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A.N. Wilson drowns while swimming in a flooded draw

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One of the most tragic accidents that has occurred in this county for many years took place in Catherton precinct, 16 miles northwest of Red Cloud Sunday afternoon, shortly after four o’clock. Albert N. Wilson and a young man by the name of Ole Iverson went bathing in a pond that had been constructed by the damming of a draw. The water was 15 feet deep and about 40 across. They had not been in the water long before Mr. Wilson was heard to give a cry for help and at the same time was seen to throw his arms widely into the air and then sink from view. Young Iverson, at once surmising that the swimmer had been stricken with cramps, immediately went to the rescue, but the struggling man proved too heavy for the younger one and he was forced to abandon him, after he himself was nearly drowned in his efforts to lend assistance. Other help was then secured, and a rope was tied around young Iverson and he made for the place where the body had disappeared. He made a heroic effort to dive and reach the man whose life was, or had already  passed away, but without avail. When he came to the surface blood was running from his nostrils and but for the rope about him he would have never reached the shore. Work was then begun to break the dam and drain the pond, but this consumed time and it was an hour before a sufficient amount of water had escaped to permit of recovering the body. Of course life was then entirely extinct but doctors had been summoned both from Bladen and Red Cloud and they worked with the man in a vain attempt to start a spark of respiration. It was a sad ending of a prosperous life. The funeral was held from the home Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Priestly of Bladen. It was the largest funeral ever witnessed in the history of Webster County, the first of the procession reaching the cemetery one mile distant before the last had left the residence.

Albert N. Wilson was born in Frederick county, Virginia November 9, 1856. In 1877 he came to Webster county and settled in the southern part of Catherton precinct but a few years later purchased a farm 6 1/2 miles from Bladen. On October 29, 1855, he was married to Mary Robinson, who now survived him, and with three children, Vera, Maud and Kenneth, mourns the untimely departure of a true husband and kind father. He also leaves an aged father, two sister and three brothers.

Source:
The Webster County Argus
1902 

Clarence H. Wilson Obituary

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Clarence Wilson aged about 75 years dropped dead suddenly in the Inavale Pool Hall last evening, death attributed to a heart attack.

Clarence H. Wilson was born in Frederick County, Virginia, February 14, 1855, and died at Inavale, July 15, 1930 age 75 years.

He came to Nebraska as a young man in September, 1877, and purchased the farm six miles north Inavale where he spent the remainder of his life, living continuously on this place for more than half a century. When he came here, there was no railway town nearer than Hastings, and the country was yet undeveloped.

Mr. Wilson was eminently fitted by temperament and physical hardihood for pioneer life, and it was men like him who made the wilderness into a garden. In the hardships and privations incident to the life of a pioneer he developed a keen sympathy of mutual understanding of his neighbors and friends.

He was united in marriage to Amanda E. Brooks, February 6, 1887, and three children came to bless their home, Raymond, Gladys and Chester.

He took his bride to the home he had prepared and for more than thirty years they shared the joys and sorrows of pioneer life and rearing their children. Mrs. Wilson’s death on May 2, 1917 was the first shadow that fell on their happy home and was a blow from which he never recovered.

Mr. Wilson was not only a pioneer in this community but was in many respects the founder of this neighborhood. It was largely through his efforts and those of his good wife that the New Virginia Church was organized and later the building erected.

His passing marks the end of the original settlers in the New Virginia neighborhood, he being the last of that group who came from Virginia in the seventies.

Funeral services were held in the home and at the New Virginia Church.

Death of R.T. Payne

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The many friends of Uncle Dick Payne were surprised to learn of his death during Sunday night. The previous day he had visied his son and though he seemed in usual health, complained of not feeling very well. This was the last seen of him alive. During Monday his son called at the house and found him lying dead in his bed. The open Bible and his spectacles were upon the table as he had left them upon retiring for the night, when he laid down to his last long sleep. Death had come without warning during his slumber, and he passed away gently and peacefully.

Richard Thornton Payne was born in Loudoun County, Va., March 28, 1828, was married Dec. 10, 1849 to Sarah A. Scrivner who preceded him to the heavenly land in 1891, and with whom he had lived for forty years. Mr. Payne was a great reader of the old family Bible and a member of the church since 1855. He leaves six children, one daughter who lives in Virginia, Mrs. Finley Hale, in Missouri; one son, Bruce, is a soldier in the Philippine Islands serving in the First Nebraska, and one son, F.E.

Payne, and two daughters, Mrs. A.A. Cooper and Mrs. Noah Harvey, at his late Nebraska home, and a host of friends to mourn his demise.

The funeral service was conducted by Rev. A.G. Blackwell at the New Virginia school house and the remains were followed to the cemetery by a large concourse of relatives and friends.

F.E. Payne Obituary

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F.E. Payne was born in Frederick county, Virginia, September 23, 1850 and was aged 66 years, 8 months and 16 days.

He received a common school education in his native state, and at the age of twenty-two years he began life for himself as a farmer, following that occupation with success in Virginia until 1877, when he came to Nebraska, homesteading on 320 acres in Catherton township, where he continued to reside until the time of his death.

He took an active part in local and state politics, and in 1914 was chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee.

Mr. Payne was always ready and willing to take an interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare and advancement of the state, county and community, and during the past winter he devoted much time to the Federal Road Act.

He was a man possessing all the qualities of a gentleman, kind and loving father, and husband, a good neighbor and an upright christian man, having been a member of the Baptist church for many years.

In July, 1881 he was united in marriage to Mrs. Vernie clutter, to this union was born one daughter, Wilella, now Mrs. C.M. Wilson. Mrs. Payne preceeded him to the great beyond in the year of 1885.

He is survived by one daughter, four grand children, one brother and three sisters.

Funeral services were conducted at the New Virginia church Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock by Rev. R.B.E. Hill of McCool, and was largely attended by neighbors and friends of deceased, and the remains were laid to rest in the new Virginia cemetery.

F.E. Payne Will Be Buried Sunday

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As announced in these columns on Wednesday evening, F.E. Payne had just been found dead in his field, where he had been plowing and the following obituary is taken from yesterday’s issue of the Red Cloud Chief:

“The deceased was born in Frederick county, Virginia, September 23, 1850 and was aged 66 years, 8 months and 16 days.”

“He received a common school education in his native state, and at the age of twenty-two years he began life for himself as a farmer, following that occupation with success in Virginia until 1877, when he came to Nebraska, homesteading on 320 acres in Catherton township, where he continued to reside until the time of his death.”

“He took an active part in local and state politics, and in 1914 was chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee.”

“Mr. Payne was always ready and willing to take an interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare and advancement of the state, county and community, and during the past winter he devoted much time to the Federal Road Act.”

“He was a man possessing all the qualities of a gentleman, kind and loving father, and husband, a good neighbor and an upright christian man, having been a member of the Baptist church for many years.”

“In July, 1881 he was united in marriage to Mrs. Vernie Clutter, to this union was born one daughter, Wilella, now Mrs. C.M. Wilson. Mrs. Payne preceeded him to the great beyond in the year of 1885.”

“He is survived by one daughter, four grand children, one brother and three sisters.”

Funeral services will be held in the New Virginia church in Catherton precinict on Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock in charge of Revs. Hummel and Hill.