Maurer, J. D. 1852-1896

MAURER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 2/20/2014 at 17:48:55

Elgin Echo, Thursday, 24 December 1896. From the Elkader Register, undated.

The sudden death of J. D. Maurer at Garnavillo, on Friday, Dec. 11, startled this community and cast a shadow of gloom upon the hearts of his many friends. From the best accounts it appears that he has been for some time in ill health, from nervous prostration and heart trouble, and Friday morning a post office inspector was examining his accounts. A discrepancy of some $244 was said to exist, and this naturally worried Mr. Maurer. He attended to his school, but appeared ill and suffering. At noon not coming home his eldest son went to the school house and found him in his room, unconscious but breathing. Medical attendance was summoned but proved unavailing. Dr. Schmidt who was the attending physician pronounces his death due to paralysis of the heart. It is only justice to the departed and his sorrowing family to say that there is not a particle of evidence of suicide.- Elkader Register.

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Added by Joy Moore 3/15/2021:

Source: Decorah Republican Dec. 24, 1896 P 3 C 1, 2

J. D. Maurer principal of the Garnavillo school, and postmaster, died suddenly on the 11th inst., of heart failure. The visit of a post office in­spector, and finding of a shortage in his accounts, gave rise to a suspicion of suicide; but medical evidence relieved the death of that stigma, and credits it to heart difficulty for which he had been receiving medical aid. Deceased had lived in Clayton County for forty years and had been a school teacher for twenty-six years. Two of his sons are publishers of the Garnavillo Sentinal.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows he was born Sept. 5, 1852 and is buried in the Garnavillo Community Cemetery.