The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 1, 1903

Absence Made Her Love Grow Cold

Miss Gilday’s Romance of an Egg Proves That “Absence” is Not an Axiom

Marries Him Who Stayed Home

Fort Dodge Girls Who Wrote Name on Egg Shipped to Cuba, Weds Oct. 28

Des Moines, Iowa, September 1 — It was during the Spanish-American war in 1898 that Miss Marie Gilday of Fort Dodge, Iowa, mischievously scrawled her name over the white shell of an egg and slipped it into a packing case at the plant of a big Fort Dodge packing establishment. She was surprised a month later when she received a letter postmarked Santiago, Cuba. The egg had been part of a consignment to the American soldiers in Cuba and Corporal Percy Smith found it in the case when he was working in the commissary department. He wrote to Miss Gilday in Iowa it was not long before he received a reply. Letters flew thick and fast between them and an exchange of pictures followed. Then rumor had it that they were engaged and that Smith was to be furloughed so he could come and visit her.

Fay Cronlin, telegraph operator at the Illinois Central station met Miss Gilday in Fort Dodge the same year. He saw and loved her. But the story of the girl’s strange betrothal to the soldier came to him and he refrained from speaking the words that were in his heart. His companionship continued, but ont (sic – should be not) his courtship. The soldier boy in Santiago who wrote that he was coming to visit Miss Gilday, could not get the furlough and he wrote that he would have to wait until he was discharged from the army.

Seeing the operator every day apparently had its effect on Miss Gilday’s affections. A short time ago she wrote to the soldier telling him their correspondence must cease. When she told this to Cronlin he proposed. The result was that Miss Gilday resigned her position Wednesday and left for Council Bluffs to visit at Cronlin’s home. Yesterday, the wedding invitations were sent out. The marriage will take place at the home of Miss Gilday’s mother October 28. Mr. and Mrs. Cronlin will live in Sioux City.

(Editor’s note: I did a quick search on FamilySearch.org and discovered in the “Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992” that Marie Gilday is listed as mother of the bride in the marriage of Dorothy E. Cronland to Earl E. Walters. The father of the bride is listed as Fayette J. Cronland. The marriage took place on Nov. 24, 1924, in Council Bluffs. A search for Fay Cronland brought up the actual marriage in the “Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934” records. It did take place on Oct. 28, 1903, in Fort Dodge. But the bride’s name is listed as Elizabeth Gilday.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 30, 1904

Dies Suddenly While Visiting

Peter Lindstrom of Dayton Dies of Heart Disease While at a Friend’s

Found Dead in Bed Room

Had Sister in This City — Had Been in Best of Spirits — Well Known Throughout County — The Coroner’s Jury Verdict

While visiting at the home of his friends, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Newburg, in Dayton, Peter Lindstrom, a tile ditcher, of that place, came to his death from heart trouble Monday afternoon. The cold lifeless form of the dead man was found in an upper room of hte Newburg home several hours after he had been stricken. The coroner’s jury, which was summoned at once, rendered a verdict of death from heart disease, between the hours of two and four. The jury was composed of August Putzke, Edward Putzke and G.W. Weaver.

Has Relatives in This City

Lindstrom, who was a widower, had lived in Dayton for many years and was well known throughout the county. He has a sister, who is housekeeper for E.B. Craft, and who left for the scene of her brother’s death last night. Deceased had many relatives in Dayton and the surounding (sic) towns. He was fifty-seven years old at the time of his death.

Was Feeling Well

Lindstrom had long been a sufferer from heart disease, but he had been feeling in such good spirits during the few days previous to his death that it came as a terrible shock to his friends. On Saturday night he had gone to the Newburg home for a few days visit. After dinner Monday he returned at once to his room never to go forth from it again. When supper time came Mrs. Newburg, becoming alarmed at his continued absence, went up stairs to look for the missing guest. Upon opening the door she was horrified to se (sic) the cold lifeless form half on the bed and floor. A physician was hastily summoned, but it was evident that the man had been dead for some time. He met his death between the hours of 2 and 4 o’clock.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 28, 1905

Death of Old Resident Occurs

William J. Williams Died at the Hospital Today at One P.M.

Well Known in This City

Was a Very Familiar Character and Had Won a Great Many Friends During Long Residence Here by His Musical Talent and Disposition

The death of one of Fort Dodge’s oldest residents and most familiar characters, occurred at one o’clock this afternoon wehn William J. Williams passed from this life, at the hospital.

Mr. Williams was a half brother of Mrs. John F. Duncombe and has lived in this city throughout his entire life. He has always been well known by older residents of the city and won considerable popularity in Fort Dodge in earlier days by his ability to play the violin, making use of this talent very often for the benefit of others at gatherings of all kinds.

Of late years Mr. Williams has not been in very good health and has lived at the Duncombe House, working at times at the Fort Dodge Chronicle office. He has been steadily failing for more than a year and was taken to the Fort Dodge General hospital a week ago today, suddenly worse with a complication of diseases.

Since his arrival there he has been sinking steadily and breathed his last this afternoon. He was fifty-three years old at the time of his death.

His body will be removed to the residence of Mrs. Duncombe, but other plans have not yet been completed for the funeral. They will be announced tomorrow.

(Editor’s note: William J. Williams was a son of Maj. William Williams, who founded Fort Dodge.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 27, 1904

Freak Marriage of Stratford Girl

Wedded at Spiritualist Camp Meeting Before Crowd of Spectators

Minerva Bentley is the Bride

Weds William L. Gibbs of Abilene, Tex., Met at Camp Meeting at Cedar Rapids, and Concluded to be Made One on the Spot

Stratford, Ia. Aug. 27 — Miss Minerva Bentley of Stratford took an important part in a woods wedding at Cedar Rapids on Wednesday evening. In fact, she was the bride, the groom being William L. Gibbs of Abilene, Tex. The two were attending the Spiritualists’ camp meeting there and concluded to enter into matrimony before the close of the camp meeting. The following is a report from the meeting in regard to this strange wedding:

“There is a little matter of business to transact before we conclude,” solemnly observed a minister at the Spiritualists’ camp meeting at Cedar River Park last evening: and with the audience all in ignorance of what was to transpire a blushing bride and groom walked into full view of the crowd and proceeded to answer the usual questions incident to a marriage ceremony.

The couple who chose this novel and surprising method of becoming man and wife were William L. Gibbs of Abilene, Tex., and Minerva Bentley of Stratford, Ia. They have been in attendance at the camp meeting and arranged with Rev. J. Allord to make a preliminary announcement and perform the ceremony.

(Editor’s note: I looked up the marriage on FamilySearch.org. They were married on Aug. 24, 1904, — a Wednesday, as mentioned in the article — in Waterloo. She was 44 and he was 53. His parents were John L. Gibbs and Martha J. Long. Her parents were William Bowman and Maria Hardin.)

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 8, 1907

Marriage License is Granted Kalo Couple

Bride Was Probably the Youngest Ever License in Webster County, Being But Fourteen

Deputy County Clerk Lindquist has broken the record in the issuing of marriage licenses in several different ways, but this afternoon when he was called upon to issue a license to William B. Laughlin of Kalo to wed Annie May Raner of the same village, he smashed the record to small bits.

The groom confessed to having seen twenty-four winters while the bride’s age was given at fourteen. Accompanying the application for the license was a permit from the parents of the girl in which their willingness was expressed that she sould (sic) marry the young man, and the license was accordingly issued. She is probably one of the youngest brides ever licensed to wed in Webster county.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: July 7, 1906

Ellson Funeral to be Held Monday

Services at Home of Deceased’s Daughter Mrs. H.A. Jahn in the City

Interment Made at Pomeroy

The Eighteen Month’s Old Child of Mr. and Mrs. John White of Kalo Dies – The Funeral Will be Held Some Time Sunday.

The funeral of the late Peter Ellson whose death occurred Friday afternoon at 1:10 o’clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. H.A. Jahn, will be held from the Jahn residence on 1418 1st avenue north, Monday morning at 10:00 o’clock. The body will then be taken to Pomeroy on the noon train where a brief funeral service will be held in the Swedish church of Pomeroy, interment to be made in the Swedish cemetery.

The deceased has resided in the city for some time making his home with his daughter, Mrs. H.A. Jahn, having resided in Pomeroy previously. His death wsa not wholly unexpected as he has been in poor health for some time. Death was due to complications and old age.

The eighteen months’ old child of Mr. and Mrs. White residing at Kalo died this morning after a brief illness from a complication of measles and pneumonia. The funeral will be held Sunday.

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 5, 1907

Glorious Fourth Passed Quietly

Majority of Fort Dodge Citizens Spent Day in Cooling Shade of Nearby Woods

The glorious Fourth passed off very quietly in Fort Dodge, and during the afternoon there were fewer people to be seen on the streets than on a Sunday. During the morning hours there was considerable celebrating, but by noon the greater number of the people had sought the cooling shade of the nearby woods.

The majority of the people who left the city celebrated the day at Manson and Lehigh, both receiving large delegations, all of whom report a very pleasant time. No accidents incident to the day occurred in any of the towns in this section of the state. The banks of the Des Moines and the Lizard were well lined with fishermen, although the water was exceedingly muddy as a result of the heavy rain the night preceding.

All of the merchants in the city except the druggists, cigar dealers and news dealers closed their places all day long, the dealers in ice cream were entirely sold out of the commodity before night. All in all the day was passed very quietly and pleasantly by the people of this city, there being not even the usual minor accidents reported to mar the pleasures of the day, barring the sad drowning of Carl Intermill during the early part of the morning.

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 2, 1907

Letter Tells of Sad Drowning

Miss Nellie Boland Receives Communication Telling How Brother Lost His Life

Miss Nellie Boland is in receipt of a letter from B.F. Spry, one of the fellow workmen of Miss Boland’s brother, James Boland, who was drowned in Little Beaver creek, North Dakota, June 22.

The letter gives a clear account of the result of a flood or cloud burst the result of a flood or cloud burst which descended on the camp about 8 o’clock that evening. It seems the camp was situated on low ground and the water came with such a rush that they were entirely cut off from high land. The men in the camp all worked with all their strength to save the camp but to no avail.

They waded in water four or five feet in depth, their heavy clothing making it impossible to swim in the strong current. Many of the men had narrow escapes and the escape of (M)ichael Quinlan was almost miraculous. James Boland and Patrick Quinlan were the two unfortunate ones to meet death. The bodies were easily recovered and were tenderly laid to rest the following day. Mr. Spry writes that Michael Qu8inlan will bring the bodies of Mr. Boland and his brother to this city in October where they can be laid in the family burying grounds.

James Boland was born in 1882 and was the youngest of a family of eight children. Much sympathy is being extended the relatives here by their many friends. Expressions of sorrow and regret have been offered to the bereaved family which has helped them bear their loss with a greater fortitude.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 5, 1905

Little Baby Passes Away

One of the little six months old twins of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Koke passed away Sunday morning. The funeral of the little child will be held from the house Tuesday afternoon and interment will be in Oakland cemetery. The little child was sick for some time.

The many friends of the parents sympathize deeply with them in their loss.