Chris T. Flathers

Odebolt, Io., Dec. 27. – Chris T. Flathers accidentally shot himself at 10:15 this morning while cleaning a gun. The charge entered the body slightly below the heart and he died instantly. He had been a resident of Odebolt for many years and was a member of the A.F. and A.M., I.O.O.F., and M.W.A. fraternities. He leaves a wife but no children. He had been constable for six years.

Sioux City Journal (28 Dec. 1898) transcribed by FoFG MZ

Archie Gerry

Archie Gerry lost his life shortly before noon last Tuesday in a well he was digging on the farm of Mrs. B. F. Leavens two miles west of the city, within a few rods of the well in which Nelson Spicer was killed eighteen years ago.

Mr. Gerry’s death was due primarily to the presence of gas in the well. Assisted by George Brunson, he had bored the well, most of the distance with a two-foot auger, to the depth of 71 feet and struck water Monday evening. During the night the well caved in and was filled with dirt to a depth of four or five feet, and it was decided to put in a tile curbing to prevent further caving. Five tile had been put in successfully but the sixth failed to adjust properly when it was let down and Mr. Gerry decided to slide down the cable and adjust it. He had been warned frequently and from his own experience knew the danger of attempting to enter any well in that locality without testing it for the presence of gas. Consequently he made frequent tests, but although George Pierce, who resides on the Leavens farm and chanced to be near the well at the time, suggested letting down a lantern, Mr. Gerry did not think it necessary, being confident that nothing had happened since the test of the day before to cause the rise of gas. When he had gone down about fifteen feet, one of the men spoke to him but received no reply, and looking in to the well they saw he had fallen a distance of about 20 feet to the tile, which had not been loosened from the cable. The men promptly hoisted the tile with Mr. Gerry upon it. Fearing that he was likely to fall back they were delayed a few minutes within eight or ten feet of the top, but had him out of the well within three or four minutes from the time he fell. He gasped once after removal from the well and the men tried to resuscitate him. Meanwhile Mrs. Pierce telephoned to Dr. Townsend, who arrived within ten minutes, but he found Mr. Gerry dead, his neck having been broken, though it is not unlikely that the gas alone would have proved fatal.

- The Funeral -

Mr. Gerry’s funeral was held this afternoon at half-past two in the Christian church and interment was made in Oakland cemetery, the Rev. J. Irving Brown conducting the services. The decedent’s brothers, Joshua W. and Thomas J. Gerry of Sioux Falls, S. Dak., came to attend the funeral.

- Was Born in Sac City -

Charles Archie Gerry was born in Sac City on March 4, 1877, and resided in this city until the time of his death. On May 25, 1898, he was married to Miss Lila Smith and to them were born three children, of whom two are living, namely: Glenn, aged 13 years and Cecil, aged 8 years. Besides his wife and children, Mr. Gerry is survived by his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Gerry, and his brothers, Joshua W. and Thomas J., of Sioux Falls, S. Dak., and his sister, Mrs. Ann Dunkle, and his brothers James Edward and William Shelton, of Watcom, Wash. Mr. Gerry was a member of the Christian church and of the local camp of the Modern Woodmen of America. He was an industrious and respected citizen, and his sudden and untimely death is lamented by all in the community.

- Two Similar Accidents -

Twenty-nine years ago Martin Murray was killed in a well on a farm one-half mile northeast of the Leavens place, which was then owned by John Goodell. Mr. Miller had finished digging the well and was walling it when he left it to go to dinner. The air was good and he suspected nothing wrong when he returned to work after dinner, but in descending he had not reached the wall when he was suffocated by gas and fell into the well. As was before mentioned, Nelson Spicer was killed on the Leavens place in May, 1894. He was working with Archie Gerry’s brother Joshua, who was then in the well-digging business. The auger had struck a rock and Mr. Gerry had gone down and removed it, but when attempt was made to resume digging, it was found that there was still another rock interfering with the auger. That time Mr. Spicer proposed that he go. When he had been lowered part way, Mr. Gerry, who was looking into the well, saw that something was wrong and called to him, but received no answer, immediately began to hoist the rope with which he was letting Mr. Spicer down, but the unfortunate man was already overcome with gas and fell to the bottom of a 65-foot well, from which his body was recovered shortly after-ward.

Sac Sun, July 25, 1912, contributed by Daniel Marr

Joshua W. Gerry

Joshua W. Gerry Settled at Cory Grove 52 Years Ago.

After a serious (..?..) few days Joshua Washington Gerry passed away Oct 22 at his home in Sac City at the age of 76 years and 8 months. Mr. Gerry was the son of Thomas H and Elizabeth Gerry and was born in Honesdale PA on Feb 22 1858 coming to Sac county when six years of age.

On Dec 13, 1881, he was united in marriage to Margaret Ellen Spicer of Highland Wis. They settled on a farm in Cory Grove. In 1890 they moved into town where Mr. Gerry engaged in well digging for several years. Later he was street commissioner and helped build the first roads. In 1906 he moved with his family to a farm at Rothsay, Minn. In 1910 they moved to a farm at Sioux Falls S. Dak. Later moving to a farm at Willmar Minn. In the fall of 1918 leaving the farm in charge of their son they moved back to Sac City where he and his wife have since resided at their home at 1410 W Early Street.

He leaves to mourn his passing his wife and the following children: Mrs P??? Paulson and Mrs. B??? ??? of Minneapolis, (..?..) .

Funeral Services were held at the Neal Funeral Home on Wednesday Oct 24. At 2 o’clock with the Rev Corwin Taylor officiating and Mrs P.A. Lauterbach and Mrs. G.A. Hanshaw sang to duets “Neaerer My God to Thee” and “???? of Ages.” Burial was made in the Oakland cemetery with the F.O.O.E members in charge. Relatives present at the funeral from out of town besides the children mentioned were a brother, T. J. Gerry and three sons of Sioux Falls; Mr. and Mrs. Will A???ell, Mrs So?th and Mrs. Gene Wilson of Storm Lake. Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Gerry of Odebolt.

- Card of Thanks -

We wish to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the neighbors and friends and also ???? Odd Fellow and Rebekah ???? for the kind acts of sympathy and for the beautiful floral ???ings at the time of the death of our husband and father. – Mrs J. W. Gerry and family.

[Note: This obituary is copied from an image made from a Microfilm copy of the original paper. The Sac Sun does not allow the use of their original papers, so this is the best I can get. There are several portions of this obituary that are entirely unreadable, and in those instances I’ve added (..?..) to indicate that a section was illegible or ??? to indicate just a few letters are illegible. ]

The Sac Sun, Sac City, IA, November 1, 1934. Contributed by Daniel Marr

Thomas H. Gerry

At his home in Coon Valley township, Thursday, October 31, 1889, of brain disease, Thomas H. Gerry, aged 58 years 7 months and 10 days.

The deceased was born in England. He came to New York City, thence to Honesdale, PA., where he lived several years. He moved to Wis., afterward to Cedar Rapids in this state, and in 1865 to Sac County, where he has since resided, except that in 1888 he spent a while on the Pacific coast. Mr. Gerry was a man of good disposition, a kind neighbor and good citizen. He leaves a wife and six children, all grown, and will be very much missed by all who knew him.

The Sac Sun, Sac City, IA, November 4, 1889. Contributed by Daniel Marr

Donald R. Highland

Donald R. Highland entered into rest April 5, 1997, in Minneapolis, MN. Memorial services will be held Monday, April 14, at United Methodist Church in Sac City, IA. Interment will be in Oakland Cemetery, Sac City. Memorials can be sent to Myositis Assn. of America, 1420 Huron Court, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. Don was born to Clyde and Ethel Highland on January 29, 1923. He grew up and attended school in Sac City, then served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He had five children with Vel Stephens and he was also united in marriage to Shirley Head of Lee's Summit. He worked for Midwest Leather and Konomis Distributing of Kansas City. Don was diagnosed with a rare muscle disease, Inclusion Body Myositis, in 1985 and he retired in 1991 due to poor health.

Along with his first wife, Vel Carroll, of Rochester, MN, Don is survived by Shirley Highland, of Lee's Summit; children, Gary, Diane, Donna, Scot and Kevin; siblings, Maurine, Norman, and Dorothy; and grandchildren, Cory, Daniel and Adrianna. He was preceded in death by his parents.

(Arrangements: Hansen's Funeral Home, Sandstone, MN)

Kansas City Star, The (MO) - April 13, 1997, contributed by A. Newell

Irene H. Lowry

Irene H. Lowry, 81, Blue Springs, MO, died Wednesday, September 9, 1998, at the Medical Center of Independence. Funeral services will be 12 noon Saturday, September 12, at Webb-Freer Funeral Home, Blue Springs; graveside services will 10 a.m. Monday, September 14, at the Sac City Cemetery, Sac City, IA. Friends may call 11 a.m.-12 noon Saturday at the funeral home.

(Arrangements: Webb-Freer Funeral Home, Blue Springs, MO)

Kansas City Star, The (MO) - September 11, 1998, contributed by A. Newell

Mrs. Mary Mill

Schaller, Iowa, correspondence in the Sac City, Iowa, Sun.: Mrs. W. E. Mill, who has been ill with cancer for a long time, died at her home Friday afternoon (Jan. 17).

Funeral services were conducted at the Christian church Sunday morning by the pastor, Rev. W. H. Pence, and interment was made at Odebolt.

Mrs. Mill was one of the first inhabitants of the town.

Besides her husband, she leaves two daughters, one in Canada, and Zoe, of this place, and one son, Elmer, who clerks in a drug store at Correctionville, and also a step son, Bert P., of Idaho Falls, Idaho, who was editor of the first newspaper in Schaller.

Only those who have lost a wife or mother can know the sorrow and heartaches the husband and children are experiencing since the dear one has left them, for truly the mother is the center of the home and home life.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The mother of the writer died when he was but a child. His early recollections of her are like a pleasant dream. She was a strong, educated, capable and loving woman, working in adverse circumstances for which neither she nor her husband were to blame to give her children all possible advantages, and teaching, them the good and honorable things of life. But while the writer was too young to appreciate this, disease laid its deadly hand on her and for months he was her almost constant companion and nurse, until death came, the family was broken up, and he lived here, there, anywhere, anyhow, almost, for several years. Then his father erected a new home with the subject of the above notice. No actual mother could have been more interested in and solicitous for her own children than was our new mother for us. None could have given us more unselfish care. The regret is, that in our youthful ignorance we did not appreciate it.

And when she was blessed with children of her own, her heart just expanded and was large enough for us all. Though the writer and his brothers were then from home most of the time, there was always a hearty and unfeigned welcome for us there; always encouragement; always a belief in our ability.

When the writer was grown to manhood, and a shadowing sorrow hovered for years before falling, there was a welcome and sympathy and aid in that home now less freely offered and bestowed by the foster mother than by the father.

And we think, if that mother who was called from us so early has known of the loving care and kindness shown her children, she has now welcomed the spirit of Mrs. Mary Mill in that unknown land with open arms and heart as the one who, with love and patience and a great faith, and to the best of her ability, fulfilled the duty of wife and mother to those from whom she had been called. (B. P. M.)

[Idaho Falls Times, Idaho Falls, Idaho, Published January 28, 1908, submitted by cd=fofg]

D. B. Nelson

Sac City, Oct. 19. – D. B. Nelson, an old settler in Sac county, a veteran of the late war, and a well respected citizen, died at his home northwest of Sac City Sunday afternoon quite suddenly. While reclining on a sofa reading a newspaper he expired without warning. He was troubled with heart disease. He was 69 years old. The funeral occurs tomorrow, the G.A.R. post assisting in the services.

Sioux City Journal (20 Oct. 1896) transcribed by FoFG MZ

Mrs. Nellie Olson

Sudden Death of Mrs. Olson

Died, at her home in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on Monday, December 9, 1907, of heart failure, at the age of 47, Mrs. Nellie Olson.

Mrs. Olson had been sick with la grippe and was supposed to be getting better, but complications set in and she died very suddenly at 11:40 in the forenoon.

Mrs. Olson moved here about six years ago with her husband and the two children. Her husband died about two years ago. She was a woman of thrift and considerable business ability. She was a teacher in the city schools at the time of her death. The schools adjourned on Monday forenoon.

Mrs. Olsen left a son, DeWitt, and a daughter, Eythel, besides a host of friends, to mourn her sudden departure. Mayor D. G. Platt was a brother of the deceased.

Short funeral services were held at the house and the body was sent to Sac City, Iowa, where it will be buried beside that of her husband. DeWitt Olson and DeWitt Peck accompanied it on its journey. They will be met by Miss Eythel, who is now at Ames, Iowa, attending the college there, at the old home in Sac City.

Rev. Jones of the Presbyterian church presided at the short service at the home and announced that at some evening in the future he would hold memorial services at the church.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We, relatives and friends of Mrs. Nellie Olson, desire to extend to those who aided us in our hour of bereavement, our heartfelt thanks.

DeWitt Olson.
D. G. Platt, and family.
DeWitt Peck.

[Idaho Falls Times, Idaho Falls, Idaho, Published December 12, 1907, submitted by cd=fofg]