Tribune, Feb. 10, 1915

The little six-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Anderson, died at the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jensen, in Dexterville, last night of diphtheria, after a three day's illness.

Mrs. Anderson, accompanied by her two children, came here from the western part of the state, two weeks ago to attend the golden wedding of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jensen, and was remaining for a month's visit when, on Wednesday, the little boy was taken ill. Two physicians were summoned who pronounced the trouble as diphtheria and the home was at once quarantined. The disease refused to respond to the treatment administered and the little one passed away about 11 o'clock last night.

The father was at once notified by wire, but up to the hour of going to press no word has been received from him, and it is thought now that interment will be made this (Friday) afternoon in the Blair cemetery.

This is a particularly sad case; the death of the child occurring away from home and father, the nature of the death prohibiting friends from visiting the bereaved mother and tendering her personal condolence and helping her to bear the cross resting so heavily upon her, but the heart of every parent who has ever had a little casket brought into their own home, knows the overwhelming sorrow and their hearts go out in agonizing sympathy to these parents and other relatives in their great grief.

Printed in the Washington County Enterprise on 2/5/1915

DIED FROM DIPHTHERIA

Elmer, the five-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Anderson, died in this city Friday morning from diphtheria. The parents of the child reside at Mullen, Nebr., and were here to attend the golden wedding anniversary of Mrs. Anderson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. P.A. Jensen, Jan. 19.

This is the first death to be recorded during the present epidemic, and the sorrowing parents have the sympathy of their many friends in their hour of affliction.

Blair Democrat, February 11, 1915

DIES OF DIPTHERIA

Mrs. Conrad Anderson, and two children came here about three weeks ago for a visit with Mrs. Anderson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jensen, who live in the west part of town. Last week the little boy, who was six years old, was taken suddenly ill with diphtheria and died within a few days.

At the first sign of the dreadful malady, the boy's father was wired for and was making preparations to leave for Blair when informed of his son's death. He arrived Sunday afternoon and the burial was made in the Blair cemetery immediately after his arrival.

(A penciled notation on the obituary card says "Not recorded in the Blair Cemetery.") Reason unknown.

Printed in the Washington County Enterprise on 2/12/1915

Obituary

Conrad Anderson arrived from Mullen, Neb., Sunday, in time to be present at the funeral of his little son, who died of diphtheria on Thursday of last week. The casket had been sealed and thus the father was enabled to see his little boy through the glass. Interment was made in the Blair cemetery at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, a short service being conducted at the grave by Rev. Herrick, of the Adventist church, of Omaha. Mrs. Anderson is quite sick from the shock of the child's death.

* * * All obituaries provided by, and used with the permission of, the Wash. Co. Geo. Soc., Blair, NE ~ Thank you * * *

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NOTE: Dexterville was an area of Blair just down the hill from Dana College. A lot of students and professors lived there. That name has fallen from use, but does appear in several obituaries of this time. ~ Per Mrs B

NOTE: I received the following information from contributor, Mrs B:

"The sexton at the cemetery looked not only for Elmer Anderson (no card, no burial recorded) but also checked that seemingly empty plot of his grandfather Jensen (the family was visiting there for a month when the little one was taken by diphtheria). Pat Long looked, and said there are no empty, unknown, or unmarked graves in that Jensen plot. Then I called Campbell-Aman Mortuaries. They weren't busy at the moment, and looked back in their records (they have a lot of old mortuary records, though some of the recording was sketchy back then). No record from their end either. I checked the Potter's field area online(it is actually pretty well documented) and not there either. So I have no changes, but wanted you to know I looked again."

Thank you for the updates and all your efforts, Mrs B.

Elmer's parents, Conrad Andersen and Mary L. Jensen, were married on March 4, 1909 in Washington County, Nebraska. Conrad's surname spelling is as appears in the deed book.