Fuerste, Harry (Meyer) 1884-1898

FUERSTE, MEYER, NOLTE, MCERLAIN, DUFFIN, SMART, LUTHER, WESTPHAL, JUNK, SCHOLZ

Posted By: Ken Johnson (email)
Date: 4/23/2005 at 17:21:04

Wednesday, 25 May 1898, Guttenberg Press, p5, c4:

A SAD DROWNING.
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Harry Fuerste Drowned Yesterday About 12:30.
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His Body Recovered at 5:30 p. m.
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During the latter part of the noon hour yesterday, Harry Meyer, better known as Harry Fuerste was drowned.

It appears that by a prearranged plan, Harry and Henry Nolte had made arrangements to go in bathing as soon as they had their dinner. As school dismissed the forenoon session this time of year at 11:30, shortly after 12:00 the boys were on the bank of the river ready for the plunge.

The two boys above named took a boat, pulled across to the island opposite town, put on their bathing suits, and returned to the town side where they went for a swim.

When they were ready to quit Harry made a proposition to his companion that they take the boat out in the channel and take a plunge out of it. The Nolte boy protested, and proposed that they wait until Saturday, when they would take a long rope and anchor the boat, and they could then stay as long as they pleased. Harry still insisted on going at that time, just once, which they finally did. When out from shore about fifty feet, young Nolte, who is an excellent swimmer, dove off one side of the boat, came up and saw Harry go out the other side, as he did so he kicked the boat a considerable distance from where he went in.

Harry was not a very good swimmer, and Henry being at a considerable distance from him, called for help. A stranger thought to be a fisherman, was on the shore near by, could not doubt have saved the boy but thought the boys were fooling. When finally he did realize the situation Harry had gone down for the last time.

The alarm was at once spread, and soon the river was alive with boats and swimmers, armed with every conceivable device, endeavoring to bring the body to the surface and if possible save a life. Finally dynamite was used in the hopes that the body would be raised buy to no purpose. The searchers then began to drag the river and about 5:30 he was found about fifty feet below where he went in and from fifteen or twenty feet from shore.

Coroner Scholz held an inquest which rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts above mentioned. Harry was a class mate of the Nolte boy, both being in the class in the high school that will graduate this year. he was always one of the brightest of his class, was quiet, unassuming, and was always a gentleman. The entire community extends its heartfelt sympathy to the sorrowing mother and other relatives.

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Wednesday, 1 June 1898, Guttenberg Press, p5, c4:

LAID TO REST.
Funeral of Harry Fuerste Largely attended Friends, Scholars and Class Mates Pay their Last Sad Rights to the Deceased.

Thursday, May 26, 1898 occurred the funeral of Harry Fuerste who was drowned on Tuesday, May 24, 1898.

Funeral services were held at the home of Mrs. F. Fuerste and at the cemetery and were attended by the Guttenberg High School of which he was a member, the Grammar department and a large number of relatives and friends. At the house Mr. C. J. Adams [Adam] spoke on the “Uncertainty of Life” and the High School sang the song entitled “We’ll never Say Good Bye in Heaven.”

The funeral procession was then formed and the march to the cemetery taken up. At the cemetery W. H. Scholz made an address and choir consisting of Messrs. McErlain and Duffin and Miss Hattie Smart sang the following songs “Nearer My God to Thee” and “Jesus Lover of My Soul.”

Harry was born in Milwaukee, Wis., May 22, 1884, and was 14 years and 2 days of age at the time of his death. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Meyer but he has always gone by the name of Fuerste. He was a member of the graduating class of the Guttenberg High school and would have graduated on June 23d. He was a bright boy and had the respect of his classmates and very large circle of friends.

The casket was heavily laden with floral decorations bestowed by his classmates, his former teacher J. L. Lawrey, late of Sheffield, Iowa, and his host of friends. The grave was lined with white cloth and evergreen which were donated by the scholars of the High school. The following young gentlemen were pall bearers Henry Nolte, John Luther, Albert Westphal, George Junk, George Scholz, and Irvin Nolte.

May he rest in peace.