Iowa Old Press

Akron Tribune
January 3, 1901

DIED.
WATERBURY—At the family residence in Akron, Iowa, on Sunday morning,
December 23, 1900, Henry Waterbury, at the age of 72 years, 10 months and 27
days.

After an illness covering a period of six weeks, during which time the
tenderest care was bestowed by a devoted wife and children, the soul of this
revered pioneer citizen took its flight to the realms of peace. It is a
matter of consolation to relatives and friends that his last days were not
attended with severe suffering and that dissolution came very easily, with
consciousness until near the end.

Such a life as Henry Waterbury’s is deserving of the highest tribute—always
upright and industrious, and imbued with a keen spirit of patriotism, which
was not found lacking in time of his country’s need; a man with whom the
home ties and family welfare were ever first and foremost in his thoughts,
but from whose presence there never turned away unheeded the deserving
needy. In his breast the balm of human kindness was ever sweet and ready to
pour out in copious sympathy to the common brotherhood on mankind. Of such a
life were written these fitting lines:

“None knew him but to love him.
None named him but to praise.”

Henry Waterbury was born at Pound Ridge, Westchester county, New York, On
January 21, 1828. Residing there until January, 1845, he removed with his
parents and their family to Norwalk, Conn. He then took up his residence at
Westport, that state, where he became acquainted with and married Jane E.
Brower, October 29, 1848, who survives him. They then moved to Ansonia,
Conn., and, during the next year, resided at Bridgeport and Westport. In
September, 1850, they moved to Norwalk, where they became converted to the
Christian religion, uniting with the M.E. church From Norwalk they went to
the home of his boyhood, Pound Ridge, N. Y., in 1851, residing there four
years, when they returned to Connecticut, locating at New Canaan. Here they
made their home until the opening of the Civil War, when he enlisted in
Company H, Seventeenth regiment of Connecticut volunteers, serving until the
close of the war and participating in the grand review. His wife and
children remained at Westport during the rebellion, but after his return
they again made their home at New Canaan. On April 22, 1867, Mr. and Mrs.
Waterbury and children started for the great west. Upon arriving at Denison,
Iowa, then they terminus of the railroad, they purchased an ox team and
continued their westward course across the broad, sparsely settled prairies
of Iowa. They reached the Big Sioux Valley on the 16ty day of May, 1867, and
took a homestead in Sioux Valley township, Union county, S.D., about two
miles northwest of Akron, which still remains in the family’s possession.
After living on the farm until March, 1880, they came to Akron, and for
three years he operated a boot and shoe store here. They again returned to
the farm, and, except for a brief period, resided there until the fall of
1889, when, on account of Mrs. Waterbury’s ill health, they made a three
months’ visit to Missouri and northern Arkansas. Upon returning they again
made Akron their home and have since remained here. To Mr. and Mrs.
Waterbury were born nine children, one daughter, Mary E. who died in May,
1877, and nine sons, Geo. W., of Woodburn, Ore., S.A., H.L., C.E., A.B.,
F.E., J.F., and Robert of Akron, each of whom were present at the time of
their father’s death.

The funeral was held at 2:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon, at the Akron M.E.
church, the services being conducted by Rev. Geo. Jones, of the Baptist
church, and Rev. L.A. McCaffree, a large number of friends attending. The
members of James Biddlecome post, G.A.R. and Plymouth lodge, No. 21,
I.O.O.F., to which orders deceased belonged, attended the services in a
body. Mr. Waterbury had been a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows for almost fifty-two years, and members of the two local lodges
marched in escort to the remains to the grave, where the impressive ritual
service of the order constituted the last rites for the departed brother.

SIOUX VALLEY ITEMS.
(Special Correspondence)

We wish all a Happy New Year.

Sigfred Fredall made trip to Nathland last Monday.

Henning Shouldberg is spending the holidays at home.

T. C. Squires and J. C. Hoyt returned from Nevada, Iowa, last Friday.

Chas. Carlson and W. A. Sherman were Sunday callers at W. E. Bonney’s.

There was a good turnout to the Christmas tree at Mt. Hope on Monday
evening.

We are indebted to the Tribune for a fine Christmas present, a Model
Commissary.

The snow came in time to allow old Kris Kringle to slide in his toys for the
little folks.

Mrs. Sarah Jenkins and daughter, Miss Lillie, ate Christmas dinner at T. J.
Reeves’.

Roy Johnson and wife, of Owego, Iowa, are spending the holidays with the
family of W. S. Dodd.

Solomon Johnson and wife ate their Christmas dinner with her parents at
Akron, Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Kidd.

The Mt. Hope Debating Society will meet next Saturday night to arrange for a
series of debates. Everybody is requested to be present and especially the
ladies.

A social party was held at Henry Smith’s Xmas night, dancing and other
amusements being indulged in until the wee small hours. The company departed
for their homes wishing each other many more Merry Christmases.

With the death of Henry Waterbury, Sr., last Sunday, this neighborhood and
Sioux Valley loses an old settler and neighbor who experienced all the
hardships and privations of pioneer life to carve out a home for his family,
a man who was a good neighbor and an honest, upright citizen. He was
respected by all and will be greatly missed.

A student from St. Peter, Minn., has been sent to preach temporarily for the
Swedish Lutheran people and held his first services at 5 o’clock on
Christmas morning. This early service is in accordance with an old country
custom and many who contemplated attending failed to get up in time. There
will be a Christmas tree at the church on Friday evening.

BOARD OF HEALTH ORDERS

At a special session of the Akron Board of Health the following orders were
promulgated for the safety of the general public and to prevent the further
spread of small-pox, a contagious disease, one case of which has appeared in
this township:
PUBLIC GATHERINGS PROHIBITED.
By order of the Local Board of Health of Akron, Plymouth County, Iowa:
Owing to the prevalence of Small Pox in this locality, all public meetings
and gatherings, such as churches, lodges, parties, socials, etc., within the
Incorporated Town of Akron, Iowa, are hereby ordered discontinued until
further notice.
Dated at Akron, Iowa, this 27th day of December, 1900.
Wm. Slaughter, President
Ray A. Smith, Clerk
~~~~~
ORDER FOR VACCINATION.
TO THE PUBLIC: Owing to the prevalence of Small Pox in Portland township,
Plymouth County, Iowa, notice is hereby given that all persons within the
Incorporated Town of Akron, Iowa, over the age of one year, who have not
heretofore been successfully vaccinated, must be vaccinated within ten days
from the 24th day of December, 1900. By order Board of Health of Akron,
Iowa.
Wm. Slaughter, President
Ray A. Smith, Clerk
~~~~~
VACCINATION NOTICE.
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: Each and every person within Portland township,
Plymouth County, Iowa, is hereby commanded to be Vaccinated at once. Upon
failure to comply with this order, you will be held amenable to the law.
By order of the Board of Health.
Dated December 24, 1900
G. C. Putnam, Trustee
W. W. Burrill, Trustee
C. A. Searls, Township Clerk
~~~~~
According to the Iowa statues the violation of rules and regulations made by
a local board of health is a criminal offense, and any person refusing or
neglecting to comply with such rules and regulations is liable to a fine of
Twenty Dollars for each day he refuses or knowingly fails, neglects or
refuses to make such compliance.

LeMars Sentinel
January 21, 1901

BLOWN TO PIECES
A Premature Explosion of Dynamite Kills Joseph Long
HE WAS WARMING THE STUFF
His Hands Were Blow Off, His Eye Torn From Its Socket and His Body Lacerated
with Jagged Wounds in a Dozen Different Pieces

Joseph Lang (sic-Long), a young man about twenty-one years of age, residing
in Lincoln township, was the victim of a shocking accident on Saturday
afternoon and forfeited his life two hours after its occurrence. The
unfortunate young man was literally cut to pieces by a premature explosion
of dynamite. His hands were blown off, his right eye torn from its socket,
his skull above crushed in near the right temple, and his chest, stomach and
abdomen punctured in a dozen different places with splinters of iron and
wood. He was alone in the kitchen of a house on the farm of P. Casper Sr.,
in Lincoln township, his brother Albert and another man being outside, at
the time the accident occurred.

Joseph Long has been employed in the well drilling business for the past two
years and has worked with Geo. P. Kounkel Jr. and his brother, Albert Long.
Mr. Kounkel went to South Dakota last week leaving the Long boys to finish a
well they were drilling on the Caspar farm. The day’s work progressed all
right until about three o’clock in the afternoon, when the appalling tragedy
occurred.

Joseph Long went into the kitchen of the house where there was a stove in
order to thaw out some sticks of dynamite, which they desired to use in
blasting. His brother, Albert, was outside attending to the team on the
horse power operating the well drilling machine and Horace Hay, a neighbor,
who had come over to see how well drilling was done and how dynamite
operated.

They heard a terrific explosion and rushing into the room saw a terrible
sight. Young Joseph Long was hobbling along the floor of the room on his
knees and the maimed stumps of his arms, his face and his body bleeding from
numerous cuts and wounds. The room looked as if a hurricane had struck it,
the stove had been blown into a million atoms and everything else to
smitherieens. Thirteen window lights in the room was knocked out and the
house jarred from foundation to roof.

The unfortunate young man was laid down on some quilts and later take to the
house of Will Rademacher and Dr. Berner and Dr. Nigg from Merrill were
summoned to attend him.

Dr. Berner arrived first but nothing could be done to save his life and only
slight alleviations of his pain was possible. He dying two hours after the
explosion. Albert Long, a brother of the deceased, was seen in LeMars on
Sunday morning by a Sentinel reporter. Albert was with his brother at the
time of the accident and in speaking of the affair said it was terrible. He
was naturally very much affected by the death of his brother and in relating
the circumstances which led to it said he could not account for it as his
brother was used to handling dynamite for the past few years and was always
very careful with it. He said at the time of the explosion he was out of
doors and had just measured the depth of the well and was going up to the
house to get the sticks of dynamite to attach to a wire to let down the hole
where they needed a blast. The force of the explosion threw him off his feet
and his first impression was that a windstorm had struck the place, as there
was such a rush and a roaring. He was staggered and half stunned but
recovering himself went with Hay, who was not hurt, into the house. Albert
said it was pitiable to see his brother, who, appearing perfectly rational
and conscious, did not seem to comprehend that he was mortally wounded. He
kept saying his hands were cold and his brother had to rub the mutilated
members about the elbow in order to give him relief until the doctor came.

Pieces of iron from the broken stove had penetrated his stomach and chest.

He attempted to walk and was on his knees when found. He lived long enough
to tell how he had just picked up the sticks of dynamite when an explosion
occurred. His arms below the elbows were blown to shreds and not a piece of
the maimed members could be found larger than a silver dime.

The explosion badly wrecked the house, which was a new one, bought last fall
by Mr. Caspar from Mr. Radamacher.

Mr. Caspar has had trouble in getting water and as Albert Long said on
Sunday they have been hoodood throughout the job, ending with the sad
culmination of the loss of his brother. The well was down about 100 feet and
boulders were encountered at various depths and the dynamite was used in
blasting those boulders out of the way.

Joseph Long was a hard working, industrious young man and was considered one
of the best boys in that section of the country. He was a hard worker and
greatly helped his mother since the death of his father some years ago. At a
dancing party only the other night he was one of the most jovial of the
guests and was always a great favorite socially.

His mother resides on a farm near Neptune and there are thirteen in the
family. Two of the sisters work at the Union hotel in this city, where they
have been for the past two years.

They were utterly prostrated at the news of the death of their brother and
have been under the care of Dr. Somers since.

The funeral will be held tomorrow at the Lincoln Township Cemetery.

DEATH OF MRS. ALLIN.
Mrs. Henry Allin died at her home on Tremont street, this city, on Friday
morning, at half past nine o’clock.

Mrs. Allin had been a sufferer for some years with catarrh and asthma and a
few weeks ago was laid low by a severe attack of the grip. These
complications baffled the skill of physicians, Mrs. Allin being in such
feeble condition as to offer but little resistance to her maladies.

The decedent was a native of England, having been born in Berkshire, April
4, 1836.

Mr. and Mrs. Allin have resided in LeMars for the past seventeen or eighteen
years and Mrs. Allin has endeared herself to many people by her goodness and
virtues. During her residence here she has been closely identified with good
works, being a member of the Episcopal church. She was one of the few
instrumental in establishing and maintaining a church of this denomination
in LeMars and for fourteen years has been deeply interested in and devoted
to Sunday school work.

Besides a husband, she leaves five daughters: Mrs. Geo. Mills, of Pelican
Rapids, Minn.; Mrs. Alex Adams, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Mrs. Chas.
Lever, of Leeds; Misses Agnes and Bertha Allin, of LeMars.

The funeral was held yesterday afternoon at St. George’s church, which was
crowded in respect to the memory of the deceased. Rev. S. C. Gaynor and Rev.
C. H. Goodman conducted the services and the remains were laid to rest in
the City Cemetery.

All her daughters were present at the end, excepting Mrs. Alex Adams, who
was unable to come on account of sickness in her own family.

LeMars Sentinel
January 24, 1901

Schedule of Bills Allowed by the Board of Supervisors at their January, A.D.
1901 Session:

COUNTY:
Otto Goettel, mdse – 12.00
J. H. Rippey, M.D., services and supplies for poor – 7.25
Chas. Weiland, mdse – 6.75
Mrs. C. Lancaster, nursing Mrs. Ewin, poor – 12.00

ROADS.
Wm. Paper, com on roads – 6.10
Thos. Adamson, com on roads – 5.00
L. H. Schulte, com on roads – 4.50