Iowa
Old Press
Progress Review
LaPort City, Black Hawk Co. Iowa
Thursday, March 1, 1928
Killed by Vicious Bull - Son-in-Law of Mrs. Mary
Bedenbender Meets Tragic Death
Mrs. Mary Bedenbender, her son-in-law and two daughters, Mr. and
Mrs. D.G. Baish, of this place, and Mrs. C.W. Graham, of Van
Horn, returned yesterday from Postville where they were called by
the tragic death of John C. Hecker, a son-in-law of Mrs.
Bedenbender. Mrs. Graham and her mother went on to the former's
home in Van Horn.
Particulars of the way in which Mr. Hecker met his death will
never be known as there was no witness. Sunday noon he had gone
into a lot where a thoroughbred bull was confined and when Mrs.
Hecker went out, about twenty minutes later, to call her husband
to dinner she found him dead. She entered the lot and went to her
husband but the animal showed no signs of molesting her. Judging
from the bruises on the body the bull must have struck his victim
in the stomach, causing such internal injuries that deat was
instantaneous.
Mr. Hecker operated a garage, service station and implement
business in Postville and he and his wife made their home on
their farm near that city. They had a herd of high grade dairy
cows and the bull that killed Mr. Hecker was awarded a premium at
the Iowa State fair last fall. The animal had never shown any
disposition to be ugly. mr. Hecker had driven home just before
noon Sunday and went out to look at his cattle while waiting for
the noon day meal. What followed can only be surmised. the body
was not trampled or mutilated in any way, only the ugly bruise
where he was struck showing the cause of his death.
Funeral service was held Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock from
the Presbyterian church in Postville and was in charge of the
Masonic lodge of which the deceased was a member and in which
order he had taken the highest degree. Surviving are the widow,
father, three brothers and one sister.
Mrs. Hecker was Miss Lena Bedenbender of this place. She was
married to John C. Hecker, August 29th, 1905. She has taught most
of the time since she was married, her last position being in the
Greene high school. She expects to have a sale and rent her farm.
She will probably return to school work for which she is
unusually well qualified.
[note: see March 22nd issue for obit]
Well Known Resident Dead
David L. Nutt, father of Mrs. ?.H. Nies of this place and one of
the older residents of the county, died at his home in Waterloo
Saturday morning after an illness of two years duration.
Prayer service was held from the late home at one-thirty o'clock
Tuesday afternoon and the body was then brought to the
Presbyterian church in La Porte City, where the funeral was held
at 2:15. The service was conducted by Rev. W.P. McCormick, pastor
of Westminister church in Waterloo, assisted by Rev. D.W. Morgan,
pastor of the Presbyterian church here.
David Luther Nutt was the son of Roldanzo and Caroline Nutt and
was born Jan. 8th, 1817, near Apalachia, N.Y. In March, 1861, his
parents came west and settled near Waterloo, being among the
pioneers of Black Hawk county. After living in that community for
twelve years he was married to Miss Mary Mayes in April, 1878,
and they established their home on a farm near La Porte City.
This was their home until they retired from the farm in 191? and
moved to an acreage at Waterloo.
Surviving are the widow and four children, Rolland, who lived at
home; Mrs. Nies of La Porte City; M.E. Nutt, Waterloo; R.D. Nutt,
Indianapolis. One brother, Frank Nutt and two grandchildren,
Ernest Nies and Daniel D. Nutt, all of La Porte City, also
survive.
Interment was made in West View cemetery.
Mrs. O.E. Kober's Sister Dead.
Mrs. O.E. Koher's youngest sister, Mrs. J.K. Meeks, died last
Saturday morning at three a.m., after a long illness. Death
occurred at the Meeks home near Mt. Auburn. The deceased had
never been strong and during the winter she suffered a severe
attack of rheumatism. For a time she was in one of the Waterloo
hospitals and was then taken to her home nar Mt. Auburn where she
was cared for by a nurse. Last week pneumonia developed and in
her weakened condition soon proved fatal.
Rose Louise Messer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Messer, was
born on a Tama county farm, March 30, 1883. she grew to young
womanhood in that community and in 1901 went with her parents to
Dysart. She was married to J.K. Meeks on December 25th, 1912, and
they established their home in Garrison where they lived for six
years, and in Atkins, Ia., for four years. Later they moved to
Buchanan, Cedar county, Ia., where they lived for four years,
before going to Mt. Auburn in 1927.
Left to mourn the untimely death of this estimable woman are the
husband and her two sisters, mrs. Kober of this place and Mrs.
Anna Lindeman of Dysart, three nieces and three nephews. her
father and mother and one sister preceeded her in death.
A short prayer service was held in the Meeks home, Tuesday
morning and the body was then taken to Dysart. Funeral service
was held in the Dysart Evangelical church of which deceased was a
member, Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock and interment was made
in the Dysart cemetery, Rev. W.C. Lang, Superintendent of The Old
Peoples Home of Cedar Falls, conducted the service. Rev. Lang was
pastor of the Evangelical church at Dysart for two years and was
a personal friend of the family.
--
-A.E. Park went to Des Moines Wednesday to attend the
Northwestern Iowa druggists convention and drug show.
-John Weltzin went to Savannah, Mo. last Saturday night to remain
a few days in a sanitarium there for treatment.
-Mrs. W.P. Mayes, of Vinton, was here Tuesday to attend the
funeral service held for David Nutt. The deceased was a
brother-in-law of the late W.P. Mayes.
-Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Sefton and daughter, of Mt. Auburn, who have
been in California during the winter months, will start home
shortly after the first of March.
-Mrs. Geo. Pauls, of Washington, Iowa, returned to her home
Saturday after a ten day visit in the home of her mother, Mrs.
Fannie Longaker, and other relatives and friends.
-Lawrence Cole, the twelve year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest
Cole, was brought home from the hospital at Waterloo, the last of
last week. He is making a rapid recovery from his recent
operation for appendicitis.
-Mr. and Mrs. Louie Schreiber are the parents of a daughter, born
last Friday morning. The little lady weighed seven and one-half
pounds and has been named Joan Emelia. This is the first child in
the Schreiber family.
--
Change Locations
Mr. and Mrs. John Young will move from their farm at the edge of
town to the residence of H.R. Halbfass on Chestnut street next
week. Mr. Halbfass and family will move into the home of the
former's father and the place being vacated by Mr. and Mrs. Young
will be occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Otto Wandschneider, who now
reside on a farm east of town. Mr. and Mrs. J.P. Hess, who have
been occupying the W.E. P. Mahood residence on Bishop Ave. will
move into the Roy E. Wagner residence on Third street. Mr. and
Mrs. Wagner and family will move into the residence they recently
purchased of Albert Anton on West Main street.
[transcribed by S.F., January 2006]
-----
Progress Review
LaPort City, Black Hawk Co. Iowa
March 22, 1928
John C. Hecker
The following obituary of John C. Hecker, whose tragic death was
narrated in the March first issue of this paper, was clipped from
the Postville Herald:[Allamakee co. IA]
John Christian Hecker was born in Postville, November 23, 1876,
and died at his home northwest of Postville, Sunday, February 26,
1928, aged a few months more than 52 years. He graduated from the
Postville High school with the class of 1892. On August 29, 1905,
he was united in marriage with Miss Lena Bedenbender, who
survives him, as do also his father, R.F. Hecker; two brothers,
Robert M., and Joseph Hecker, all of this city; and one sister,
Mrs. Josephine Moody of Excelsior, Minn. He has for a number of
years been associated with his father and brothers as a member of
the firm of R.F. Hecker & Sons, in the garage and machine
business.
The above is in brief the life story of a man whose entire span
of years was spent wholly in this city and was of so noble and
high a character as to need no encomiums at our hands. He was
honorable and upright, a man of intelligence, integrity and
industry, a good friend, neighbor and citizen, whose loss to this
community is one that will be sorely felt. With friends
innumerable we mourn his untimely passing and to those bound to
him by closer ties our hearts go out in sympathy as unbounded as
it is sincere.
The funeral was held from the Community presbyterian church at
two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, conducted by the Masonic
fraternity of which he was an honored member, Brother R.R.
Douglass of this city officiating for the local lodge. It was one
of the most largely attended funeral gatherings ever held in this
city and the floral offerings were profuse and beautiful, all
attesting the high place Mr. Hecker held in the hearts of a
community to whom his life was an open book. Interment was made
in Postville cemetery.
--
Infant Dies
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph McComb mourn the loss of an infant child,
Helen Lucile, born Monday of this week. The remains were taken to
Traccy, Ia., for interment. Mr. McComb works for Rollin Blough,
east of town. There are three other children in the family.
[transcribed by S.F., January 2006]