TAMPICO TORNADO
Jan. 3, 1903
(Listed in the "gossip column" or "local News" - no obituary section)
E. A.EMMONS attended the funeral of his uncle, A. F. R. EMMONS, in Rock Falls Monday. The deceased died last Saturday at the age of eighty-seven, and was one of the pioneers of Whiteside county.

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STERLING EVENING GAZETTE
December 27, 1902

A.F.R. EMMONS PASSES AWAY

Venerable Citizen of Rock Falls Dies of Old Age This Morning

A. F. R. EMMONS of Rock Falls died at 12:30 o'clock today of old age, he being eighty-seven years of age. The funeral will be held Monday afternoon at 1 o'clock at the home of his son-in-law S. M. MINGLE. The Rev. DINGLE of the Rock Falls Methodist church will officiate. Interment will be in the Rock Falls cemetery. A complete obituary will be published later.

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STERLING EVENING GAZETTE

REAPER'S GRIM SWATH

Death Brings Peace to Three Aged People Highly Respected inthe Communty

ALL WERE EARLY SETTLERS HERE

A. F. R. Emmons, Mrs. Sarah Worthington and Leonard H.Woodworth Enter the Silent Realm After Long and Useful Lives

(first page of article tells about Mrs. Sarah Worthington and Leonard H. Woodworth) . . .

A. F. R. EMMONS

The funeral services over the remains of the venerable Asa F. R. EMMONS of Rock Falls were held this afternoon at 12 o'clock at the home of Mr. and  Mrs. S. M MINGLE. Rev. J. N. DINGLE of the Methodist church officiating. The interment was made in the I. O. O. F. cemetery. The attendance at the funeral was very large, a large number of friends and relatives having gathered to pay their last sad tribute to the one they had learned to love and respect. The floral tributes were becoming and beautiful.

A. R. EMMONS was a pioneer settler of Whiteside county, and saw western Illinois grow from the wild prairies to one of the most important sections in the country. He was born eighty-seven years ago in Kingston, Canada, and his early boyhood and manhood was spent in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York City.

In 1839 he came west and located in Sterling, and in 1840 he took up a claim in Coloma township, where he has since resided. Mr. EMMONS was a carpetner by trade, which vocation he followed until he became too feeble to follow it, and retired from active life. He was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Ann BARTLETT December 25, 1835, in Pennsylvania and she passed away July 21, 1842. He was again married to Nancy A. BOOTH January 31, 1843; to this union twelve children were born, two of whom survive, they being Mrs. Harriet MACK of Sterling and Mrs. Ida HEWETT of Rock Falls. He also leaves his aged wife; with whom he walked through the journey of life for over fifty-nine years. He also leaves two brothers : L. EMMONS, Sr. of this city and A. V. EMMONS of Garden Plain.

Mr. EMMONS took an active part in the early politics of both cities, and was one of the first members of the town board of Sterling township. Mr. Emmons was of a generous disposition, and always strove to make others happy and pleasant even to the discomfort of his surroundings. He was an ardent member of the Methodist church, and a believer of the principles of the Republican party.

The following relatives acted  as the pallbearers, and carried the remains to their last resting place: L. L. EMMONS, Jr., M. N. WARD, Herman STERLING, S. EMMONS of Amboy, E. A. EMMONS of Tampico.