Bornhorst, Fred "Fritz" 1842-1904

BORNHORST, EILERS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann (email)
Date: 8/21/2013 at 14:39:57

LeMars Sentinel
May 17, 1904

KILLED BY A BULL.
Fritz Bornhorst, a Well Known Farmer, Dies From Effects of an Encounter With An Infuriated Animal.

Fritz Bornhorst, residing on the H. C. Curtis farm, seven miles southeast of this city, died about five o’clock on Saturday morning from the effects of injuries sustained in an encounter with a bull a few days previously.

Mr. Bornhorst, who had been sick for some time, but who was recovering went out on Tuesday morning to the pasture to water the cattle. While he was pumping water into the trough, the bull which was running loose with the other cattle, began crowding and jamming the others from the water. Mr. Bornhorst went to drive the animal away, when it suddenly turned upon him, attacking him with ferocity. The animal knocked Mr. Bornhorst down, butting him with its head, and kneeling and trampling upon him.

Mr. Bornhorst’s sons ran to their father’s rescue and with clubs and pitchforks drove the maddened brute off. They then carried their father into the house and quickly dispatched a messenger to town for a doctor. Dr. Schwind went out to attend to the wounded man and found on a first examination that Bornhorst was very badly hurt. All the ribs on the right side were broken and two ribs on the left side and the breast bone was crushed in and internal injuries sustained in the region of the stomach and his body bruised in other parts.

The bull had never evidenced any savageness and was quiet and tractable all the time it was in the possession of Mr. Bornhorst. It was dehorned.

Fritz Bornhorst was between sixty-one and sixty-two years of age. He was a native of Germany, having been born at Dinglader, Oldenbourg, on October 8, 1842. He came to the United States in 1865 going to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he lived for two years. He then came west to Guttenburg, Iowa, where he lived until coming to Plymouth county about fifteen years ago.

He was united in marriage with Anna Maria Eilers in 1869 and eleven children were born to them. Two died in infancy and one daughter Anna, died last year at the age of eighteen years. The surviving children are Mrs. B. Kohlbeck, of Salem, S.D.; Mrs. Jos. Kohlbeck, of Cottonwood, Idaho; Bernard, of Sioux county; Mrs. August Reeder, Henry, Frank, Anton, of Plymouth county; and Josephine, who is attending St. Joseph’s school in this city.

Mr. Bornhorst had resided on the Curtis place for the past ten years.

The funeral was held on Monday morning at St. Joseph’s church and was largely attended by friends and neighbors, who assembled to express their respect to the deceased and extend their condolences to the bereaved family so suddenly and sorely bereaved.
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LeMars Globe-Post
May 21, 1904

DEATH OF FRED BORNHORST.

Fred Bornhorst, who was attacked by a bull in his pasture on Monday of last week and butted until his ribs were broken, his breast bone crushed in and back injured, and who suffered internal injuries from the onslaughter of the maddened animal, passed away on Saturday morning at about five o’clock, having grown steadily worse since his injury. Mr. Bornhorst had taken some horses into the pasture to water them and the bull came where they were. Bornhorst had a pitchfork in his hand and drove him away with it. After a moment the bull returned and attacked him at once. Mrs. Bornhorst saw her husband attacked and called for her sons who were in the field near by, fearing to go in the pasture. She ran and got some corn and threw it out in the pasture and after a minute or two the bull ceased his attack on his helpless victim who was laying like one dead, and leisurely walked to where the corn was and began eating. Anton Bornhorst, a son, was in the house but was unable to go to his father’s assistance for he was so crippled from rheumatism that he could not stir. The bull continued eating after the other sons had arrived and made no demonstration when they took their dying father to the house.

The funeral was held from St. Joseph’s church on Monday morning, the services being conducted by Rev. Father Feuerstein and were very largely attended by the neighbors of the Bornhorst neighborhood, who held him in very high esteem.

He was born in Dinglager, Oldenberg, Germany on October 8, 1842, and came to America in 1865, locating at Cincinnati, where he resided for two years when he came west locating at Gottemberg, Clayton county, where he resided until 1880, when he came to Plymouth county and made his home.

He was united in marriage in 1869 with Miss Anna Marie Eilers in Clayton county. Eleven children were born to them, two dying in infancy and one daughter, Miss Anna Bornhorst dying about a year ago. Eight children and his widow survive him.

The children are: Mrs. August Ruthers of this county; Mrs. Barney Kolbeck, of Salem, S.D.; Mrs. Henry Kolbeck, of Cottonwood, Idaho; and Josephine, 13 years old, who is attending St. Joseph’s school. The sons are Frank, Bernard, Anton, who are living at home and Henry Bornhorst, who is married and lives in this neighborhood. Mrs. Barney Kolbeck, of Salem, S.D., was here to attend the funeral, the other daughter being unable to come.