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Van Roekel, Anthony T. “Tone”– 1879-1931

VAN ROEKEL

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 4/18/2017 at 11:34:22

Dynamite Blast Kills A. T. Van Roekel
Prominent Marion Co. Farmer Blown to Pieces
Anthony T. Van Roekel was born Dec. 31, 1879, Marion Co., Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Van Roekel. He married Francis De Vries on Oct. 31, 1902.
Four children: John, Henry of Knoxville, Harriet, and Mrs. Harold Terpstra (John and Harriet still at home)
He died April 18, 1931, age 52 years, 4 months, 18 days.
He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery at Pella, Iowa
Left to mourn are his wife, 4 children, 2 grandchildren, 3 brothers: Barney of Pella, Henry of Sully, John of Otley; 5 sisters: Mrs. Henry Van Oostrum of Pella; Mrs. Adam De Jong of Tipton, Oklahoma, Mrs. C. Reitveld and Mrs. Neal Synhorst of Pella. (only 4 sisters named)
He was a member of Reformed Church of Otley.
He lived south of Monroe on Primary #14. Instantly killed when several sticks of dynamite he was carrying in a bucket exploded on the Carrie Clevenger farm, 3 miles south of Monroe as Mr. Van Roekel and Bert Ross were blowing out stumps. Mr. Ross who was about 6 rods away was thrown to the ground and a piece of the bucket driven through his foot.
Ross called to the Slocums (neighbors) who were 80 rods away in their yard, and Raymond Slocum went for help. A Snyder boy who was there went to the H. H LeGrand home. Mr. LeGrand and two of his hired men, Case and Dick Akeren came to the scene. Tone’s clothing caught fire and his arm torn off. Ross put out the fire as Harrison LeGrand came. Later discovered dynamite caps in Van Roekels pocket. Accident occurred just south of Liberty Corner School House. The blast caused a door to fly open on M. Schippers farm 1 mile away. Windows shook at the H. H. LeGrand home over a mile away and the explosion that killed Tone was heard in Monroe.
Large account of this is in a Des Moines paper.
(Tone was nickname for man that was killed.
Source: papers found in Donna Sloan Rempp collection; No dates for newspapers


 

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