John R. Bather

As printed in 1911

JOHN R. BATHER.

Among the well remembered and highly respected citizens of Clinton, Iowa, who deserve conspicuous mention in a work of this nature was the late John R. Bather, well known for many years as a popular florist and a man of high characteristics, a man who won the confidence and friendship of his fellow men because he was scrupulously honest, obliging and courteous in all his relations with them.

Mr. Bather was born at Alanchester, England, on November 7, 1828, and there he spent his youth and received a good education. He was the son of Thomas and Agnes (Killett) Bather, a couple of many praiseworthy characteristics, who spent their early life in England, emigrating to America in 1848 and settled in Albany, New York, and they soon had a very comfortable home established in this country. Thomas Bather's death occurred at the

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

John R. Bather was a young man when he came to America and here he became well established in business early in life. He came to Clinton, Iowa, in 1859 and engaged in business as a florist with his brother, Andrew. They soon had an extensive trade, which continued to increase and which was carried on most successfully for a period of thirty years, during which time the subject became known as one of the leading florists of eastern Iowa, being profoundly Aersed in all branches of floriculture and maintaining a large, well equipijed and popular greenhouse. After these brothers had carried on their business thirty-years, they dissolved partnership and divided the property. The subject accumulated a competency by his thrift and good management and had a very comfortable home in Clinton.

John R. Bather was first married in England to Mary Moody, who died on the ocean while emigrating to this country, and he was later married to Jane Maria Sipperly, a native of Troy, New York, whose death occurred on November 7, 1896. at the age of fifty-four years, having survived her husband, the subject, three years, he having been called to his reward on November 15. 1803. This worthy couple were the parents of twelve children, namely: Frank, deceased; Agnes, deceased wife of William Norman; Jessie: Mary, wife of N. Underwood; Fred, married B Labour, of Des Moines;

Walter, deceased; Ernest was born April 10. 1871, in Clinton. Iowa, and received a good common school education and he has beem a florist all his life, having assisted his father from the time he was a small boy. On August 24, iqio, he was married to Mary Christian, a full sketch of her father appearing elsewhere in this work; Ruth Bather, deceased; Arthur Bather, who is engaged as a florist also in Clinton, was born September 16, 1876. in this city, and here he received a good common school education and. like his brother, has devoted his life to floriculture, taking up the work of their worth father in this line of endeavor, and the grounds which the_\- occupy cover three acres; they make a specialty of cut flowers, plants, and funeral wreaths, always enjoying an extensive trade. He was married on June 23, 1908, to Glenn Crapser, of Clinton; Roy Bather, w ho married Gertrude Taylor, is a machinist; Carrie, deceased; Fannie is the wife of F. Dowhower.

Upon the death of the father, Jessie Bather, his daughter, mentioned above, succeeded to the business and has been conducting the same with rare tact and business ability, building it up to extensive proportions and increasing to a great degree the already firmly established standing of the firm.

As printed in Wolfe's history of Clinton County, Iowa (1911). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.