Martin William "Will" Anderson 1885-1912

ANDERSON, LUDWICKSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 2/16/2014 at 13:48:35

Meets Tragic Death
William Anderson Rum Off Grade Near Fourth Street Bridge
Wagon Fell Across His Chest
Was Enroute Home With Blind Team – Grade Narrow and Slippery from Recent Rains.
Martin William Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Anderson, was accidently killed Saturday [April 13, 1912] night by his wagon running off the grade just west of the Fourth street bridge, the wagon falling on his chest, killing him almost instantly. Mr. Anderson came to town alone Saturday with some grain, and had a double wagon box on the trucks and the seat on top of the box. He had left for home about 9 o’clock and went west across the Fourth street bridge as was his custom in going to his farm northwest of town. One of his horses was totally blind, and the other was blind in one eye. When about three rods from the west end of the bridge the team somehow got too close to the edge of the grade and as the road was muddy and slippery, the team and lumber wagon shot off the grade and landed bottom side up near the edge of the grade. Mr. Anderson was thrown under the box and when the wagon came over it landed full force on his chest. No one being with him at the time it is impossible to tell how long he lived, but the attending doctors said he could not have lived more than 20 minutes. About 10:30, as John Coffee was going home over the same bridge and road, he noticed the team and wagon down the grade with Mr. Anderson under the box. It was impossible for him to lift the box off that he might release the young Anderson, so he came back to town and got Marshall J.S. Mitchell and others who removed Mr. Anderson from under the box. But they found he had been dead for some time. With the consent of the coroner he was brought to the Mahlum furniture store. It is difficult to account fully for the accident. The horse that was only partially blind was in the habit of shying at times and it is thought that in shying at some object in the road he got too close to the grade and the accident resulted. Whatever the cause of this serious accident which removes from life this young farmer, young husband and young father, the fact is apparent to all who have driven along this grade that it is a dangerous place.

Funeral services were held from the home of Ole Anderson at one o’clock and from the Norwegian Lutheran church at two o’clock yesterday. Burial was made in Oak Hill cemetery. [Norwegian cemetery per cemetery records.]

William was 27 years of age when death claimed him. He was born and raised in this county. Mr. Anderson was a hard working young farmer and was just getting a nice start in life when the end came. He leaves a wife, three children, father, mother, three sisters and five brothers to mourn his untimely death.

The Enterprise joins in sympathy. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, April 17, 1912)

W.M. Anderson Killed
In Accident Near Fifth Street Bridge Saturday Night
Was On His Way Hoome
Drove to Side of Road and Wagon Turned Over and Down Ten Foot Embankment
Will M. Anderson, a young farmer residing west of Emmet bridge, was killed near the Fifth street bridge about 9:30 Saturday night by the overturning of his wagon and going down a ten foot embankment at the west end of the bridge. When found by John Coffee a little after ten o’clock, he was under the wagon crushed to death. The team was still hitched to the wagon and were standing quietly when Mr. Coffee discovered them. The fact that both horses were blind accounts for this. Mr. Anderson came to town late in the afternoon and it was after nine o’clock when he started for home. It was a very dark night and the horses being blind made it difficult for him to keep them in the road. He crossed the Fifth street bridge and had proceeded on the grade some thirty rods. About twenty rods beyond where the grade is fenced the accident occurred. When Mr. Coffee discovered there had been an accident he got out of his buggy and tried to turn the wagon over but could not. He hastened back to town and secured assistance. He could not tell whether Mr. Anderson was dead of not when he first discovered him. The wagon was soon righted when additional help arrived and it was found that no parts were broken and the body of Mr. Anderson was placed in his own wagon and drawn by his own team, that he had driven just a short time before, and brought back to town and taken to the Mahlum undertaking rooms where Coroner Wilson held the inquest and the verdict was that he had met his death a stated above.

There is no one to tell the story of the accident but the wheel tracks of the wagon the following morning show that he came very near going off on the east side of the bridge. Where the accident took place the track showed that he left the road and drove almost straight down the embankment.

William Anderson was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Anderson and was born and raised in Emmet township, this county. He was married five years ago to Miss Olga Ludwickson and for the past three years has resided on the Solberg farm northwest of Emmet bridge. Besides the wife and children, his father and mother, three sisters and five brothers are left to mourn his sudden death. He was twenty-eight years of age.

Funeral services were held this afternoon at two o’clock in the Norwegian Lutheran church and the remains interred in the cemetery north of town. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, April 17, 1912)

William Anderson Accidentally Killed
Wagon Overturned While Passing Over West Grade to Fifth Street Bridge
Death Was Instantaneous
Struck Over Heart By Wagon Box – Was On His Way Home From Estherville Saturday Night
William Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Anderson of this city, met with a fatal accident at the west end of the Fifth street wagon bridge Saturday night by the overturning of his wagon at the foot of a high embankment or approach to the bridge.

Mr. Anderson, who lives about eight miles northwest of Estherville, started for home about 9:15 driving a team of horses that were blind. It was quite noticeable by the tracks made by the wagon that the “off” horse had crowded its mate towards the railing and continued to do so up to the point where the accident occurred a few rods beyond the guards. About ten o’clock John Coffee, in driving over the same route, discovered the team at the foot of the grade and upon investigation found the unfortunate man under the wagon apparently dead. Mr. Coffee returned to the city for help and soon had the body removed to the Mahlum undertaking rooms.

William Anderson was born in this county twenty-eight years ago, was married and the father of two children. He leaves a wife and two children, father and mother, five brothers to mourn his sudden death.

The funeral services were held yesterday afternoon from the Norwegian Lutheran church and the burial took place in the cemetery north of the city. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, April 17, 1912)