Iowa
Old Press
Page County Democrat
Clarinda, Page co. Iowa
December 10, 1908
George and Henry Dyke, two indigent twin brothers up at Hepburn,
were burned to death about seven o'clock this morning. The house
was a cheap affair, and the cause is unknown. George was a
pensioner and being sick Henry was caring for him. A singular
circumstance—they came into the world about the same time
and went out together. The coroner went up this morning.
[transcribed by L.Z., November 2016]
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unknown newspaper
Clarinda, Page co. Iowa
December 17, 1908
At an early hour last Thursday morning, two aged men, George and
Henry Dyke, were burned to death at Hepburn in a shanty they
occupied. The men were twins and were 79 years old and are said
to have been rather weak intellectually. They were sons of
Alexander Dyke who settled in an early day near the Nodaway, the
Dyke Bridge afterward being named for him. For sometime they
lived in a dug-out on the railroad right-of-way, but of late
George has lived with a Mr. Crane leaving Henry alone. Not long
ago the village gave Henry a quantity of lumber and he built a
shanty about 8x10, in which he lived.
One the night of the fire George was staying with his brother and
it is said that a person who has since disappeared, brought a
quantity of intoxicants to the shanty and it is thought the men
indulged freely. About 5 o’clock a. m., Fred Ramsey, a rural
route mail carrier, discovered the shanty to be on fire, and
attempted a rescue but found the inside a mass of flames and he
was helpless. The charred bodies of the unfortunate brothers were
found side by side.
The men were quiet and inoffensive in disposition. Henry served
in the 13th regiment in the Civil War.
[transcribed by L.Z., November 2016]
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Page County Democrat
Clarinda, Page co. Iowa
December 17, 1908
The funeral of George and Henry Dyke, the twin brothers who were
burned to death up at Hepburn last Thursday morning, took place
Saturday, at 2 p. m., at C. H. Oates undertaking rooms, conducted
by Rev. Abel, the G. A. R. Post taking part in the services, and
all that was left of their charred bodies were buried on the
Grand Army lot in the city cemetery. They were 71 years of age.
[transcribed by L.Z., November 2016]