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- OBITUARY: PROMINENT CITIZEN DEAD--Edward Clifford Small Passes to the Great Boyond--Sketch of his Life--At his home No. 349 High street, Salem, June 16, 1895, Edward Clifford Small, aged 49 years and 11 days. Deceased was born in Limington, Maine, June 5, 1846, of hardy New England stock, passing through the customary steps of a good common school education and learning the trade of shoemaker. He never followed the trade, however, but at an early age entered the mercantile business as clerk for a relative of his own name. The Smalls and Boothbys, who were related by numberous intermarriages, made up a large percentage of the population of the neighborhood in which he was raised. In 1873 Mr. Small, in company with B. F. Boothby, a brother of W. F. Boothby, came to Oregon by railroad to San Francisco, ocean steamer to Portland and thence to Salem, arriving here April 2nd, both men having exceedingly light purses but a liberal stock of strong Yankee push and gumption. Mr. Small soon found an engagement as clerk with F. Levy, who kept a general merchandise store on the corner of State and Commercial, where the Red Front drug store now stands, just across the street from the store owned by himself at his death. Six years of faithful service in that capacity found him with sufficient means to join with B. F. McCauley in the purchase of Wm. Armstrong's boot and shoe business, which he later owned entirely and in next two years he spent in the clothing business as salesman for A. B. Crossman and Jos. Meyers and in July 1884 he embarked in the same line for himself, cintinuing therein with marked success to the end. His only respites from labor were taken in 1886 and 1888, when he went back to the scenes of his boyhood and visited an only brother in Biddeford, Maine. Mr. Small remained a bachelor until late in life. On his 43d birthday--June 5, 1880--he was united in marriage with Mrs. Sarah E. Riely, who survives him as a heart-stricken mourner after this short period of a union that was full of happiness. Four weeks ago this morning the Statesman made its first announcement of Mr. Small's serious illness, he having been prostrated the previous day with apoplectic paralysis, which was the culmination of a condition that had appeared nearly a month before. Wife, friends and physicians continued to hope against the unmistakable indications, but the ruthless labors of disease were progressing, mind and body gradually lost their vitality until finally, the dissolution came at 5:15 Sunday afternoon, his exit from these mortal scenes being without struggle or apparent pain. His illness was a great surprise to all, as he had been among the most robust and healthy of men, never ailing or complaining. To his continuous devotion to business, mentally and physically and his lack of outdoor exercise and recreation, can be traced the sudden and unexpected break-down. Clifford Small was a good citizen, a careful, industrious business man, and was thoroughly reliable in his private and public dealings. He was not a man of many words or of noisy demonstration, but he attended to the affairs of life faithfully and well. He was not allied to any church organization or fraternal society, but his life was an upright and clean one in all its relations. In politics, he was a consistent republican, though he was neither an office holder nor an office seeker. He was simply a plain, patriotic citizen. He enjoyed the utmost success in his mercantile career and at the time of his death, carried a large stock of clothing which had been handled by himself and two salesmen--Chas. S. Riely, his stepson, and A. S. Brasfield, husband of his step-daughter. Mr. Small also owned a business lot and brick building on Commercial street. The funeral will take place this (Tuesday) afternoon at 2 o'clock, from the residence on High street near Center, where suitable exercises will be conducted by Rev. A. L. Hutchison, and interment will be in Rural cemetery. Weekly Oregon Statesman 21 June 1895 8:4
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