John Daniel Eustice: Farmer, store keeper, policeman, drayman, bartender
John Daniel Eustice, son of John and
Ann (Jewison) Eustice, was born October 1, 1869 near Janesville, Waseca County,
Minnesota. The elder John Eustice/Eustace was born at Ballymahon, County
Longford, Ireland in 1883 and came to America in 1850. Ann Jewison was a native
of Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire and came to America with her parents
Christopher and Mary (White) Jewison in 1848.
John Daniel Eustice attended rural
schools in Janesville Township. On April 13, 1898 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church
in Janesville, he married Florence Mae Sill, daughter of David Sill and Sarah
Cowles of Iosco Township, Waseca County.
John Eustice farmed following his marriage northwest of Janesville on property
then known as the “Thomas Savage place,” In 1907, he and Florence moved to
Janesville where he operated a general merchandise store from 1907 until 1916.
He purchased the original store which was located at the site of the present
post office from the Tomlin family. Later he entered a partnership with his
brother George and moved the store to the “Chandler Building” which was located
at the site occupied by the Shell Oil station in 1968. The library and telephone
office were on the second floor of the Chandler Building.
John Eustice served as a Janesville
policeman from 1917 until 1919 and then began working with a local freight line
as a drayman. For many years, he delivered baggage and packages from the
railroad station to local businesses and residents. For many years, during the
harvest season, John Eustice and his brother George operated a threshing rig.
In later life, John Eustice tended bar at the Eugene “Schueb” Volz Bar in
downtown Janesville until 1952. He was a lifelong member of St. Ann’s Catholic
Church in Janesville.
John Daniel Eustice died March 10,
1963 at the home of his son, Ransom “Rannie” in Farmington, Michigan. Funeral
services were held at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Janesville with John’s
grandson Father William Glynn celebrating the funeral Mass. Pallbearers were
Henry Eustice, William Eustice, Raymond Eustice, Joseph Eustice, Thomas Glynn
and Lawrence Robran.
John and Florence (Sill) Eustice were
the parents of four children;
1. Grace Pearl Eustice, born January 12, 1899, Janesville Township; died April
22, 1976, Janesville, MN. Grace Eustice married Louis Pagel in Janesville. They
were the parents of four daughters
2. J. Ransom Eustice, was born September 1, 1904 in Janesville, MN and died
August 15, 1976 in Phoenix, AZ. He is buried at Mesa City Cemetery, Mesa, AZ.
Ransom married Mildred Holstein on November 3, 1927 at Detroit, Michigan. They
were the parents of three sons.
3. Olive Eustice, born December 10, 1902; died April 7, 1942, Janesville, MN.
She married Willard Glynn on June 13,1928 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in
Janesville, MN. They were the parents of eight children; four daughters and four
sons.
4. David Eustice, born May 29,1916; died by drowning on November 6,1938 at
Johannesburg, Michigan. He is buried in St. Ann’s Cemetery, Janesville, MN.