Joe & Carrie Landes and the Iowa Soldiers Home

I have a story to tell about Joe Landes (1841-1927), sheriff of Lucas County 1880-1888, who went far above and beyond the call of duty during 1883 to capture a prisoner who had escaped from the county jail in Chariton during the 1870s. But I'll come back to that story another time.

Instead, I'll introduce Joe today by allowing his obituary from The Herald-Patriot of June 23, 1927, to tell all we need to know about him for the time being --- other than the fact both he and his wife are not buried in Lucas County, where they logically belong, but rather in the cemetery of the Iowa Veterans Home at Marshalltown. And that deserves a little background.

Known originally as the Iowa Soldiers Home, the institution accepted its first residents in 1887, when this building, Old Main (torn down during the 1960s), was completed. Developed as an act of the Iowa Legislature --- encouraged by the Grand Army of the Republic --- the home welcomed at first only honorably discharged Union veterans who had no place else to go. As time passed, spouses and widows of veterans and gold star parents also were accommodated as cottages and other buildings were added to the campus.

The home continues, in 2023, to serve approximately 500 Iowa veterans annually.

Joe and his wife, Carrie M. (Duckworth) Landes, entered the home during April of 1906 after her health failed and their children had scattered. She died there on July 16,  1907, age 65, of complications following a stroke and heart disease and was buried in the Soldiers Home Cemetery.

After that, Joe continued to live at the home, but enjoyed good health and spent extended periods of time with his children. He was staying in Chariton with daughter Rose, married to Dr. Chancey L. Brittell, when he died 20 years later, age 86. His remains then were taken to Marshalltown for burial beside those of Carrie. Curiously, his surname is misspelled "Landis" on his tombstone and the year of death on the tombstone, 1926, is a mistake.

Here is Carrie (Duckworth) Landes' obituary from The Chariton Herald of July 25, 1907:

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From the Marshalltown Times-Republican we take the following mention of the death of Mrs. Joseph R. Landes, who resided in Chariton for many years:

Mrs. Carrie M. Landes, wife of Joseph Landes, a member of the soldier's home, died at the home this morning at 6:30 o'clock, of paralysis and heart failure. Mr. and Mrs. Landes entered the soldier's home from Lucas county last April 16. Besides her husband, the deceased is survived by four children, Mrs. Louise Kelsey, of Lucas county, Charles E. Landes, of Cedar Rapids, Elmer E. Landes, of Kankakee, Ill., and Mrs. Rose Brittell, who was just married, and is now living at Maquoketa.

Carrie M. Duckworth was born at Greencastle, Indiana, in 1841. At the age of ten years she moved with her parents to Lucas county, Iowa, where in 1861 she was united in marriage to Joseph R. Landes. They were the parents of six children, two of whom died in infancy. The greater part of the life of the deceased was spent in this county and for several years Mr. Landes was sheriff of Lucas county. The latter four years were spent in Cedar Rapids. Mrs. Landes was highly regarded by all who knew her and her innumerable friends here will learn of her death with heart-felt sorrow.

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And here is Joe Landes' obituary from The Herald-Patriot of June 23, 1927:

With deep regret we note the passing away of one of Lucas county's pioneer citizens, Mr. Joseph R. Landes, which occured at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C. L. Brittel, on south Eighth street, on Saturday morning, June 18 1927, at the age of 86 years, 3 months and 2 days.

He had been gradually declining in health for some time, and his demise was due to the infirmities of old age. Funeral services, conducted by Rev. Geo. Brown, were held at St. Andrew's Episcopal church on Sunday afternoon at three o'clock, and on Monday morning the remains were taken to Marshalltown and laid to rest by the side of his wife who preceded him in death.

Joseph R. Landes, son of Joseph and Eva Weaver Landes, was born in Circleville, Ohio, on March 16, 1841. At the age of 10 years he came with his parents to Iowa, locating on a farm in Cedar township, where he grew to young manhood. On March 31, 1861. he was united in marriage to Miss Caroline M. Duckworth, who passed away on July 16, 1907. Six children were born to them, two of whom died in infancy. Those surviving are Mrs. Louis C. Kelsey, of Orange, California; Charles E. Landes, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Elmer E. Landes, of Van Buren, Arkansas; Mrs. Rose Pearl Brittell, of Chariton, Iowa. One brother, M. L. Landes, of Model, Colorado is also living.

In the fall of 1861, Mr. Landes enlisted in the Civil War as a member of Company B, 6th Iowa Infantry, and served the entire four years, being the principal musician of the company. At the close of the war, he returned to this county where he resided until death claimed him. He served as sheriff of Lucas county for eight years, from 1880 to 1888. 

Since the death of his faithful companion twenty years ago, he has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. C. L. Brittell, except for short periods spent at the Soldiers Home in Marshalltown. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and a number of his old comrades attended the last sad rites on Sunday afternoon. During his long residence here, Mr. Landes had won many friends by his genial disposition, and by whom he will be greatly missed as well as in the family circle. His passing away will be deplored by all, and the sympathy of the community will be extended to the bereaved ones.

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Here's a story about another Lucas Countyan, Clint Parkhurst, who was laid to rest at the Iowa Soldiers Home after a long and eventful life.