SABULA, IOWA PAPER
DEC. 1899
Avery A. Schramling
A letter received by L. H. Steen from Garber, Oklahoma conveys the sad news of the death A. A. Schramling, which occurred at the home of his son, D. J. Schramling, near Garber, on the 21st inst. The letter says: "The last two years of his life has been one constant misery and worry, being of such an active disposition it was impossible for him to give up and be contented. His children have been kind and attentive to him. He passed the time with the two oldest boys, William, in Washington Co., Kan., D. J., near Garber. P. H. lives near Woodward, Oak.; E. H. lives in Hayleyville, Ia.; Mrs. Joy, the eldest daughter, lives at Villisca, Ia., and Mrs. Traver, the youngest daughter, near Lakeside, Neb. They all visited with him during the past summer. The cause of his death was old age and heart failure. He passed away peacefully and the remains were taken to Ida Grove, Ia., for interment by the side of the beloved who passed to the Beyond in 1899."
Avery A. Schramling was one of the early pioneers of Sabula and made his home here for many years. His cheerful, sunny disposition made him a general favorite during those days of pioneer hardships and there are a few old settlers in Jackson county who will not readily recall "Ave" Schramling with kind memories.
Deceased was a brother of Frederick Schramling, one of the well known pioneers of this locality passed away a number of years ago, and a brother-in-law of Jos. McElroy who was one of the few Sabula pioneers still living. He was born in Otsego county, N.Y., in 1819 and came to Sabula in 1839 or 1840. Mr. Schramling appeared to have the surviving instinct of the typical pioneer and was never more at home than when roving about the track__ west in his old "prairie schooner." In 1849 he, in company with J. McElroy, M. McMullen, and his brothers Dave and John Schramling. They drove through California, they numbered among the '49ers early? pioneer gold miners. Messrs. McElroy and the subject of this which? returned to their Iowa home in the fall of 1852, but in 1859 they again set forth to take a hand in the gold diggings at Pike's Peak. Returning miners discouraged them, however and they returned to Sabula without reaching the mines.
In 1861 another Sabula party consisting of Messrs. Fred and Ave Schramling, Dr. Seymour Day, Geo. Farquhar , A. C. Ferguson, John Hayes, S. L. Watts, Dolph Smith, John? Hess and others, started for the mines in Montana, where most of the party remained nearly two years, but in a few days after reaching that country Messrs. Schrambling and Farquhar started up into the British possessions and competed a 2,200 mile drive before returning to their companions.
Mr. Schramling's death makes another break in the rapidly thinning ranks of Sabula's pioneers, and his children will have the earnest sympathy of his old time friends and acquaintances.
Appleton Avery was my 1st cousin, 5 times removed.
I found the obituary at the DAR Headquarters in Washington, DC (in the file of his niece's application paper).