Iowa Old Press


Paullina Times
Paullina, O'Brien co. Iowa
May 3, 1900

Mrs. H. L. Williams is very ill with pneumonia and doubts are held of her recovery. Dr. Cram of Sheldon was called Monday and consulted. A trained nurse is here from Chicago helping care for her. LATER - Mrs. Williams passed away this (Thursday) morning.

Mrs. Fr. Hoermann, accompanied by her brother, Theo. Breitbarth, departed last Friday for Chicago to attend the marriage of a relative.

Last Sunday just as the people were coming out of the church the sad news was brought that Father Joach Lange had died very suddenly a short time before. His wife and hired hand were at home while the rest of the family were at church. He had shaved and washed and dressed himself and then sat down in chair to take a sleep as he was used to do but he went to sleep never to wake again. Joach Fred Theodore Lange was born March 28, 1828 in Germany. He was the second youngest of five brothers. He was married on May 15, 1853. In 1861 came to Thornton, Illinois. In 1884 came to Caledonia township, O'Brien county, Iowa. He was buried Tuesday afternoon. A widow, two sons, two daughters, one brother and a number of grandchildren are left to mourn his death.

Mr. and Mrs. Herman Kramer are happy over the arrival of a bright baby girl born May 1st.

Mrs. J. D. Simpson of LeMars, formerly Miss Eva Mickley of this place, has won honors among the lady golf players of LeMars and Sioux City and has been awarded the championship. The Sioux City Journal gave her complimentary mention and produced her picture among others of note on last Saturday.

The noted Mrs. Streeter who was recently released from the jail at Cherokee after being on trail for procuring money through fraud, honored Paullina with her presence on Saturday and Sunday. She was accompanied by a lady from Marcus, and came here for the purpose, as she said, to look up a location for a hotel. The lady seems to have considerable confidence that she did not fleece all the O'Brien county suckers during her residence near Sutherland and Primghar and would like to return to old pastures green. There are a dozen or more who could be scalped here every week, and their names are readily found upon the depot platform after a shipment of goods from some of the Chicago "sure thing" houses. We did not learn whether she had decided upon coming here.

Uncle George Johnson Passes Away
The death of Uncle George Johnson occurred unexpectedly on Tuesday last at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Rachael Long, in Sutherland, after a serious illness of short duration. Mr. Johnson was recovering from an attack of pneumonia, and appeared to be out of danger on Tuesday morning. On rising to dress himself he weakened and expired in a moment while his breakfast was being prepared.

After a brief funeral service at the late home, the remains were brought here today, and a service was rendered at the Presbyterian church at 1:00 o'clock, Rev. McGinnis, pastor of the Christian church at Sutherland, Rev. H. E. Higbee now of Peterson, and Rev. Herron, pastor of the Presbyterian church here, being in charge. Rev. Higbee was a neighbor of deceased in the early days of O'Brien county's history and his remarks upon the character and life of the deceased were most touching. Many of the pioneer neighbors who had gone through the grasshopper times and other sieges shoulder to shoulder with Farther Johnson were present from all parts of the county, and they were visibly affected by the remarks of the pioneer minister. In his tribute to the departed Rev. Higbee took occasion to refer to the merciful disposition always shown by Mr. Johnson towards the needy, and the gracious hospitality always prominent at the Johnson home.

The interment took place at Prairie View Cemetery, where Mrs. Johnson, his wife is buried.

George Johnson was born at Scarborough, England, August 18, 1818. Died May 1, 1900, aged 81 years, 8 months and 13 days. In 1839 he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Wilson. They moved to New York in 1844, and 1855 moved to Cedar county, Iowa, coming then to O'Brien county in 1870 and making their home on a farm near where the town of Gaza now stands. Eleven children were born to them, seven sons and four daughters. Eight of the children survive. Mrs. Johnson passed away on February 27, 1885, at the age of over 62 years.

[transcribed by A.N., October 2015]

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