The Humphrey Democrat, Humphrey, Nebraska Friday, July 11, 1929
St Bernard - Death Of Mathias Dreifurst. Sorrow and gloom was cast over our little village when the tolling of the church bell announced the death of Mathias Dreifurst which occurred about 5:30 Wednesday evening, July 10, at the age of 77 years. Death was not wholly unexpected as he had been suffering from dropsy for several months. He had always been up and around until the last week when he became bedfast and he passed away quite suddenly when a heart attack seized him. All that loving care and medical aid could do was done to prolong his life but all to no avail. He passed away peacefully into the hands of his Maker to his heavenly reward.
Mr. Dreifurst was a man of quiet disposition, was always kind to all, never speaking ill of anyone. He was born in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, July 7, 1852, where he spent his boyhood days. He worked for a number of years in the mines at Denver, Colo. On Jan 30, 1883, he was married to Miss Anna Smith in St Bernard Catholic church. Nine children were born to them, four boys and five girls. The oldest boy, John died at the age of 15 years, and one daughter, Rosa, passed away at the age of 17 months. In the year of 1883 they settled on a farm two miles south of here where they lived for 30 years after which they retired from farming and moved into our village where they lived since.
Mr. Dreifurst leaves to mourn his loss his wife and seven children. They are: Joseph of Lindsay, Killie, of St Bernard, Lawrence of Primrose, Mrs. Math Schmitz and Mrs. Louie Unger, of Naper, Mrs. Gus. Smith, of Madison, and Miss Marie at home. He is also survived by 39 grandchildren and one great grandchild, also one brother, Joseph Dreifurst, and three sisters--Mrs. Theresi Mihm, Mrs. Mary Mihm, and Mrs. Catherine Kaiser, all of St Cloud, Wisconsin.
He was an active member of St Bernard Catholic church, the Sacred Heart Men's Society and the Third Order of St Francis.
Funeral services were held Saturday morning at 10 o'clock in the St Bernard Catholic church with a requiem high mass, Rev. Father Raymond officiating, after which the remains were laid to rest in the parish cemetery.
The active pallbearers were Killian Ottis, John Boesch, Jos. Schaefer, Ed German, Killie Korth and Victor German. The honorary pallbearers were John Schroeder, Math Backes, Henry Niebur, Math Diederich, Ed Seller Sr, and Joseph Drueppel Sr. A large number of relatives and friends were present to attend the funeral. Those that were here from a distance were Mr. and Mrs. Peter Foxhoven and Mrs. John Foxhoven and Mrs. Tony Uphoff of Fleming, Colo.; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Peterson, of Parkston, S.D.