 BITUARIESFulton County, Ohio |
A SADDER ACCIDENT Has Not Occurred In This Locality For Years Then That Which Happened in Gorham Monday. 
Wellington VanValkenburg Fell Some Thirty Feet In His Barn, Receiving Such Terrible Injuries That He Died In a Short Time. The Community Mourns the Untimely Death Of a Well-To-Do Young Farmer, Genial and Respected Citizen. (Click above to see full image) Monday forenoon Wellington VanValkenburgh, who lived near five miles southwest of Morenci, was a prosperous, active farmer in the hey-day of life; in the afternoon he lay a corpse in his once happy home – the result of a most excruciating and melancholy accident that sent a thrill of horror throughout the community. The accident happened at about 11:30 a.m. and was the consequence of an effort on his part to place in regular working order the hay carrier in his large barn preparatory to the season’s harvest. The substantial details of the terrible event are as follows: The car had got out of repair so that it would not properly operate. He took an 18-foot ladder, set it against the end of the barn and thereon ascended to the first beam. From there are nail girts and braces all the way to the peak, and he climbed from one girt to another until he had reached the track, where the car was; he then sat down on a platform which he had there for the purpose of arranging ropes and pulleys. He drew the car to him, but it came a little farther than he expected, running off the end of the track and fell about three feet, striking the platform on which he was sitting. The sudden jar and his weight combined split the board, which was nailed to two rafters, and he was precipitated, without chance of saving himself, a distance of 30 feet, striking with awful force upon a floor over the stable, eight feet from the barn floor. The hired man, John Heckman, who was near at hand on the outside, heard the crash and running into the barn at once realized the deplorable condition of his employer. He gave the alarm and with all possible speed hastened to Fayette, summoning Dr. Backus. Mr. VanValkenburgh’s left arm was broken near the wrist, his hips crushed, also ribs, and there were internal injuries. When Dr. Backus arrived he soon saw there was no hope of saving the unfortunate man, but he did all that was possible to do in a surgical way. Mr. VanValkenburgh, after an hour, was removed from the barn to the house, and an hour or so later, realizing amidst the agony of his suffering that he must die, passed away in the presence of a stricken family and sorrowing neighbors. He was the owner of 150 acres of land and only the Saturday previous had taken out insurance to the amount of $2,000. Wellington VanValkenburgh was born in Gorham, Fulton county, Ohio, Sept.11, 1859 and died at his home June 26, 1899, making his age at the time of his death 39 years, 9 months and 15 days. He was married to Bertha Bell Poucher, daughter of Abram Poucher, Aug. 13, 1889. To them were born two children – Willie Lee, now aged 7 years, and Rena Ivadell, now 3, who are sadly deprived of a kind and devoted father. The deceased leaves a wife to mourn the loss of a husband’s love and care; also one brother, Smith A. VanValkenburgh of Gorham, and a sister, Mrs. John Salsbury, of Morenci, and a host of friends who will greatly miss him. Mr. VanValkenburgh was of a sunny nature, hardworking and took an active part in all business transactions that were brought under his care, and was ready, at all times, to lend a helping hand to those in need. The affliction falls with especial severity upon the family, as this makes the fourth death in their circle in the past two months, --his mother and brother, Abram, of Mason, Mich., and his wife’s mother having passed away, and now he is laid at rest. Truly, misfortunes come not singly. The deceased experienced religion last winter; his trust was in his Savior and in his last words, “It is well with my soul.” He was a member of Gorham Lodge, No. 387, F. and A.M., and in his death the lodge has lost a faithful member, who exemplified the teachings of the order. The obsequies took place at the old homestead at 2 p.m. Wednesday and a very large assemblage of people was there, notwithstanding the storm. It was a Masonically conducted funeral, under the auspices of Fayette lodge, with Rev. O. E. Knepp, of Ontario, U. S. pastor, as officiating clergyman and the whole service was very impressive. The remains were buried in Morenci’s cemetery, and as the procession passed from Main-st., to North-st 45 rigs were counted, Scofield’s funeral hearse being preceded by the Masonic brethren. The procession would have been much larger had it not been for the rain, many going directly home from the house on that account. It seemed as if Nature was weeping over the unfortunate fate of the one who was being borne to the tomb.
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Fulton County, Ohio Obituaries Created by: Charles Paul Keller, corpmiz@aol.com URL: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~keller/obit/work/vanvalwell.html  MAIL:Click here to send me an email with your comments, Corpmiz@aol.com |
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