Lindekugel, Benjamin Harrison “Harry” 1888-1941

LINDEKUGEL, KOBERNUS, OHLENDORF

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/15/2022 at 07:55:30

From the Alton Democrat, May 2, 1940:

Tragic Death Here Wednesday

Harry Lindekugel, manager of the Mobil Service Station at Alton, took his own life at noon Wednesday. Mrs. Lindekugel, bringing a lunch to her husband, found the door locked and curtains drawn and called Dr. Murphy and J. W. Allen, who found the body of Mr. Lindekugel with a shot through the head. The coroner’s verdict was suicide.

No reason was given for his act. He was a man of good habits, well liked with many friends since his arrival here from Remsen seven months ago.

He was born at Spencer, S.D., and was 51 years old. Mrs. Lindekugel and a daughter, living in Sioux City, have the sympathy of the community. Funeral arrangements had not been made late Wednesday.

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From the Remsen Bell-Enterprise, May 1, 1941:

B. H. LINDEKUGEL IS DEAD IN ALTON
Despondency Thought Cause Of Tragic Passing of Former Remsen Man

Grim tragedy came to mar the happiness in the B. H. Lindekugel household in Alton as well as a prominent Remsen family, when word was received Wednesday of the death of B. H. Lindekugel, former Remsen man operating an oil station in Alton.

Mr. Lindekugel, 52 years old, is said to have complained of financial difficulties. Having attended to the business at his station unassisted, he spent Wednesday morning there as usual, and at noon when Mrs. Lindekugel sought to bring him his luncheon, she found the station door locked. She summoned assistance and a window was pried open. The unfortunate man’s lifeless body was found in a small room. His burden had become master.

Benjamin Harrison Lindekugel was born at Spencer, S.D., Aug. 26, 1888, and was in business there before coming to Remsen eight years ago. In Spencer he had been in the garage business, and in Remsen he was employed for a short time by C. J. Bellmyer, an old friend who at the time was operating the Chevrolet garage. Later he went into the employ of Henry Falke as a garage mechanic also, and six years ago went into Remsen’s public safety service as a town marshal. He served in this capacity until early last September when, after resigning here, he took over the Mobil garage in Alton, which he purchased.

Mr. Lindekugel was possessed of a winning personality and traits of character which won him many friends. He was a devoted husband, father and friend, and his likeable nature brought him a welcome in social circles. Laboring under his recent burden he fought valiantly to bear the load unassisted; he complained seldom but in recent weeks relatives and close friends noted his suffering. His tragic death brought untold sorrow to the wife and only child besides many relatives, and deepest regrets to the hundreds of loyal friends who join this newspaper in sincere sympathy in this hour of supreme trial.

Mr. Lindekugel was united in marriage on April 21, 1910, to Anna Ohlendorf of Remsen. Surviving are the heart broken widow, a daughter, Mrs. Vincent (Iona) Foley of Sioux City, and the following brothers and sisters: Charles, Martha, Milly and Laura. Surviving also is his stepmother, a stepbrother, Walter, and a stepsister, Mabel.

Funeral services will be held Saturday morning at 10 o’clock in the home in Alton, and will be conducted by the Rev. Paul Wuebben, pastor of St. Paul’s Evangelical church of Remsen. Burial will be in the Remsen cemetery.

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From the Alton Democrat, May 23, 1941:

Mrs. Anna Lindekugel will make her home in Remsen with her mother, and was a business caller here Saturday to arrange for the sale of her furniture…. Mrs. Lindekugel had her choice of going to Sioux City to live with her daughter or to Remsen with her mother and as the latter is advanced in years she decided to move to Remsen and care for her mother.

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RESEARCH NOTES

His death certificate (informant Mrs. Harry Lindekugel) has Harry B. Lindekugel, resident of Alton, Iowa for 7 months; born August 26, 1888 in Spencer, S.D.; parents Charles Lindekugel, born in Guttenburg, Iowa, and ----Kobernuz; occupation, service station manager; died at 11:30 A.M. April 30, 1941; cause, suicide, gunshot wound in forehead, self-inflicted, with pistol.

His FindaGrave.com page has Benjamin Harrison “Harry" Lindekugel, born 1888, died 1941, buried in Remsen Cemetery, Remsen, Plymouth County, Iowa, with a photo of his headstone “Harry Lindekugel 1888-1941.” No other information other than a transcript of his obituary.

A Social Security Applications index on Ancestry.com has an entry for Benjamin Harrison Lindekugel, born 26 Aug 1888 in Spencer, South Dakota, parents Charles W. Lindekugel and Fredericka Kobernus.

The Plymouth County, Iowa marriage register for 1909/1910 has groom Benjamin Harrison Lindekugel, age 22, resident of Farmer, S.D., an implement dealer, born in McCook County, S.D., parents C. W. Lindekugel and Rieke nee Kobernursz[?]; bride Anna Marie Ohlendorf, age 26, resident of Remsen, born in Guttenburg, Iowa, parents Fritz Ohlendorf and Katharine nee Kuhlman; married in Remsen April 21, 1910.

His World War I draft registration card (June 1917) shows him, age 28, as a resident of Alexandria, S.D., occupation county auditor, dependent wife and child; tall, stout, grey eyes, dark hair.

In the 1920 census the family resides in Spencer City, S.D., where he is engineer in an electrical plant. In 1930, still in Spencer City, he is an automobile salesman. In 1940 (April), living in Remsen, he is a city night policeman.