Brokken, George 1896 – 1913

BROKKEN

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 8/8/2020 at 09:45:10

Source: Cresco Plain Dealer Aug. 22, 1913, P-2, C-4

George Brokken Killed by Lightning
During the severe electrical storm Friday Aug. 8th George Brokken, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. T. Brokken, was instantly killed by lightning. The sad affair happened about 1:30 in the afternoon while the young man was engaged pitching bundles from a wagon near a stack of grain in the field and came with such tremendous force that part of his clothing and one shoe was entirely torn from from{sic} his body. The day was unusually crowded with electrical storms, threatening clouds fol¬lowing each other and every one of them full of thunder and lightning. Stacking had been suspended and together with some of his brothers he had gone to throw off a few remaining bundles on the wagon when from a comparatively small cloud came suddenly the fatal bolt to instantly claim his life.
George was born on his father’s farm west of here on June 17, 1896, hence he was only a little over 17 years old. After finishing the district school he entered the Harmony High School, and was at the time of his death a member of the junior class.—Harmony News.