Obituaries
Obituaries -
1940-1950
~~~~~~~~
1944
BYLSTRA, JOHN G.
The Gordon Journal, October 12, 1944
John G. Bylstra was born in Woterswolde, Tro-Friesland,
Netherlands, Europe, on the 6th day of December, 1851 and
died in Gordon on October 5, 1944 at the age of 92 years,
9 months, 29 days. He remained in the Netherlands until
1888. There he did some farming and preaching under the
teachings of the Dutch Reformed Church. In the summer of
1888 he came to the United Stated, first to Rotterdam, N.
Y. and then to Cherry County. Accompanying him to the
States was a sister fourteen years younger than himself.
He took a homestead in the Pole Creek valley which he
later sold to Mr. Walter Vollintine. In 1904 he filed on
a Kinkaid homestead. For the past two years he had been
in failing health and had made his home at the Gordon
General Hospital. Mr. Bylstra joined the Methodist Church
and continued his religious work and teachings. He never
married and died leaving no nearer relatives than nieces
and nephews. Funeral services were held at the Methodist
Church on Saturday afternoon with the Rev. H. C. Johnson
in charge. Burial was made in the Gordon Cemetery.
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
~~~~~
FAIRHEAD, MARGARET ALICE SNOW
The Gordon Journal, October 12, 1944
Margaret Alice Snow Fairhead was born in Sullivan, Ind.,
May 18, 1865 and passed away Friday October 6, 1944 in
Gordon, Nebraska, at he age of 79 years, 4 months and 18
days. On November 23, 1884 she was married to Gideon A,
Waggoner of Sullivan, Ind. they came to Nebraska with the
second Scamshorn Colony and settled on a homestead south
of Gordon. Later they moved to Wood Lake, Nebraska. On
September 15, 1913 Mr. Waggoner was killed in a car
accident. This union was blessed with nine children, four
having died in infancy. On November 24, 1920 she was
married to Joe Fairhead, a business man in Gordon. She
united with the First Presbyterian Church of Gordon
October 2, 1932. Having preceeded her in death are her
husband, Mr. Joe Fairheard and two daughters; Miss
Frances Waggoner and Mrs. Grace Brown. Surviving are
three children*, Mrs. Chloe Applegate of Jay Em, Wyoming,
and Hazel Turnquist of Wood Lake, Nebraska; two sisters,
Mrs. H. D. Keene of Venice, California, and Mrs. Wm.
Hancock of Sullivan, Ind.; 9 grandchildren and other
relatives and friends. Funeral services were held at the
Presbyterian Church on Sunday afternoon with the Rev. S.
A. Hanke in charge. Burial was made in the Gordon
Cemetery. *Only two children are listed in the obituary,
Chloe and Hazel.
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
~~~~~
METZGER, LOUIS STOEHR
The Gordon Journal, October 12, 1944
Louisa Stoehr Metzger was born July 28, 1874 at Delavan,
Ill., and passed away at Merriman, Nebraska September 29,
1944 at the age of 70 years, two months and one day. At
the age of 8 she came with her parents to Cedar Creek,
Nebraska, where she grew to womanhood. In her childhood,
she was baptized in the Lutheran Church. She was married
to Marion O. Metzger July 11, 1895. She and her husband
resided on a farm at Cedar Creek, Nebraska until in May
1902 when they moved to a ranch about 10 miles northwest
of Merriman, Nebraska. Here she endured the privations of
the early settlers and reared her family. After living 40
years on the ranch, they moved to the village of Merriman
where Mrs. Metzger spent the rest of her days. Her life
wasn't given to literary, social achievements, but her
greatest joy was in helping others. She was the kind of a
mother who's heart was filled with devotion to her
family. She is survived by her husband, Marion O.
Metzger; two sons, C. Byron and Paul K. Metzger; seven
grandchildren, Louise, Arthur, Newell, Marilyn, Nelson,
Rosalie, and Patricia. One daughter, Vida, preceded her
in death. Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Kate
Peterson and Mrs. Alice Fornoff, both of Louisille,
Nebraska; several neices and nephews, and a host of
friends. Funeral services were held on Sunday afternoon,
September 24 at the Presbyterian Church, and burial made
in Gordon Cemetery.
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
~~~~~
MADDOX, LELAND CLAIRE
The Gordon Journal, November 2, 1944
Leland Claire Maddox was born April 6, 1930, at Gordon,
Nebraska, and passed away October 25, 1944, having lived
all the short, joyous days of his life in the house where
he was born. Claire was a Boy Scout. He loved Scouting
and was often called upon to lead in giving the pledge.
The promise, "On my honor I will do my best, to do
my duty to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law:
To help other people at all times; To keep myself
physically strong, mentally awake and morally
straight", was lived by him. He was a member of the
Freshman Class in High School. Eager to learn, he liked
school and was interested in athletics. His was a cheery
disposition. In his short life he had learned that the
secret of happiness was to serve joyously. Not just one
good turn but many, was his version of the scout rule. He
leaves to mourn his father and mother; three sisters,
Mrs. Margaret Maquire, Gretna, Nebraska; Audra and
Geraldine, Gordon, Nebraksa; one brother, Otis Maddox,
Clay Pool, Arizona; a grandmother, Mrs. P. P. Henderson,
Tilden, Nebraska; other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services were held in the Methodist Church in
Gordon on Saturday afternoon, with the Rev. H. C. Johnson
in charge and burial was made in the Gordon Cemetery.
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
~~~~~
TRUEBLOOD, JESSE
The Gordon Journal, November 2, 1944
Jesse Trueblood was born in Sullivan County, Indiana,
February 23, 1884. He was the youngest son of Sarah and
Jesse Trueblood and the devoted brother of Jennie,
Minnie, Ira and Ben Trueblood. Jesse's father came to
this section of the country from Indiana with the
Scamahorn Colony in March 1884. The family came the
following fall and took a homestead 2 1/2 miles west of
Gordon. After several years on the homestead the family
moved to a ranch in the South Hills, now known as the
Swigert ranch. Jesse worked at odd times for the Standard
Cattle Company, the 101 Ranch and others who had large
cattle interests situated in their locality, but mostly
he stayed on the home ranch. His responsibility and
devotion to his family and home always came first. This
was true of Jesse as a boy and young man and later as a
husband and father. In 1900 the Trueblood family traded
the South Sandhill ranch to Frank Hummel and Medill
Swigert for the livery Barn in Gordon, then located where
Martin Johnson's Implement Store now stands. This Livery
Service (horse and buggy days) the Trueblood brothers
operated until 1918. During this period, the only means
which Doctors and Salesmen had of traveling within a
radius of one hundred miles north and south, was by team.
In all kinds of weather and all depths of snow, Jesse,
Ira and Ben took their customers to their destinations.
Many a home is grateful fo the hardship which the
Trueblood Brothers and Frank Hummel endured to bring a
Doctor to their far distant homes. After selling the
Liver Barn in 1918, Jesse went for himself in the sheep,
cattle and horse business and leased the Beck Ranch,
southeast of gordon, which he later purchased and built a
lovely modern home.
For several years he was associated
with the Omaha Horse and Mule Company of South Omaha, and
was known in the Dakotahs, Nebraska, and Wyoming as one
of the most outstanding horse buyers in the country. He
had the reputation of never forgetting a horse he had
once rejected. In 1911 Jesse became a member of the
Masonic Lodge of Gordon, Nebraska, with which he was
associated until his death October 24, 1944. Many hours
of time were spent in the hayloft of the Livery Barn,
learning and being taught the Masonic work. He was
initiated into the Masonic Lodge in the old Tin Hall,
which stood where the new Masonic Hall now stands. On
February 9th, 1920, he was married to Bonnie Cochran, at
Long Beach, California. Jesse and Bonnie returned to
Gordon and vicinity and made their home. To this union
two daughters were born, Mrs. Sanford Englander, of Los
Angeles, California, and Joan Trueblood.
The death of Jesse Trueblood leaves
memories of kindness, generosity and goodfellowship to
Bonniy, his wife, Betty and Joan, his two daughters;
Lawrence Jesse, his grandson, Mrs. Cap Hill, a sister;
Benjamin Trueblood, a brother; and numerous nieces and
nephews. The mother and father, one sister, Jennie, and a
brother, Ira, proceded him in death. To his friends,
which numbered all who know him, the memory of a
"Regular Fellow" will stay long and sincerely.
Our Community has lost a sterling Western Character, a
good business man and a gentleman. Funeral serveces were
held at the Masonic Temple on Friday afternoon and burial
was made in the Gordon Cemetery.
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
~~~~~~~~~~
1949
GWYNN, LA VERN (NERN)
Gordon Nebt -1949
La Verne Nern GWYNN, was born in vermillion, S. D.,
September 23, 1898, and departed this life July 29, 1949,
at Gordon, Nebr., at the age of 50 years, 10 months and
six days. Her parents moved with her to New Castle,
Nebr., and then at 13 years of age to the ranch south of
Gordon. In 1914 she was united in marriage to Frank
Gwynn; to this union were born four children. The last 11
years of her life she lived with her parents where she
was residing at the time of her death. There is left to
mourn her passing her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs.
Felix Nern; her brother, Lee Meyers; three sisters, Mrs.
Chester Skanadore, Mrs. Orin Slater, and Mrs. Harry
Baker; her husband, Frank Gwynn, and her four children as
follows: Mrs. John Kearns of Rushville, Nebr., Fay Gwynn,
James Gwynn and Charles Gwynn, a step-son, all of Cody,
Nebr. and Miss Nina Gwynn of Gordon, Nebr., six
grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were conducted at
the Church of God Monday, August 1. Rev. R. A. Germany
officiated and interment was made at the Gordon Cemetery.
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
Back
This page was last
updated on
Tuesday, 10-Mar-2009 20:10:17 MDT
|