St. Clair County Obits

HENRY FEWEL POAGUE
 
Clinton, Missouri - Henry F. Poague, well known attorney in Clinton and Henry County for almost a half century, died at his home, 207 North Washington street, at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 18, 1939. Mr. Poague, whose health had not been good the past few years, contracted a cold October 12, which had help him at home several days. Neither he nor his family realized that his condition was serious until late Wednesday afternoon, when about 3:45 a blood clot formed and death laid its hand on the shoulder of the devoted father, fond husband and good citizen. His death was without pain or suffering and his family was with him, as he would have wished, for one of the finest things in his life, that was replete with many admirable traits, was the great esteem in which he was held by his family and the pride and pleasure he found in his children. Henry Fewel Poague, son of Kentucky parents who came to Missouri in 1858, settling in Benton County, after short residences in Lafayette and Johnson counties, where they were substantial farmers, was born March 17, 1868, near Ft. Lyon in Benton Co. As a boy about 16, he left school to help manage the farm of his widowed mother. He was ambitious to continue his schooling and having settled his mind on the law, saved his means to that end and in 1892 graduated from the law school of the Missouri University and passed his state bar examinations. Returning to Benton County, he resumed farming for a year, after which he came with his beloved brother, the late Dr. S. A. Poague, to Henry County and settled in Clinton. They began their professional practices side by side, and this close fraternal bond was broken by the death of Dr. Poague in 1935. August 25, 1895, Mr. Poague and Miss Hattie Haysler, daughter of C. H. Haysler, prominent Clintonian and business man, were married and established their home in Clinton. She survives with their two children, Judge Haysler Allen Poague and Mrs. R. S. Hollingsworth of Clinton, also two grandchildren, Miss Peggy Poague and little Ann Hollingsworth; also two brothers, Fred Poague of Greeley, Colo.; Will R. Poague; one sister, Mrs. Lawrence Crotty, of Clinton. Mr. Poague was an ardent and unswerving Democrat, who moulded many opinions of those he contacted and offered wise counsel in party politics. For many years he was the country chairman of his party and also Democratic chairman of the Sixth Congressional and the 29th Judicial District. For four terms, he served his county as prosecuting attorney, meting out justice with office and wisdom and tempering always the stern interpretations of the law by his dominant humanity, whenever it was possible, especially toward young offenders. He realized the crippling burden of debt carried by Henry County in the heavy railroad bonds that had drained their surplus for years. So advising with the county court he worked out a financial plan whereby the bonds might be retired, and no man felt more satisfaction in that historic bonfire, when the bonds were burned, after payment, than he. But farther reaching still was the effecting of his financing idea, for from it grew the budget system of Henry County. It was further said by various officers in the state that he could handle more prosecutions with better success and less criminal cost than any man holding the office, yet was brief and rigorous at all times. Mr. Poague was also active in other phases of community life. He was a member of the Christian Church, a Mason, and held memberships in the W.O.W. and Modern Woodmen. For many years in addition to his law practice, Mr. Poague handled much real estate, and over a long period was associated in these transactions with Frank Carter, now living in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. He was a man of excellent business judgement and through the years accumulated considerable property. An able lawyer and fine counsellor, Henry Poague was ever known as a kindly, charitable man, moderate of speech and softly spoken, ready to excuse his fellowman for any shortcoming or foible and was generously disposed toward all. The flag at the courthouse was at half mast in honor of Mr. Poague Friday and funeral services were at the Christian Church at 2:30 p.m. Friday, conducted by Rev. Paul S. Stauffer and Rev. A. N. Lindsay. Pallbearers were: O. W. Wysong, Vance Julian, C. W. Gaines, Leslie Lobaugh, C. H. Whitaker Jr., Gus Bratzler, James B. Marks, Grady Spangler. Members of the P.E.O. of which Mrs. Poague is a charter member, and Mrs. R. S. Hollingsworth, the president, attended in a body, also the Henry County Bar Association. Out-of-town bar members and fellow attorneys present for the services were Nick Conrad and his son, Ted, of Montrose; Walter Davis and Ross Feaster of Windsor; Judge Henry S. Shepherd and Tom Silvers of Butler; Frank and Edwin Brady, Vernon Frieze of Warsaw; L. M. Crouch Jr., of Harrisonville; Waldo P., Ralph P. and Thomas Bryant Johnson, John M. Belise and Charles H. Green of Osceola.