Hulsing, Koert, abt. 1871-1898

HULSING, HULZING

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/12/2014 at 07:10:54

Accidental Drowning.

Koert Hulzing, who came with two other young Hollanders from Bolton, Illinois, last week, met his death by drowning in the Rock river west of town Sunday afternoon [July 24]. It seems that several were bathing under the railroad bridge when suddenly the others heard a despairing cry for help from the unfortunate man; but help could not be rendered before the body had sunk to a watery grave, and the soul was on its way to meet its final judgment. The drowned man was about twenty-eight years old; was a native born Hollander and had no relatives in this country except a half-sister, who lives north of Jasper, Minn. His father, however, and two sisters are still living in Holland.

One fact that throws no relieving thoughts on the accident is the report that the boys had a keg of beer with them and had been partaking of it freely. It is believed by many that this may have been the cause of the victim's sudden helplessness though, of course, the truth can never be ascertained. The water at the point where the man went down was nearly twenty feet deep and it was with great difficulty and after several repeated attempts by several persons that John Walpole succeeded in recovering the body which was at once taken to the undertaking rooms of P. McKellar & Son, and prepared for burial. The funeral was held Monday afternoon at four o'clock when the body was interred in the cemetery south of town.

Source: Sioux County Bee, July 29, 1898.

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From the Sioux County Herald, July 27, 1898: Rock Valley news:

Koert Hulsing was drowned in the Rock river near Rock Valley Sunday. In company with several other young men he went in swimming about noon at the cutoff. He was taken suddenly with cramps and sank before the others could come to his assistance. The water was quite deep where he sank, but the body was soon recovered and a coroner's inquest held; The verdict rendered by the jury was in accordance with the above facts. Hulsing was about twenty-seven years old and had been at Rock Valley only a few days. He was on his way to Jasper, Minn., from Freeport, Il., and expected to work in the harvest Field. He worked near Rock Valley last year and had a number of friends there.

(Coverage in other area newspapers is basically the same as this article, spelling his surname Hulsing.)