Rebecca Jane (Bonham) Maus (1891)

BONHAM, MACK, MAUS

Posted By: Kent Transier
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:02:59

The Afton Gazette
Afton, Iowa
Thursday, December 10, 1891

The Gazette chronicles a terrible accident to the family of Joseph Maus, of that place one day last week. The family were using a gasoline stove and had a cook stove in the kitchen not in use. They stored their gasoline can in the kitchen cook stove to keep it out of the way. On the day in question, Mrs. Maus desired to wash and Mr. Maus built a fire in the cook stove, forgetting the can. After the stove had become hot, they thought of the can and opened the oven door to remove it. As soon as the door was opened, the gas exploded, scattering the burning oil over the apartment. The three children of the family were present and two of them and their parents were fatally burned. One of the children died in a few hours, and then another one and Mr. and Mrs. Maus have since died.

The other child will doubtless survive it's injuries. The injured family were removed to the houses of neighbors and every thing that human kindness and medical skill could suggest was done to alleviate their sufferings.

Mr. Maus was from Macksburg and not well acquainted in Creston, but was liked by all who knew him. The holocaust cast a gloom over the entire city and in Afton the expressions of sorrow and sympathy are heartfelt.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, December 17, 1891
Page 4, Column 3

Mrs. Maus of Creston, who was burned to death by the explosion of the gasoline can that had been forgotten in the oven of the cook stove, was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Bonham of Macksburg, and a niece of Dr. and Mrs. Mack.

The family was quite well known in this county having resided in Macksburg for some time. Only one of the children out of the family of five survived.
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Transcriber's note: First name from 1880 Federal Census and middle name from gravestone.

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