Frederick James Niblo

BANKER, NIBLO

Posted By: Linda Brittain
Date: 4/16/2006 at 20:25:01

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, April 25, 1901
Page 1, Column 2

Obituary

Frederick James Niblo, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Niblo, was born Nov. 17, 1876. Dec. 29, 1897 he was married to Miss Florence Banker, April 15, 1901 by the overturning of a loaded wagon, he was suddenly called away. Of the deceased it was we believe, truly said, he was a young man who had no bad habits. At the early age of 12 years he made a profession of faith in Christ and became a member of the United Presbyterian church during the pastorate of Rev. Jas. Sawhill. May all youths and children heed the voice of Providence; “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” We have reason to hope that when the summons came to the deceased he was not found unprepared and that to him, sudden death was sudden glory. There was a very large concourse of friends and neighbors present at the funeral services held in the United Presbyterian church at Pitzer at 10 a.m. April 18th in which the pastor was assisted by Rev. Jas. Sawhill. The sorrowing relatives have the heartfelt sympathy of a wide circle of friends in this sad, sudden, bereavement; and best of all, they have the sustaining grace of Him whose promise is, “My grace is sufficient for thee.”
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, April 18, 1901
Page 1, Column 1

SAD FATAL ACCIDENT

Fred Niblo of Jackson Township, Meets a Horrible Death.

Team and Wagon Go off a Bridge Approach
He is Caught Beneath the Load and is Drowned Before Help Arrives

One of the saddest accidents that has ever occurred in this vicinity, took place last Monday evening about 8 o’clock. Fred Niblo, a young Jackson township farmer, and his brother-in-law, John Shoff, left Winterset about 6 o’clock with a four-horse load of fencing material. About six miles west of town, between the Chas. Allgeyer and Jos. Comp farms, the road crosses the head waters of Cedar creek. The bridge is one of the ordinary plank affairs without railing. To the west of the bridge is a grade several roads in length and about eight feet in height. Cedar creek crosses the south fence of the road at the west end of this grade and runs parallel with it to the bridge. The constant wear of the water has worn away the grade until it has become quite narrow. When about two rods west of the bridge, the lead team left the grade and pulled the other team and wagon after them. Shoff managed to free himself from the wreck but Niblo was buried two feet in the mud and water under the weight of the load and wagon. The wagon was completely overturned and the posts were chained to it, requiring the aid of several mjen to raise the wagon and extricate the body from the mud. When Shoff got to his feet he shouted to Niblo, who made no response, and Shoff started for the nearest house. Chas. Allgeyer heard his cries and came with a lantern, but it was found necessary to get more help, and the body was not removed until about 9:30 o’clock. The body bore no bruises and death must have been nearly instant.

Fred Niblo, the deceased, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Niblo, and was born and lived his entire life in Madison county. He was twenty-five years old, and was married to Florence Banker about three years ago. He was a successful farmer and had a bright future before him.

He was an exemplary young man, and was highly respected by his acquaintances. The unfortunate affair has cast a gloom over the community in which he lived, and heart felt sympathy is expressed on all sides by those bereft. Funeral services were held this morning from the Pitzer United Presbyterian church of which the deceased was a member.
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Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, April 18, 1901
Page 4

FRED NIBLO KILLED

Wagon Runs off of a Culvert. Buried Beneath Posts and Wire

Last Monday Fred Niblo and Jno. Shoff, who live near Pitzer, came to town after a load of posts and fence wire. They got their wagon loaded and started home about 6 o’clock. They had got about half a mile on the other side of Charley Alguyer’s and when crossing a small bridge the lead team swung off into the ditch pulling the other team with it and upsetting the wagon. Mr. Niblo fell under the wagon on his face with the wagon and entire load on him. He was buried in the mud and water and it is presumed killed instantly. Mr. Shoff managed to escape with a few bruises but nothing serious. Help was called and it took the combined efforts of seven or eight men to lift the load off of Mr. Niblo.

Fred was one of Madison county’s prosperous young farmers and was highly respected by all who knew him.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, April 19, 1901
Page 1

DROWNED IN MUD

Fred Niblo Meets Death While Driving A Four Horse Team

Wagon Loaded With Posts and Barb Wire Runs off Grade Near Charles Allgeyer’s Farm. Niblo Falls Under the Load and is Dead When Taken Out. Buried Two Feet in Mud. Death Caused by Suffocation. Narrow Escape for his Brother-in-law, John Shoff.

Fred Niblo and John Shoff left town Monday evening about five o’clock with a wagon load of posts and barb wire. The roads were heavy and rutty and they had four horses attached to the wagon. On the Pitzer road, six miles west of the city, just west of Charles Allgeyer’s home, the head of Cedar Creek is crossed by a small bridge. On this bridge the leaders scared pulling the other horses off and upsetting the wagon. Niblo went down under the load. Shoff too fell under but the box fell on the seat in such a manner that he was able to crawl out uninjured. He tried to get the load off Niblo but could not. Two hours afterword when the load was finally lifted by the men hastily summoned from homes nearby, Fred Niblo was found under two feet of mud. Only one foot was visible. He had been literally drowned in the mud.

Neither of the men were accustomed to drive a four horse team, at least no more accustomed to it than the ordinary man. They had started from town about six o’clock and when they reached the scene of the fatal accident it was after seven and dark. Each man was driving a team, Niblo’s team being in the lead. One of his horses was quite skittish, so that Shoff carried the lantern in one hand and drove with the other. The west side of the bridge is reached by a grade about six feet high and very narrow. Just as they crossed the bridge the leaders swung to the left and pulled the wagon over close to the ditch. Shoff uttered a cry of warning but before they had passed the bridge twenty feet the bank gave way upsetting the wagon and pulling both teams into the ditch.

The spring seat saved Shoff. Being on the upper side, he fell over Niblo. His legs were pinned down under the load but the spring seat kept the wagon box off them. With little effort he got out. He called to Niblo but received no response. After giving the box a push or two and seeing that he could not budge it alone, he ran to Allgeyer’s house for help. Mr. Allgeyer, his boy and hand came at once to his assistance. When they got back to the scene of the accident both teams which Shoff had left floundering in the mud were standing in the road. One of the men hastened to Joseph Comp’s, at the west end of the section, and gave the alarm, and he and his hands were soon on the scene. After hard work the box was lifted enough to show one of Niblo’s feet sticking out of the mud. A rope was fastened around the leg and it took the united efforts of the whole force to pull him out. The wagon box had hit him full length, one edge of it striking him fairly in the middle of his back and pushing him face down in the mud. The force of the blow and the mud must have killed him instantly.

The funeral occurred, Thursday. Fred Niblo was about twenty-five years old and was married to a daughter of Lem Banker about three years ago. He was living with his mother-in-law at the time of the accident. He was a son of Robert Niblo, the well known Jackson township farmer. He was a young man and was one of the best men in the west part of the county.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, April 26, 1901
Page 5

Obituary

Frederick James Niblo, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Niblo, was born Nov. 17, 1876. December 29, 1897 he was married to Miss Florence Banker. He died April 15, 1901 by the overturning of a loaded wagon. Of the deceased it was, we believe, truly said, “He was a young man who had no bad habits.” Young man, so live that this might be a true inscription on your tombstone. “Young man keep your record clean.”

At the early age of 13 years he made a profession of faith in Christ, and became a member of the United Presbyterian church at Pitzer during the pastorate of Rev. Jas. Sawhill.

There was a very large concourse of friends and neighbors present at the funeral services held in the Pitzer United Presbyterian church on April 18, in which the pastor was assisted by Rev. James Sawhill. The sorrowing relatives have the heartfelt sympathy of a wide circle of friends in this sad, sudden bereavement; and, best of all, they have the sustaining grace of Him whose promise is, “My grace sufficient for thee.”

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