Koster, Heintje 1865 - 1895

KOSTER, KOSTERS

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/9/2021 at 15:18:48

Source: Decorah Republican May 9, 1895 P 8 C 3

CYCLONE IN N. W. IOWA
Upwards of Fifty Killed and Fatally Injured.
The cyclone season has begun early, for Iowa. The first of the year developed last Friday in the northwest corner of the State. It began in the vicinity of Ireton, a station in Sioux County on the Ha ward on branch of the Northwestern railway, and traveled northeast in a line somewhat like an elongated letter S. The worst damage was done in the vicinity of Sioux Center, where there were about a dozen victims killed and a still larger number injured, some of whom must die. All the peculiar effects of a tornado occurred and the stories told by the debris, and by those who escaped, are similar to those always attending these storms. The effects of of {sic}the storm passed away north of Sibley in Osceola County, at a point some forty or more miles north east of the initial point.
One of the worst afflicted families is that of John Koster, whom, we are informed by Mr. P. Lauer, was formerly a resident of Eldorado, just over the line in Fayette County. A copy of the Alton Democrat sent by G. W. Pitts, to A. Bradish, is before us. It tells the story of death to this family. The storm struck what was called, the Bagge school house. It was demolished, the teacher killed, and the Democrat's story says:—
At this school twelve children were dashed into the whirling storm with the fragments of the building. Of those killed and injured was a little child of John Koster, whose leg was broken and the bone stripped of the flesh, was imbedded in the ground. The little sufferer was picked up and taken to shelter, but died a few hours afterwards. Two other children of John Koster’s were severely injured, one fatally.
Of the family of John Koster, residing a mile north, he is the only one uninjured. His wife was blown away with the house and was picked up dead fully a quarter of a mile away. Mrs. Koster was 29 years of age. Mrs. Peter Postman was also in the building and her corpse was picked not far from that of Mrs. Koster. As related above one of Koster’s children died and the other two are close to death’s door. Words cannot describe the feeling of this sturdy Hollander, bereft of wife, friends and property within a few minutes.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows the name as Kosters. Alice was born in 1886 and died May 4, 1895. Her mother Heintje was born in 1865 and died on the same date. They are both buried in Memory Gardens in Sioux Center, Iowa.