Otten, Hendrik 1862-1938

OTTEN, BLOEMENDAAL

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 3/6/2013 at 09:10:14

Hawarden Independent of April 21, 1938

Hendrik Otten, 76 years old, was found dead an the dairy barn on the farm operated by his sons, Henry and Gerrit Otten, two miles north of Alcester, late Tuesday afternoon under
circumstances which at first indicated that he might have been tramped to death by a Holstein bull, but physicians later declared their belief that he had died from heart failure.

Mr. Otten, who has resided with his sons for many years, drove the cows into the barn about 5 o'clock in the afternoon preparatory to the evening milking. When his sons arrived from the e field about twenty minutes later they found him lying on his back in front of the stall occupied by the bull.

His knees were drawn up and the bull was pulling back on his chain as though frightened at his presence. Two physicians were at once summoned from Alcester but life was found to be extinct. There were some bruises on his chest but these did not appear to have been serious enough to have caused death and it is believed may have been inflicted by the bull pawing
at his body after he had died.

Funeral services will be held at the Otten home north of Alcester Friday afternoon with Rev. A. D. Folkema pastor of the Christian Reformed church, in charge. Burial will be in the Alcester cemetery. Hendrik Otten was born in Holland Jan. 28, 1862, and most of his active
years were spent in that country. He was united in marriage in Holland with Gysje Bloemendaal in Sept. 1888 and all of their children were born in that country With his wife and several members of his family he came to America in 1919, coming directly to Hawarden to join his eldest son, Melis Otten, who had precede them here a short time. The family at once started farming in the Alcester vicinity and have continued to reside in that community.

Mrs. Otten preceded him in death in 1932. He is survived by five sons and two daughters, Melis of Hinckley, Minn., Walter of Ireton Henry and Gerrit of Alcester, Dick of Canton, Mrs. Martin Bakker of Alcester and Mrs. Steve Elgersma of Sandstone, Minn. Melis Otten and Mrs
Elgersma arrived this morning from Minnesota to attend the funeral.