Was Victim of Auto Mishap while on way as rescuer in another accident-trio of misfortunes are speedy-veteran civil war man and pioneer railroad, passenger conductor.
Death followed speedily in the wake of two family accidents Sunday when George B. Dayton, veteran railroad passenger conductor and Civil War man, passed away this morning at 5 o'clock at his home 649 11th Avenue. His death was entirely unexpected, though Mr. Dayton had been ailing with asthma and heart trouble several years.
His death came as the third of a trio of misfortunes to his family, the other two being automobile accidents Sunday afternoon, one in which Mr. Dayton was on his way as a rescuer and the other of which he himself was a victim.
Mr. and Mr.s Charles Steward, the former Mrs. George B. Dayton's brother, their son Guy Steward, wife and two children, all of Eldridge, were on their way to Clinton Sunday to spend the day at the George B. Dayton home. When two miles west of Camanche, their car ran off the side of the road and turned over on its occupants, badly shaking them without serious results.
Second Accident.
A telephone message was sent to the home of George B. Dayton in Clinton, and he and his son John Dayton b=hurried on their way to assist the party in the accident when their own car went into the ditch in exactly the same manner with more serious consequences, and only a few rods away from the first car.
Within sight of the first unfortunate party, passers by jacked up the Clinton ear and released John Dayton, the driver, who suffered a badly sprained hand, and gave their attention to the elder Mr. Dayton, who it was found, was not hurt.
A second telephone message to George M. Dayton, another son of George B. Dayton, brought a seond family party to the rescue, of the unfortunate parties. The Steward car was brought to Clinton with it's occupants and the second car was towed in by George M. Dayton and was steered by the elder Mr. Dayton, who appeared not to have suffered in the least.
Death Follows.
A sudden attack of asthma and heart trouble came on Mr. Dayton Sr. during the night, and this morning at 5 o'clock he passed away.
George B. DAyton was born in Montgomery, Orange County, New York on January 13th, 1843. When a boy of nine years of age he came west with his parents who settled on a farm in Scott County, where he lived until he heard the call of the flag in 1861, and before he had reached manhood he marched away with the Second Iowa Infantry, serving until the end of the Civil War.
After the Grand Review he returned to his home, where in 1868 he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Steward of Donahue, Iowa, who is left today with three sons, five grandchildren and one great grandchild, who have continued their fathers war record. John Dayton served with Company 11 of the Iowa National Guards, going from Clinton when the Spanish war call came, Will Dayton, a second son is now in the Navy at Bremerton, Wash., and a grandson, Harold Dayton, age 17, and a son of Will Dayton is a radio operator on a U.S. steamship. The other son is George M. Dayton, prominent druggist of Lyons,
In 1872, George Dayton entered the employ of the Northwestern railway company as passenger conductor, in which capacity he served until he was retired on a pension eleven years ago.
George Dayton was a member of General N.B. Baker post S.S, G. A. R., the Order of Railway Conductors, of Western Star Lodge, A.F. and A.M., a Knight Templar and a member of the Royal Arch degree.
No funeral plans have been made.