Vail, John Thomas

Passed: 1944-06-15

Age: 91

Source: Mountaineer

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1944-06-30

Information: FORMER RESIDENT DIES IN CALIFORNIA - John Thomas Vail died at his home at Pomona, California, June 15.  Burial was made in his home city.  This information was sent this week to a nephew, Joe B. Vail, Ripley.  Mr. Vail is survived by a son, Howard Vail, Kansas, and a daughter, Ellen, who never married and kept the home for her aged father and mother for a number of years.  Mrs. Vail died two years ago.  John Vail was 91 years old.  Mr. Vail was born and lived the early part of his life in Ripley.  He was married here and both children were born at Ripley.  Mr. Vail was one of the well known and much respected citizens of Ripley and it is known that he enjoyed the respect of a wide acquaintance in his California city.  The Ripley Hardware building and the building occupied by the Hockenberry Grocery store and their offices were built by Mr. Vail.  This possibly is the largest building in Ripley and was built years ago when the town was much smaller than it is now.  Mr. Vail pioneered in community pride and improvement.  When he left Ripley he went to St. Joseph MO, and then to his present home in California, but never losing sight of the idea of being a home town booster.  He was a brother of the late J. R. Vail.