1873

January 9,1873 Pioneer

Married at Ida, by A.O. West, esq. on January 6,1873, Mr. E.Benedict and Miss Rose Everett.
This wedding took place according to the Quaker Faith, the Spirit moving the parties at a late hour at night.  About 11 o’clock p.m. the bridegroom appeared at the  residence of the Clerk of the Courts, procured the license from that official and were married by Justice West, about 2 o’clock the next morning.

January 30,1873 Pioneer

Fatal Accident

On last Saturday evening, one of those terrible, heartrending accidents that falls with sudden and crushing weight so heavily upon the hearts of all, and especially on the bereaved family, occurred in this community.  The residence of Mr. William Vroman, who lives in the house belonging to Judge Moorehead, on the Maple River about one mile southwest of Ida, was the scene of the accident, and happened as near as we can learn as follows;
Mr. Vroman was absent in the timber about a mile from home and Mrs. Vroman was engaged in cleaning the house, scrubbing the floor, for this purpose she had heated the water in a wash-boiler, which she left on the stove while using the water out of it.  In the mean time, she had sent the children up stairs, the ceiling being imperfectly covered with boards on the floor.  immediately above the stove was a place left for the stove pipe to pass through the ceiling in, and in which it appears, was large enough for the child to fall through.  There were four children, the youngest 20 months of age.  Mrs. Vroman had just taken the lid off  the boiler and emptied there from a bucket of water, and left the lid off the same intending immediately to use the balance of the water. Unfortunately, and to her utter horror, ere this was accomplished, her little boy Freddie, fell through the aperture above, down into the boiling water below.  From this time Mrs. Vroman is unconscious of what transpired, or how she rescued her child.  She has no recollection of how she went to work to get it out, or how long it took to do so. It seems that the child caught with its hand and chin on the sides of the boiler, from the way it was scalded. Only a portion of the face and arms being burnt. Around its neck, body and portion of its head, it was badly and evidently fatally scalded.  Her own hands and arms were also badly burned in the rescue. She remembers of stripping its clothes in great haste, and applying to the scaled portions of its body the only thing that she could command that might alleviate the suffering, flour. The accident must have happened around 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Mr. Vankirk happened to learn of the affair in some way who immediately summoned Mr. Vroman from his work, and informed the community of the accident.  Every assistance in the power of our citizens was done, but the little fellow was beyond human aid. He lingered in great suffering until between one and two o’clock the next morning, when he peacefully and quietly passed away to that brighter and happier land prepared by Him who said “Suffer the little children to come to me”.
That those so young, beautiful, innocent and pure as little Freddie should be so suddenly and unaccountably torn from the hearts of idolizing parents is to us the  most incomprehensible of all His mysterious ways.

March 6,1873 Pioneer

Died at the residence of Judge Moorehead, Ida County, February 28,1873, Mrs. Mary A. Good, in the 90th year of age.
For more than sixty years she was a consistent communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church, ever careful of the duties she owed her God, her church and those around her; understanding and practicing in a full scriptural sense the charity of the Bible, forgiving all things, hoping all things, condemning none.

March 6,1873 Pioneer

Mr. Isaac Bunn has shown us a letter from his father in Douglas twp. which gives the particulars of the sudden death of Mrs. T.W. Kissinger.  About half past seven o’clock p.m. on Friday, the 28th, she had just finished cleaning the floor when she sat down in a chair by the stove, and all of a sudden she exclaimed “My God” and then she fell to the floor and died immediately.
Mrs. Kissinger had been married to her present husband a little over two years; was about 21 years of age, and had been apparently in good health up to the moment of her demise. She leaves a little baby about 5 months old, in feeble health, to the tender mercy of her relatives and friends.

May 15,1873 Pioneer

Married at the residence on Saturday May 10, by A.O. West esq., Mr. Jerome Mead of Lyon County, Iowa and Miss L.V. Shaw of this county.

 August 7,1873 Pioneer

W.J. Wagoner, of Kenosha County Wisconsin, died at his residence in that place, on Sunday, July 13, aged 79 years. He was born in Fulton County, NY in 1794, from which place he removed at an early age to Madison County. After serving in the war of 1812, while yet a boy in years, he removed to Sundusky County, Ohio, where he resided a number of years, and where his son W.J. was born. He afterwards removed to Kenosha County, Wisconsin, where he remained till the time of his death.  He had four sons, three of whom died in the army and two daughters.   W.J Wagoner, of Ida Grove and his sister, Miss Priscella, are the only survivors.  Deceased was an old whig and original Abolitionist, and voted for Birney, the first Abolition candidate for President.

August 28,1873 Pioneer

Rev. H. Bailey’s little daughter, Ruth died Tuesday morning at 7 o’clock, aged 14 months. The funeral took place at 5 o’clock Tuesday evening.

September 25,1873 Pioneer

Born to Mr. and Mrs. L.M. Baker, on September 20th, a son.

November 6,1873 Pioneer

Arrived-another advocate of Women’s Rights on Saturday last, at Mrs.   Frank Barne’s.  Ten pounds.  She will probably follow the ways of the world, take to the bottle first and then stamps.  Thanks to our county, but few stamps are to be found.

December 18,1873 Pioneer

Died on Thursday, at 3 o’clock p.m. December 4, of dropsy of the heart, Mrs. Susan Alvira Vroman, consort of William H. Vroman in her 31st year.
Mrs. Vroman has for years been subject to this disease, being conscious that she was at almost any time liable to its fatal attack.  Notwithstanding which she seemingly enjoyd moderately good health and spirits up to the time of the loss of her little boy, Freddie, last spring.  Having lived a Christian life, within the pales of the M.E. Church, since she was 15 years old, she struggled nobly under this sad visitation, but never up to the hour of her death fully recovered from the affliction.  Her last illness lasted from Saturday November 30 to Thursday, December 4,1873. On the morning of her death she was able to sit up in bed and attend to her toilettes, but at an hour named by an angel came after her and took her to the other side to claim her boy Freddie.  But for the loved ones left behind, her husband,  it was not joyous.
Mrs. Vroman although a comparatively new settler, was known and is mourned by a large circle of acquaintances, whose love she commanded by her womanly and Christian virtues, but her loss is more deeply and irreparably felt by her children, who have the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community.