Charles Ott 1882-1940

OTT, BECKMAN, WAITE, GARVEY, VOGT

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 2/16/2016 at 18:09:59

Farmer Dies, Road Blocked

Succumbs on Millville Road
Farm While Aid Sought

Charles E. Ott, 58, member of a prominent Dubuque County family, died at his snowbound farm home, about three miles west of the city on the Millville Road, about 1 o'clock Friday morning while Sheriff Leo J. Elsbach was making arrangements to get a physician through the drift-blocked road to the Ott home.

Mr. Ott had been in poor health for some time and recently had suffered an injury while at work on his farm. His death, however, was sudden and an autopsy was to be conducted Friday afternoon by Dr. C.C. Coady, county coroner, to determine the cause of his death.

The body may be viewed at the Strueber Funeral Home after 10 o'clock Saturday morning. The funeral will be held Monday morning from the funeral home to the Holy Ghost Church, where a mass of requiem will be offered at 9 o'clock. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Farmhand Phoned Sheriff

Sheriff Eisbach said that he had received a call about 12:30 o'clock Friday morning from Tony Beckman, employed by Mr. Ott as a farmhand, that his employer was very ill. He told the sheriff that Mr. Ott was apparently very ill, that his body was badly bloated, and that he believed his employer had taken some sort of poison by mistake for medicine. When the farmhand told the sheriff that only one car had managed to get through the snow on the road, and then only after being stuck half a day, the sheriff told the farmhand to call a physician and that the sheriff would go out with other men to help clear the road for the physician.

While the sheriff was making these arrangements he received a second call from the farmhand to the effect that he had been unable to find a physician. The sheriff then started to get a physician, but a few seconds later had another call from the farmhand saying that his employer seemed to be better. "He has quit moaning," the sheriff was told. By this time a neighbor arrived, and he then came to the phone and told the sheriff that Mr. Ott had died.

The family undertaker was then notified and it was necessary for the crew organized by the sheriff to go along to get the undertaker's hearse through the snow drifts. The sheriff was accompanied by Dr. Coady, who previously had been away from his home on another call.

Brothers and Sisters Survive

Mr. Ott was born in Dubuque 58 years ago, a son of the late Joseph and Anna Ott, pioneer Dubuquers. He lived all of his life in this community. He was a Catholic and an attendant at the Holy Ghost Church.

Surviving are his brothers, William Ott, Dubuque and Frank Ott, Santa Monica, Calif.; and his sisters, Mrs. Lester (Kate) Waite, and Mrs. Anna Garvey, both of Chicago, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his wife, the former Mary Vogt, who died Feb. 11, 1937, and his brothers Lawrence and Joseph Ott.