Mrs. John Klise d. 1908

KLISE, ROBBINS, NIXON, NOSKE

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 9/12/2003 at 11:42:30

Burned to Death.

Mrs. John Klise was burned to death at her home a half mile east of Utica Saturday afternoon. She was alone in the house when the fire started and the cause of same is not known. Neighbors noticed the fire about three o’clock and when they went to the house found the doors locked and the interior of the dwelling a mass of flames.

It is thought that Mrs. Klise had gone to sleep on a couch and did not awake in time to escape from the building. The position of her body when found would indicate that she was still near the couch when she died.

Mr. Klise was in Bonaparte at the time of the fire and was informed of the same by telephone.

Mrs. Klise was 74 years old and her husband about eighty-four. The residence was a two story frame. It was entirely destroyed and with it a milk house and a wood house which were not far away. Flames caught on the roof of the barn but were extinguished by neighbors.

Funeral services were held at the Baptist church at Utica Monday at 10 A.M. and the remains were laid to rest in the Nixon cemetery. She leaves one daughter, Mrs. Alonzo Nixon. Mrs. Wm. Noske of Bonaparte is a niece of Mr. and Mrs. Kline.

The head and lower extremities were entirely burned from the body which was unrecognizable. She was said to have been in good health and physically able to take care of herself had she been awakened in time to get from the building.

[hand written on article is “Oct 31 – 08”]

[maiden name was Esther Robbins]

Source: Entler Scrapbooks, vol. 5, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA