Jesse Oldham (1901)

ARNOLD, OLDHAM

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 12/23/2007 at 17:07:23

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, December 12, 1901
Page 2

DEATH BY ACCIDENT

Jesse Oldham of Douglas Township, Meets Unexpected Death.

He Falls from a Bridge across a Ravine between the House and Barn on a Farm Belonging to Him, but Occupied by a Tennant.

The immediate neighborhood and the community at large were greatly shocked to learn of the sad accidental death of Mr. Jesse Oldham of Douglas township, one of the long time residents of Madison county, and a veteran of the civil war. Mr. Oldham was the owner of two farms, one lying on the road passing the old Myers, or Davis mill site, north of North river just as the breaks of the river meet the prairie and an other in the bottom some distance south. He lived on the bottom farm and the other is leased to Mr. Huff. About seven o'clock Saturday evening he went from his residence on the bottom farm to the other place. On that place the barn stands nearer the road than the house, in a hollow down a steep pitch from the road. The house stands up the hollow against the next hill. The main road passes north and south on the bluff, but just at the edge of a rocky precipice. A lower track runs parallel just under. This is reached at two points by a steep very descent from the main road. A brige crosses the ravine, forming a connection with the path leading up to the house. The residents of the house did not know Oldham was coming, but about seven o'clock, when it was already dark, Mrs. Huff, on opening the door, heard something fall at about the location of the bridge. Suspecting that some stock had got loose and got into trouble, Mr. Huff sent a boy out to investigate. He came back frightened and reported that there was a man lying on the rocks under the bluff. This proved to be Jesse Oldham, the owner of the place. The skull was broken, but he was not yet dead. He was taken to the house and word sent for a physician, but it was of no avail, and the end came soon. Several parties examined the location and from all the facts and circumstances, it appears that he meant to turn down the first approach to the lower road, and go by the way of the bridge to the house, and not being able to see the track, was guided by the light from the window. In this way he passed a few feet too far north and fell off the precipice.

The funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the residence of the deceased's brother, John B. Oldham, who lives a short distance to the north. Jesse Oldham was an unmarried man of about 65 years, an old soldier a member of Pitzer Post, G.A.R., the members of which conducted his funeral and laid his body to rest in the Worthington cemetery. The discourse was preached by Rev. L. E. Follansbee.

Mr. Oldham was a quiet, unobtrusive man, a good citizen, and one who enjoyed the respect of every acquaintance. He was in Winterset on the day he met his sad fate, tranacted some business and settled up his dues in the Grand Army. But about three weeks before he accompanied Jesse Truitt to the battlefield of Black river, where they discovered the remains of Col. Kinsman, a full account of which expedition was printed in this paper of date of November 21.
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Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, December 12, 1901
Page 10

SUDDEN DEATH

Jesse Oldham Falls Ten Feet Onto The Rocks Below

Walks into a Ditch in the Dark and is instantly Killed.

Jesse Oldham, an old and well-known citizen of Douglas township came to a sudden death Saturday evening Dec. 7th.

He had been in town Saturday and had met and enjoyed a pleasant chat with many of his old chums of the G.A.R. Returning in the evening he had eaten his supper as usual with his tenants, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Huff, and had started across to his house across the road where he slept. It was very dark Saturday evening and the path which he had to follow crosses a bridge or culvert over a deep ditch. Being entirely familiar with the premises it is probable the deceased had no thought of fear but he lost his bearings and walked off the abrupt bank of the ditch falling head foremost onto the rocks eight or ten feet below crushing his skull and producing instant death. The discovery of the body was accidental. The lady of the house stepped to the kitchen door to throw out some dish water and heard the fall. She fancied some of the stock were in trouble and sent the men out to see. Discovering nothing they returned, but she insisted that she had heard something fall and insisted that they look further.

On the second trip the body was discovered lying on the rocks at the bottom of the ditch. The deceased was a bachelor and quite well to do. A few weeks ago he and Jesse Truitt made a trip to the vicinity of Vicksburg where they succeeded in exhuming the remains of Col. Kinsman. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Follansbee Monday from the home of Jno. B. Oldham, brother of the deceased, and the remains laid to rest in Worthington cemetery. Pitzer Post G.A.R. had charge of the funeral obsequies.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, December 13, 1901
Page 7

KILLED BY A FALL

Jesse Oldham Falls In a Ditch in the Dark, Instantly Killed

Jesse Oldham, one of the oldest settlers of Madison county, fell into a ditch near his home in Douglas township, Saturday evening, and was instantly killed. When found, a short time after his fall, his head was almost scalped, a long gash extending across his forehead, and his skull fractured.

Mr. Oldham was a man about 65 years old, and was a bachelor, living in a small house east of his large house, occupied by T. B. Huff and family. Mr. Oldham gave up the large house in which he had lived for years to Mr. Huff about a year since, preferring to live in the smaller house which is down the road and closer to the Hogback bridge over North river. In the evening it was his custom to go up to the old house occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Huff, and spend the evening with them.

Close to the large house are several deep and stony ditches, which are crossed in getting to the door from the road. Saturday evening Mrs. Huff heard a strange noise and sent her son out to see what caused it. He soon called out that Mr. Oldham was in the ditch, and apparently dead. The lantern was in the ditch by his side. He had evidently slipped in crossing the ditch, which was five or six feet deep, and his head had struck a jagged rock, cutting a deep, long gash on his forehead and fracturing his skull. Dr. Skinner, who was called to the house as soon as a messenger could reach him, said that death was undoubtedly due to the fall on the rocks, and that it must have been instant. The coroner was not summoned.

Oldham was a member of the Grand Army. He owned over three hundred acres of fine land, and the farm is well stocked. He is a brother of John Oldham of Madison township and an uncle of Henry Arnold of the Arnold house. The funeral occurred Monday.

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