Top, John 1875-1932

TOP, WIEKAMP

Posted By: Janet Bosler - Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/8/2013 at 18:44:59

Hawarden Independent June 23, 1932

John Top, a retired merchant of Ireton, passed away at the hospital at Sheldon last Friday from injuries suffered in a runaway accident last Thursday afternoon. Mr. Top was assisting his son-in-law, Henry Zwiers, in putting up hay on his farm near Sheldon and was engaged in raking the hay when his team became frightened by a passing road maintainer and started to run. The horses turned sharply breaking the tongue and this caused Mr. Top to pitch forward from his seat and as the horses ran he was dragged and rolled by the rake. Mrs. Zwiers witnessed the accident and ran to assist her father. Mr. Top suffered several broken ribs and a ruptured kidney with he was kicked by one of the animals. He was rushed to the hospital at Sheldon and when it was discovered that one kidney was ruptured it was known that his condition was critical and his family was called to his bedside. Before he passed away he stated that the operator of the road maintainer was in no way to blame for the accident as his horses were frightened by the machine.

Funeral services were held at the home at 12:30 Monday afternoon and at the Christian Reformed Church at 1 o'clock with Rev. J.R. Van Dyke in charge, assisted by the Rev. A.B. Voss of Hospers. Pall bearers were Jacob Welinga, John Medima, Joh TeVelde, Henry Decker, Teunis Vollink and Fred DeYong, fellow members of the board of trustees of the church of which the deceased was also a deacon. Following the services the remains were taken to Sioux Center where they were laid in the family plot.

John Top was born at Alto, Wisconsin, June 23, 1875 and he lived until today he would have been 57 years old. When a lad he moved with his parents to Alton where he received his early education. He was united in marriage Nov. 13, 1902, with Miss Hattie Wiekamp of Bemis, S.D. where for a number of years they lived on a farm. Six years ago they moved to Sioux Center where they resided for nearly three years when they came to Ireton and purchased and operated the Tip Top Store until last winter when he sold out his interests here and retired from active business life. For the past months he has assisted on his farm near Sheldon which he recently purchased, making considerable improvements. Four daughter were born to this union, two dying in infancy. Two daughters, Mrs. Hermina Ravenswaay of Ireton and Mrs. Minnie Zwiers of Sheldon, with the grief stricken wife, survived to mourn the loss of a kind and loving husband and father. He is also survived by three brothers, Bert Top if Alton, Ralph Top of Hawarden and Steve Top of Sheldon, and seven sisters; Mrs. O.N. Schuetz of Hawarden; Mrs. Emil Johnson of LeMars; Mrs. Henry Goldbeck of Clear Lake, S.D.' Mrs. John Jansen of Hallock, Minn.; Mrs. W.L. Anderson of Rifle, Colo.; and Misses Reka and Louise Top of Los Angeles, Calif.

John Top was a well liked Christian man who merited the respect and affection of all who had business dealing with him. As a son of pioneers he was schooled in thrift and hard work and while a boy he acquired industrious habits that stayed with him through life.