Family Ergenbright (1903)

ERGENBRIGHT

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson
Date: 2/16/2009 at 11:06:13

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, November 12, 1903
Page 1, Column 2

The Ergenbright Bereavements -

Short sketches have from time to time been given concerning the sickness and death in the Ergenbright family and the writer will, in this article endeavor to give the details as nearly as possible.

The first death was that of Elmer Ellsworth, aged 26 years, who was taken sick with typhoid and died Sept. 30, 1903. The remainder of the family consisting of the father, mother, two sons and three daughters were stricken down with the same disease and on October 18, 1903, the mother died at the age of 49 years. On October 29, Bertha, age 20 years died, and two days later, Mattie, aged 24 years died, making four deaths in the family within one month.

Thus are left, the father, two sons, aged 19 and 23, and a little daughter, Nora, aged 11 years, as the remaining members of the grief stricken home. Pearl, the youngest of the family died with measles almost five years ago.

The most of the family were born and spent their early life on a farm one mile north of Barney, in Walnut township, and moved to their present residence three miles east of Winterset, last March.

The Ergenbright family was among the most highly respected in their community and and they have hosts of friends who mourn with them in their sore bereavement and the memory of the deceased ones will live long in the hearts of those who knew and loved them.

The last sad rites were held from the Christian church of Barney, and conducted by Rev. Fredrick Schwaib, of Des Moines, and the remains interred side by side in the Barney cemetery. The funeral of the two sisters was held on the same day, twelve young girl friends of the deceased acted as pall bearers and the burial made side by side in the same grave.