Elston - William Francis "Frank"
Source: Crawfordsville Star June 5, 1884 p 1
The remains of Frank Elston have been taken from the Masonic Cemetery vault and interred at Oak Hill.
Major Frank Elston, ex-mayor of Crawfordsville, died in Chicago on Tuesday last.
Source: Crawfordsville Star May 15, 1884 p 1
W.F. Elston died at Chicago on Monday night of pneumonia. He had only been in the city a few days until taken sick. Mrs. HS Lane and Col. IC Elston, his sister and brother were surprised of his illness and were present during his last hours. The remains were brought to the city on yesterday morning. WF Elston was born in this city on Jan 1, 1844 and was the son of IC Elston Sr one of the first settlers of this county. Frank, as he was generally called was a man of large brain an great natural talents. In temperament he was of that character which attracted everyone to him. He was genial and liberal to a fault. He was a graduate of Cambridge University where he also took a course in law. He was a great reader and his mind was stored was stored with historical and scientific knowledge. After the war of the Rebellion he spent a year in Europe and attended Heidleburg University. Returning home he was elected Mayor Crawfordsville, taking his office on May 5, 1870, being successful over Rod Galloway and John Speed, the other candidates. He was the second Mayor of this city. He held the office one term and with rare credit to the city. He was never married but of late years he made his home with his sister, Mrs. Lane and his health being bad he was engaged in no business whatever. The funeral took place at the residence of AH Blair (the old Elston Homestead) at 10 o’clock this morning. The services were conducted by Elder Green. -s
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Review 17 May 1884 p 1 c7
Almost every person in Montgomery County knew Frank Elston. He died at Chicago in the peace of Christian faith at 12 o’clock on the night of the 12th inst. His sister and brother, Mrs. Henry S. Lane and Col. IC Elston attended him in his last ours. He was a generous, noble man and unmindful of no one else on earth but himself. Born in the lap of plenty, surrounded by willing and powerful friends and gifted in a high degree for leadership in some popular field, he preferred the quiet path of modest life. He passionately loved the haunts of nature and there he spent his days. Cant and bigotry and all hypocrisy he hated with fanatical intensity. What he was the world knew and it was one of the delights of his life that it should. Like his father before him he was independent; bold and always self-poised. In the midst of a strong family, embedded in the traditions of an inherited religious and political faith, his perfect independence of thought never forsook him. He was a Democrat, because he sympathized with the people. He never got above them in his associations and feelings. Never was he known to turn his back on poverty or fears? The poorest and frailest were the imperial __alty of humanity whose cause most entirely enlisted the allegiance of his heart. The world beheld these peculiarities and marveled. So looked the Pharasees upon the Nazarine as he sat among the lowly, and with the kind hand of frailty wiped the tears from their sad faces. The rich and proud and bigoted saw but little of Christ and that act unworthy of remembrance. The austere creed of self-justification may have deplored the life ways and habits of Frank Elston but that was as far as it could go – beyond is the flowery field of the light, truth, justification and peace where the __ of condemnation are sealed forever. An honest heart, filled with love of humanity cannot perish where perfect justice reigns. Good bye, noble friend; a thousand eyes will moisten tenderly that another manly heart has closed its __ among those for whom it was so often enlisted in the trials temptations and sorrows of an ___ and sorrows of an ___ and feverish humanity. -- kz
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Review 17 May 1884 p2 c3
The funeral of Frank Elston took place Thursday morning at 10 o’clock from the old homestead on East Main Street. Rev. Town of the Methodist Church officiated. The Masonic Order of which the deceased was a member took charge of the remains and escorted them to Oak Hill Cemetery, where they were place in a vault to await the arrival of Mrs. Gen. Wallace, now on her way home from Turkey. - kz