Sumner Atkins (1844-1887)

ATKINS, BALLIET

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/31/2015 at 20:39:00

From Nevada Representative August 31, 1887

Obituary.

Sumner S. Atkins, only brother of Mrs. C. H. Balliet, of this city, died at his home in Omaha Tuesday, August 23d, of typhoid fever. He was a bachelor, and his only relatives were his mother and sister, both of whom were present at his bedside. The funeral was conducted Thursday under the auspices of the Odd Fellows, by Rev. Mr. Patterson, of St. Mark's Episcopal church, South Omaha, and many beautiful floral decorations adorned the casket. The Omaha Bee says of the deceased: "Mr. Atkins was born in Northfield, Mass., November 15, 1844, and early applied himself to the trade of machinist. For a long period he was in the employ of the Illinois Central in Illinois. He arrived in Omaha in 1861 and began to work for the Union Pacific the next month. His thorough competency as a machinist and his reliability earned for him the position of foreman, which place he filled at the time of his death. He had special charge of wheels and axles and his scrupulous fidelity to duty in this most exacting branch of the rolling stock made him seen almost indespensible to the company. His fellow workmen liked him. His manly and courteous bearing endeared him to all who knew him. The large number of railroad men and acquaintances in attendance at the funeral attested the strong hold he had on those with whom he came in contact. He amassed a neat little property by his industry and thrift.