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William Henry Woods Jr.

Birth
Pekin, Tazewell County, Illinois, USA
Death
3 Dec 1893 (aged 29)
Washington County, Nebraska, USA
Burial
Fort Calhoun, Washington County, Nebraska, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Note: today the town in Washington County, NE is known as Fort Calhoun

#1 Printed in the Wednesday, December 6, 1893 Courier

Calhoun, Neb, Dec. 3—A sad accident happened about three miles southeast of here today. A party, including Mr. E.B. Burt and a friend by the name of William Woods of Omaha, came to Calhoun for a hung. Mr. Woods was trying to chase a rabbit out of an old tree stump, and while doing so laid his cocked gun against the stump. His dog was with him, and, in its excitement to get at the rabbit, knocked the gun from the stump. It exploded and the contents were emptied into Mr. Woods' thigh. Drs. Steward of Blair and Lee of Omaha were summoned. Mr. Woods died about 3:30 p.m., before the aid of physicians could be had. He leaves a wife and two children, who reside in Omaha. His parents live here.

#2 (same paper, Wednesday, December 6, 1893 Courier)

Attention Jr. O.U.A.M.

The funeral of our late deceased brother, William H. Woods, will take place tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock at Calhoun, Neb. Train leaves at Webster street depot at 1:15 p.m. All brothers are requested to attend.--A.H. Flint, Councilor

#3 Published in the Thursday, December 7, 1893 Pilot

FUNERAL OF W. H. WOODS, JR., Calhoun, Nebr., Dec. 5, 1893

The funeral of William H. Woods, Jr., who met his death by the accidental discharge of his gun last Sunday, was held here today from the Congregational church followed by many sorrowing friends and relatives. Deceased was buried under the auspices of the A.O.U.W. and the Junior O.U.A.M. of which he was an esteemed and beloved brother, a most ardent and untiring worker, always ready with a helping hand and a kind word, one who will be missed by a large circle of most dear friends. He also leaves a wife and two children to mourn his loss. C. SALTZMANN

#4 Our Sunday Sermon, printed by the Pilot, December 7, 1893

Some one says "the schools, the pulpit, and the press are the three bulwarks of our Republic." And so say we-uns. If you will add first the homes and mothers. From these, education, goodness, purity, holiness, loyalty must first come before school, pulpit or press can ever reach them.

On Sunday afternoon my invalid wife and I were sitting by the fire; three of our girls had gone to Sunday School and the wee one over to her sister's. We were congratulating ourself that after 14 days absolute rest, we should try to cut our own stove wood on the morrow, when somewhere 3:30 little Margaret came home and said "brother William has a flesh wound in his thigh. He is at the doctor's office and help has been telegraphed for when they will bring him to his sister's. Pa, don't fret and don't tell Ma." We tried to keep the secret and felt no alarm but finally thought it would be better to tell it before some one else came. But in less than thirty minutes came another messenger saying he was dead. He was the oldest of our eleven children and is the third one we have lost since coming to Ft. Calhoun.

He was born in Pekin, Ill., June 20, 1864, and was married to Bertha Rowe in Omaha, January 7, 1889. Besides his wife, he leaves two little children. He was a young man much larger than us, was of quick nervous temperament yet made many friends especially among the members of the workingmen.

For years the Saltsman boys, of Garryowen and our son have been like members of one family. It was Monday morning when his wife and the members of the lodge arrived in Calhoun. Notary E. N. Grennel decided that no inquest was necessary. All day Monday people came and offered us kindness, words of condolence and sympathy.

Governor Crounse, who has been laid up in Omaha with grip for the past ten days, as soon as he read the morning papers immediately sent a letter of condolence and a substantial favor.

Tuesday afternoon near about forty members of the U.P. Lodge, 17 A.O.U.W. and the Junior Order of Omaha, bringing their beautiful banner and a large anchor of flowers. Also Mr. and Mrs. Frank Spencer with the Rev. Nicholas of the Seward street M.E. church, Omaha, and flowers.

We could not write tonight with the sorrow in our heart; with the thought of these little ones that the mother must meet tomorrow, and hear their questioning cry, "why don't papa come?" were it not for the people that from the far side of Omaha to DeSoto who have mingled their tears with ours, and not only wept with us but have relieved us of nearly every task. They have ran our errands, they have relieved our family of a large share of the cooking and in a hundred different ways rendered valuable assistance. The Omaha lodges furnished the casket, the hearse and the carriages and even the flag to drape the coffin; the flag the stars and stripes under which we were still serving the hour our boy was born. The Congregational people furnished and arranged the church, the young people arranged a choir, Mr. Grenne, superintended the digging of the grave. To all these and all others who we have not space to mention, we can only say for "All this" and our family we wish to return our heartfelt thanks and hope that no sorrow may come to you for many, many days to come. We are glad to say that his death was painless, and except for the paleness he had the appearance of having gone to sleep with a faint smile on his face. All his brothers and sisters were here except one sister in Bancroft, who, on account of poor health and her little ones, we "personally" did not think it best to send for. Rev. Nichols, who is a lay brother and employed during the week in the U.P. general offices, preached an excellent sermon. We also received a letter tonight from our son's old-time employer and our long __?____ friend, William Fleming of Omaha, who has become prosperous as a merchant and a loved member of many charity organizations, yet who has seen much sorrow in the 23 years of our acquaintance, and he, too, sends substantial aid Wednesday morning. Our daughter-in-law and her sister returned to Omaha and she would desire to express her special thanks to the persons who brought her husband from the bottoms and who so carefully preserved his watch and all his personal effects and returned them to her, and to Doctor Pettengill and the Blair physician that responded so quickly to the dispatches. W. H. WOODS. #5 also from The Pilot, December 7, 1893 Readers of The Pilot will all sympathize with our mutual friend and worker, Bro. Woods, of Fort Calhoun, in the great family affliction that has fallen upon him during the past week. His eldest son, W. H., Junior, was suddenly stricken down in the pride and strength of youthful manhood, and almost without notice brought back a corpse to that home from which he emerged but a few years since to make his own way in life. He was killed by the accidental discharge of his own gun while out hunting in the bottoms not far from his father's home. Mr. Wood's letters have long since become household words to Pilot readers, but his letter this week will be read with more than usual interest as it recalls the painful facts, and will inspire the tenderest most heartfelt sympathies for that grey-haired father and mother and the equally bereaved wife and little ones. May all our readers meet life's afflictions with as much fortitude as does our friend, W. H. Woods.

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~
Note: today the town in Washington County, NE is known as Fort Calhoun

#1 Printed in the Wednesday, December 6, 1893 Courier

Calhoun, Neb, Dec. 3—A sad accident happened about three miles southeast of here today. A party, including Mr. E.B. Burt and a friend by the name of William Woods of Omaha, came to Calhoun for a hung. Mr. Woods was trying to chase a rabbit out of an old tree stump, and while doing so laid his cocked gun against the stump. His dog was with him, and, in its excitement to get at the rabbit, knocked the gun from the stump. It exploded and the contents were emptied into Mr. Woods' thigh. Drs. Steward of Blair and Lee of Omaha were summoned. Mr. Woods died about 3:30 p.m., before the aid of physicians could be had. He leaves a wife and two children, who reside in Omaha. His parents live here.

#2 (same paper, Wednesday, December 6, 1893 Courier)

Attention Jr. O.U.A.M.

The funeral of our late deceased brother, William H. Woods, will take place tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock at Calhoun, Neb. Train leaves at Webster street depot at 1:15 p.m. All brothers are requested to attend.--A.H. Flint, Councilor

#3 Published in the Thursday, December 7, 1893 Pilot

FUNERAL OF W. H. WOODS, JR., Calhoun, Nebr., Dec. 5, 1893

The funeral of William H. Woods, Jr., who met his death by the accidental discharge of his gun last Sunday, was held here today from the Congregational church followed by many sorrowing friends and relatives. Deceased was buried under the auspices of the A.O.U.W. and the Junior O.U.A.M. of which he was an esteemed and beloved brother, a most ardent and untiring worker, always ready with a helping hand and a kind word, one who will be missed by a large circle of most dear friends. He also leaves a wife and two children to mourn his loss. C. SALTZMANN

#4 Our Sunday Sermon, printed by the Pilot, December 7, 1893

Some one says "the schools, the pulpit, and the press are the three bulwarks of our Republic." And so say we-uns. If you will add first the homes and mothers. From these, education, goodness, purity, holiness, loyalty must first come before school, pulpit or press can ever reach them.

On Sunday afternoon my invalid wife and I were sitting by the fire; three of our girls had gone to Sunday School and the wee one over to her sister's. We were congratulating ourself that after 14 days absolute rest, we should try to cut our own stove wood on the morrow, when somewhere 3:30 little Margaret came home and said "brother William has a flesh wound in his thigh. He is at the doctor's office and help has been telegraphed for when they will bring him to his sister's. Pa, don't fret and don't tell Ma." We tried to keep the secret and felt no alarm but finally thought it would be better to tell it before some one else came. But in less than thirty minutes came another messenger saying he was dead. He was the oldest of our eleven children and is the third one we have lost since coming to Ft. Calhoun.

He was born in Pekin, Ill., June 20, 1864, and was married to Bertha Rowe in Omaha, January 7, 1889. Besides his wife, he leaves two little children. He was a young man much larger than us, was of quick nervous temperament yet made many friends especially among the members of the workingmen.

For years the Saltsman boys, of Garryowen and our son have been like members of one family. It was Monday morning when his wife and the members of the lodge arrived in Calhoun. Notary E. N. Grennel decided that no inquest was necessary. All day Monday people came and offered us kindness, words of condolence and sympathy.

Governor Crounse, who has been laid up in Omaha with grip for the past ten days, as soon as he read the morning papers immediately sent a letter of condolence and a substantial favor.

Tuesday afternoon near about forty members of the U.P. Lodge, 17 A.O.U.W. and the Junior Order of Omaha, bringing their beautiful banner and a large anchor of flowers. Also Mr. and Mrs. Frank Spencer with the Rev. Nicholas of the Seward street M.E. church, Omaha, and flowers.

We could not write tonight with the sorrow in our heart; with the thought of these little ones that the mother must meet tomorrow, and hear their questioning cry, "why don't papa come?" were it not for the people that from the far side of Omaha to DeSoto who have mingled their tears with ours, and not only wept with us but have relieved us of nearly every task. They have ran our errands, they have relieved our family of a large share of the cooking and in a hundred different ways rendered valuable assistance. The Omaha lodges furnished the casket, the hearse and the carriages and even the flag to drape the coffin; the flag the stars and stripes under which we were still serving the hour our boy was born. The Congregational people furnished and arranged the church, the young people arranged a choir, Mr. Grenne, superintended the digging of the grave. To all these and all others who we have not space to mention, we can only say for "All this" and our family we wish to return our heartfelt thanks and hope that no sorrow may come to you for many, many days to come. We are glad to say that his death was painless, and except for the paleness he had the appearance of having gone to sleep with a faint smile on his face. All his brothers and sisters were here except one sister in Bancroft, who, on account of poor health and her little ones, we "personally" did not think it best to send for. Rev. Nichols, who is a lay brother and employed during the week in the U.P. general offices, preached an excellent sermon. We also received a letter tonight from our son's old-time employer and our long __?____ friend, William Fleming of Omaha, who has become prosperous as a merchant and a loved member of many charity organizations, yet who has seen much sorrow in the 23 years of our acquaintance, and he, too, sends substantial aid Wednesday morning. Our daughter-in-law and her sister returned to Omaha and she would desire to express her special thanks to the persons who brought her husband from the bottoms and who so carefully preserved his watch and all his personal effects and returned them to her, and to Doctor Pettengill and the Blair physician that responded so quickly to the dispatches. W. H. WOODS. #5 also from The Pilot, December 7, 1893 Readers of The Pilot will all sympathize with our mutual friend and worker, Bro. Woods, of Fort Calhoun, in the great family affliction that has fallen upon him during the past week. His eldest son, W. H., Junior, was suddenly stricken down in the pride and strength of youthful manhood, and almost without notice brought back a corpse to that home from which he emerged but a few years since to make his own way in life. He was killed by the accidental discharge of his own gun while out hunting in the bottoms not far from his father's home. Mr. Wood's letters have long since become household words to Pilot readers, but his letter this week will be read with more than usual interest as it recalls the painful facts, and will inspire the tenderest most heartfelt sympathies for that grey-haired father and mother and the equally bereaved wife and little ones. May all our readers meet life's afflictions with as much fortitude as does our friend, W. H. Woods.

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

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  • Created by: MrsB
  • Added: Mar 29, 2021
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/225088948/william_henry-woods: accessed ), memorial page for William Henry Woods Jr. (20 Jun 1864–3 Dec 1893), Find a Grave Memorial ID 225088948, citing Fort Calhoun Cemetery, Fort Calhoun, Washington County, Nebraska, USA; Maintained by MrsB (contributor 47910340).