Frank Dean Ballard 1870- 1891

BALLARD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/17/2021 at 15:06:21

The Monona County Democrat
14 May 1891

Frank Dean Ballard, Son of Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Ballard, Meets His Death by Drowning, Wednesday, In Guard Lake.

Wednesday morning about 10 o'clock Claude Murphy, of the firm of Good & Murphy, and Frank D. Ballard left the store in the delivery wagon to deliver some groceries; after this was done, the boys drove down to Guard Lake, crossed the bridge and drove around west, or opposite Fred Fairchild's residence. Mr. Murphy says after he had tied the team to the fence, Frank took out his watch and said, "It is only 11 o'clock, and we have time for a little sail." He stripped to his underclothes and started to swim the lake to secure a skiff which was on the opposite side and belonged to Mr. Fairchild; when a little past halfway across, Murphy saw that Frank was struggling and had turned to come back; he told him to make long pulls and try to get to a floating chunk, but he had evidently cramped and could make no headway. Not being a swimmer, Murphy could do nothing but call for help. The alarm brought Mrs. Fairchild from her dwelling to the lake, and with womanly courage she pushed the boat afloat and with all her effort plied the oars to reach Frank, but it was too late, he sank for the last time before the boat could reach him. Mr. Fairchild was called, and Mr. Murphy hurried to town with his sad intelligence. Mr. Ballard and other men went to the lake and for an hour draged that part of the lake with hooks, but without recovering the body. A. W. Mann went down and when rowed to where Frank was last seen, dived down and immediately found him, and raised him to the surface. He was brought to M. B. Pullen's undertaking establishment where he was properly cared for and then removed to the family residence on Iowa Avenue.

The deceased would have been 21 years old June 17,1891. He was a young man of exemplary habits. For more than two years past he has been a student in the Iowa State University and had decided to prepare himself for the profession of law. During the last term of 1890, he was taken sick and had not fully recovered at the time of his death. The family are among the new people of Onawa, but they have in their sudden bereavement the profoundest sympathy of all our people. The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.