Peter House (1835-1902)

HOUSE, RINGLEP

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/23/2012 at 12:59:20

Jackson Sentinel, July 17, 1902

KILLED BY LIGHTNING

Peter House, a well-to-do and prominent farmer, was instantly killed by lightning at 5:30 a.m., this Wednesday morning. Mr. House resided a few miles east of Maquoketa and was the brother of Judge A. J. House of this city. He was engaged in getting his cows into the large barn under shelter from the impending storm. He had nearly completed his task and had got them into their stalls and chained with the exception of one when a bolt of lightning struck the cupola upon the barn, followed the ladders down to the hay mow floor, broke a joist and then struck Mr. House and a cow upon either side of him. His son, Alvin, realizing that lightning had struck close by immediately went to the barn, where he found his father lying prostrate upon the floor. Thinking him only stunned Alvin ran to Will Patterson's, a near neighbor for help. In the meantime, Mrs. House and her daughter, Olive, dragged the body out of the barn into the rain believing it might revive him if there was any life left. But the powerful electric current had its work and no human aid or skill could restore him to his grief stricken family. Undertaker Glaser informs us that in laying the body out the only marks discovered were upon his leg which he thinks were made when the body was dragged out of the barn. The crown of the straw hat was torn and Mr. Glaser's opinion is that the fatal effects of the bolt was received upon the head. The cows were evidently killed instantly for one dropped upon his stomach and the other upon its side, no evidence of life being present in either when Alvin came into the barn.

Mr. House was an industrious, temperate man, who through frugality had accumulated a good farm and a fair portion of this world's goods. He was beloved by his family and neighbors and will be greatly missed. He was born in Canada in 1835 and came to the United States previous to the Civil War, in which he enlisted and honorably served to the close on the federal side. He was 66 years of age and in good health. This is the third time that death has cast its sad shadow over this household in the past year. Six months ago Fred, a young man aged 19, died suddenly of pneumonia, and a year ago, August 2nd, Bert H., aged 22, was killed by the cars at Pueblo, Colorado. There are left to mourn these awful afflictions, the wife and mother, sons, Ira and Alvin and two daughters, Miss Olive and Mrs. Myra Ringlep.

It is now the intention to hold the funeral at the home on Friday, July 18th at 10:00 a.m., unless a sister of deceased who resides in Canada, and who was notified by telegraph, desires a postponement. If so, then the funeral will be held on Sunday. Interment will take place in the family birial plot in the Bridgeport Cemetery.

Peter House grave
 

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