Burton Kuhns (1878-1899)

CODDINGTON, DAY, DEARTH, KUHNS, PATTERSON, PURDY, SWEET

Posted By: Jerry Hale (email)
Date: 9/16/2009 at 21:30:48

Collins Liberator 8-17-1899

FUNERAL OF BURT KUHNS

Frank Day returned from Las Vegas, New Mexico, last Friday night over the Great Western, bringing with him the mortal remains of Burton Kuhns, whose death we chronicled last week. Undertaker Patterson meeting him there. Up to the hour of service the body of a former Collins boy reposed in a handsome casket in the undertaking rooms, where a great many people viewed his trance like features and the beautiful flowers placed on the bier by loving hands in a far-off country, and an apt comparison of a young man cut down just as he was entering upon the threshold of usefulness, and the prettiest of Nature's sweet white blossoms withered upon the casket lid, was made by many who had loved the departed.

Funeral services were held at the M.P. church Saturday morning at 11 o'clock, Rev. R.L. Purdy conducting them.

Rev. Purdy in giving a short sketch of the life of the departed, said:
"Burton Kuhns was born in Collins township, Story county, May 22, 878, and died at Las Vegas, New Mexico, Aug. 9, 1899, being therefore 21 years, 2 months and 17 days of age. The circumstances of his death are given in the following clipping from a Las Vegas paper:

'Burt Kuhns, about 21 years old, died at an early hour this morning from lung trouble. The deceased was engaged until a week ago with one of the surveying parties working for the Santa Fe road and occupied mainly in carrying grade stakes for the survey. It happened that he lifted a keg of nails and almost immediately he was seized with a hemorrhage. His condition was deemed so serious that he was brought to this city and taken to the home of Mrs. Fannie Coddington where death ensued. The deceased has no parents living. A male cousin from Iowa arrived here a few days since and was at his bedside when he died. Funeral services were held this afternoon, conducted by Rev. Sweet of the Baptist church, and the body will be shipped tonight by Undertaker Dearth to the former home of the deceased in Iowa.'

"It certainly was no accident that he should fall into the hands of Christian people in his last illness. The good woman in whose home he died, by her prayers, songs and scripture reading, led Burt to a confession of Christ, and he left the witness behind of his future well-being. Services were held at this Christian home before the remains were started for the scenes of his boyhood days."

Interment was in the Day cemetery, southeast of town where his mother lies buried.