Plagge, Frederick “Fritz,” 1904-1928

PLAGGE, VANDERHAAR, VONDERHAAR

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:32

From the Alton Democrat, March 30, 1928:

FREDERICK PLAGGE, 1904-1928

Frederick Plagge, the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Plagge of Alton, was born Sept. 28, 1904, on the farm southeast of Alton. He went to St. Mary’s school and assisted his father with the work on the farm.

Fritz, as he was called by the family and by his friends, had been having heart trouble for about a year. He was taken ill Tuesday of last week and in the afternoon went in to see the doctor, then went home and went to bed. That evening he had a coughing spell and seemed to be suffering from the flu, but the next day at noon ate quite a good lunch. Two hours later he was dead. Fritz retained consciousness to the end but did not realize his condition.

Requiem [Mass] was sung Saturday morning by the boy’s lifelong pastor, Very Rev. F. J. Brune, at St. Mary’s Catholic church, burial taking place at St. Mary’s cemetery. Six of his schoolmates were pallbearers.

Among those from away who were here to attend the funeral were the following: Frank Vortherms, Mrs. Henry Beckmann, Mrs. Ben Diers, Mrs. Mary Niebuhr, all of Granville; Ben Vonderhaar, Madison, Minn.; Mrs. Albert Siemonsma, Rushmore, Minn.; Mrs. Anna Siemonsma, Mrs. Joe Nothem, Barney Bunkers, all of Remsen; Frank Vonderharr, of Paullina; the Joe Plagge family of Dell Rapids, S. Dakota.

The community united in sympathy to the bereaved family in the loss of a beloved son dan brother.

Pallbearers at the funeral were Clarence and Raymond Treinen, Andrew and Raymond Pick, Peter Minten and Henry Pottebaum.

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RESEARCH NOTES

A news note about his death in the Alton Democrat of March 23 says that he is survived by his parents, two brothers, and three sisters, Joe, Rudolph, Frances, Mary and Anna.

His death certificate gives his parents as Bernard Plagge, born in Germany, and Mary Van Derharr [Vander Haar], born in Iowa; died at 2 p.m. March 21, 1928, of bronchial pneumonia, duration 2 days; contributory cause, mitral insufficiency, duration 6 years.

The 1925 Iowa census gives his mother’s father as Henry Vonder Haar. Both surname spellings (although not Henry himself) appear in the Sioux County Cemetery Index.