William Armstrong, an old settler and highly respected citizen, died at his home in the town of Willow Springs Tuesday evening, aged 71 years. His death was due to chest ailments and old age.
Iowa County Democrat 21 Mar 1907

As the stately monarchs of the forest are leveled by the axe of the woodman, so do the sturdy pioneers of this county fall one by one before the scythe of the restless reaper. As each one is borne away from the field in which he performed an important part, none called forth more sorrow and regret than that of William Armstrong who died at his home in Willow Springs, Tuesday, March 12, 1907, after an illness of six days.
William Armstrong had been a resident of this county for over thirty years and little need be said here in eulogy of his character; his reputation was beyond reproach and it is only necessary to remember him as he was known in life; good, kind, clean hearted and honest. He received the last rites of the Catholic church when it was seen that he was in a great struggle with death with odds in favor of the grim destroyer. He leaves to mourn his loss a wife and ten children, all of whom were at his bedside at the time of his death.
One of the largest funerals was that which attended the observance of the last sad rites to the memory of William Armstrong. The remains arrived at the church of the Holy Rosary at 10:30 o'clock where a requiem high Mass was celebrated by Rev. Father Tuller. The remains were taken to the Catholic cemetery to their final resting place, the following Catholic Knights, of which order he was a member, acted as pall bearers: James McDermott, John Swift, Will Collins, Joseph McCarville, Frank Moran, Henry Keough.
The Republican Journal 21 Mar 1907