Dirks, John 1877-1923

DIRKS, BRANDS

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:35

Dirks, John born 1877 died 1923 buried Ireton cemetery.

Hawarden Independent of Apr 5, 1923

FOUND DEAD IN ROOMAT HOTEL
JOHN DIRKS DIED SUDDENLY LAST FRIDAY MORNING
Had Lived Here for About 20 Years During Which Time He Followed the Well Drilling Business
MARRIED ON GOOD FRIDAY

John Dirks, a well known resident of this city, was found dead in a room at the Gladstone Hotel in this city about 1:30 last Friday morning. lie had been dead but a short time when the body was discovered. He had been seen about the hotel during the evening and had visited some friends from Hudson vicinity who occupied a room in the hotel. Evidently after leaving their room he became sick and wandered into another room on the same floor where his lifeless body was discovered by the night clerk of the hotel lying across the bed fully dressed. A physician was at once summoned but life was found to be extinct. Dr. DeBey, county coroner, was called from Orange City but decided that an inquest was unnecessary.

The remains were taken to Ireton Friday morning and prepared for burial at the undertaking parlors there where they were held until Sunday afternoon when interment was made in the Ireton cemetery with Rev. J. E. Rich. Schmidt, pastor of the Lutheran church at that place, in charge. A large concourse of friends of the deceased made up the funeral procession which accompanied the remains to their last resting place. John Dirks was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Harm Dirks.

He was born in Plymouth county, near LeMars, March 25, 1877, so was 46 years and 5 days old. When a year and a half old his parents moved to Mt. Olive, IL., where they remained for ten years, after which they returned to Sioux county and settled on a farm a few miles southwest of Ireton where he grew to manhood. For about twenty years he has been in the well drilling business and during most of his time has made his headquarters in Hawarden. He was an expert in his line of work and at the time of his death was engaged in drilling a well on a farm several miles southeast of this city. He kept much to himself but those who did know him intimately regarded him as a true friend and square and honorable in all his dealings. His father passed away about a year ago and his mother is now very critically ill at her home in Ireton.

He leaves seven brothers and two sisters, Albert, Henry, William, Herman, Fred and Richard, all of Ireton vicinity, George of Madison, S. D., and Mrs. Maggie Oltman and Mrs. Rekka Busch, also of Madison.

Note: See the obit of his mother, Johanna Brands Mrs Harm Dirks born Dec 23, 1854 died Dec 5, 1923 for more family details.