In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882. Together with biographical sketches .. (1883)
BENJAMIN BLOOM, son of the Hon. M. Bloom, of Iowa City; died at Las Vegas, New Mexico, June 21, 1882, aged twenty-one years. The rapid development of pulmonary disease admonished the thoughtful father of the deceased to seek for him a more clement climate. He visited Los Angeles, California, in company with his father, where some encouraging improvement was apparent and the hope was felt that a complete cure might be wrought. The malady, however, was more deeply seated than its short duration appeared to warrant and suddenly the slowly gathered strength declined and his father hastened to his side. The journey homeward was taken by easy stages and at Las Vegas hot springs, a spot on which nature has lavished her beauties, the boy passed into a sleep that ushered the rest eternal, with his father by his dying bedside, in a strange land. His ashes were taken to Cincinnati, Ohio, and put to rest in God's acre on lovely Walnut Hill. The broken circle may well sorrow, but not without hope, for the inspiration of the life so early ended is not lost and the bright memory that garlands it is more than a lint of sunshine and of comfort.
As printed in History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882. Together with biographical sketches .. (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.