Anema, Abe 1880-1901

ANEMA, DIJKSTRA, DYKSTRA

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg (email)
Date: 4/26/2012 at 16:56:31

From the Alton Democrat of July 20, 1901
Maurice Review : Abe Anema a young laborer recently from Holland met his death on Wednesday in a deep hole in the creek under the Northwestern railroad bridge, near this place at about 12:80 o'clock.

Anema was employed as a section hand on the Northwestern and after eating his dinner thought he would take a bath in the creek. Section Foreman Van Maanen and others present told him he should not go into the water so soon after eating and cautioned him to be careful, but he did not heed their warnings. Undressing he went into the water a few rods above the bridge where it is shallow and began walking and swimming down stream. There is a fifteen foot hole just under the edge of the bridge and the young man apparently went closer to this than he intended and suddenly disappeared.

He seemed to have lost his head entirely when he reappeared upon the surface of the water, but struggled desperately to get out. Messrs, E.
Van Maanen, Patrick O'Hare and Mr. Visser were up on the bridge and when they saw that he was drowning endeavored to rescue him but
were unsuccessful and he finally sank to the bottom and did not again reappear.

The alarm was sent up town and a large crowd gathered and began a search for the body by diving and raking the stream. Finally after over an hour's work the body was found by Dr. Beyer and Thos. Bannon and the latter brought the lifeless body up. The young man's remains were taken to A. yan Wechel's undertaking rooms where they were prepared for burial. Young Anema came from Holland about four months ago since which time he worked for Henry Vande De Brake and lately on the section. He has no relatives in this country except Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Swarts who are his uncle and aunt and an uncle, Mr.
Dykstra of Sioux Center. He was twenty years of age, had no bad habits and had saved nearly all his earnings since coming here. The funeral was conducted from the Reformed church Thursday afternoon by Rev. P. Ihrman. Burial was made at the cemetery east of town.

The hole where the drowning occurred is a dangerous place and should be carefully avoided by those who go in bathing. It is very deep and the water at the bottom is ice cold and evidently there is a large spring un derneath. It seems that it would be well for the authorities to cause sign to be put up there warning strangers of this danger and thus avoid like accidents in the future.

(Found this Abe Anema's family on www.genlias.nl His parents were Gerlof Pieters Anema and Janke Ulbes Dijkstra, he was born 12 Nov 1880 at Franekeradeel, Friesland, Netherlands)