Edwin Burtell Van Horn with his sister Annabelle Van Horn Kennedy and his son Hugh Bryan (Billy) Van Horn. Taken at North Loup, Nebraska when my father was there to purchase the Chalk Hills at Scotia where he was later killed in a lime kiln that he and my brother Ernest and a Mr. James had constructed for commercial purposes. My brothrr Billy was seven years old when picture was taken. This is the original picture taken at the Van Horn Ranch where my Uncle Orel and Uncle Jay lived. The picture was sent to me after I came to Utah. Dick and I were living at the ? Place in Lake Creek and Ila was a baby. When I received the box from Merrill the lamp light was dim. Later I discovered the picture in the bottom of a shiney milk can that I had taken to the old Barnes home to fill with water from their well. I received quite a shock as I was about to pour a bucket of water into the can. I was happy to get the picture. By Leah Van Horn Barnes Rindlesbach. 1904.
'The North Loup Loyalist', North Loup, Nebraska, Friday, Apr. 5, 1907, p 4.
Our village was shocked Monday forenoon when a phone message from Scotia said Burr Van Horn was buried under a mass of stone at the lime kiln at the Chalk Hills where he was working. We called up parties on the Scotia line who confirmed the report, and soon we were on our way to the scene of the accident. For some time Burr had been working on the kiln and had just completed arrangements for firing up and was just putting the finishing touches to the grate, being some distance from the opening and lying on his back. His son, Earnest, who was just outside, noticed that the walls seemed to be crumbling and cried to Burr and Walter Janes, who was working with them, to get out. Walter being near the entrance jumped back out of danger, but just as Burr raised himself to a standing position the whole mass of the wall and contents of the kiln, about twenty feet high, came down on him, burying him under about ten feet of stone. Word was immediately sent to Scotia for help. The large number of willing workers who responded worked for about two hours before the body was recovered. The body was all doubled up, and on the back of the head a large stone was lying which had broken his neck, so as he was instantly killed he did not suffer any. The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon from the S. D. B. church, conducted by the pastor, T. L. Gardiner. Burr was born at Welton, Ia., June 17, 1862. When he was about ten years of age the family moved to Colorado where they remained for a few years and then moved back to the Iowa home. May 3, 1883 he was married to Miss Lottie Davis, who with ten children, five boys and five girls, survives him. Burr and family spent about fifteen years in South Dakota, but returned to this place that the children might have better church privileges and better school advantages. All of the children are here except Beecher, who was in California, but who is now on his way home because of the death of his father. Burr joined the S. D. B. church of Welton, Iowa, when he was a small boy and retained his membership with the church till the time of his death. He was a kind father, ever trying to do the best he could for the family whom he loved devotedly.
Note: Edwin Burtell and Lottie Belle Davis left 10 orphaned children. The older four were quickly (within 2 years) married and the younger siblings were split between the older.
Courtesy Jon Saunders.
http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jonsaunders&id=I47367
"When I was twelve years old, father was killed in a lime kiln that he and my brother Ernest and a Mr. James had constructed for the purpose of burning lime to be sold for commercial purposes. The shock of his tragic death and lack of his companionship was indeed a great sorrow to my mother. She carried on courageously with her large family and her sons were mindful of her and contributed generously to our support and living. Some of them went back to the Black Hills to work. " By Leah Van Horn.
This tragic death breaks my heart! The sensationalistic journalism style at the turn of the century is amusing to me. I knew of this even because of my great-grandmother's writing, but could never have imagined it the way it was written in the local newspaper.
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My father and mother E. B. Van Horn and Lottie Belle Davis Van Horn and three oldest sons Ernest, Beecher, and Merrill. They were living at Davis Creek near North Loup, Nebraska when picture was taken. Another son Harry was born at North Loup. They later moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Six other children Bertha, Anna, Leah, Billy, Birdie Marie, and Jane were born in the Black Hills. By Leah Van Horn Barnes Rindlesbach.
The Loyalist
Friday, June 18, 1909
North Loup, Valley County, Nebraska
The people of North Loup were greatly shocked Saturday when they learned of the death of Mrs. Lottie VAN HORN which occurred at her home sometime during the forenoon. In the morning she said she did not feel well and would not attend the Children's Day program but would lie down instead. When the children started for school she said she felt better, but she did not go. When they came home, thinking she was asleep, they did not call her until dinner was ready and then it was that they found she was dead. Medical aid was summoned and all was done that could be, but without avail. It is thought she probably died soon after being left.
Lottie B[elle] VAN HORN was born June 20, 1863, to Newton and Jane CLEMENT DAVIS at Milton, Wis. When but an infant her parents moved to Dodge Center, Minn., and later to Welton, Iowa, but the most of her life has been spent at this place and in the Black Hills. When but a young girl she was baptized by Elder Oscar BABCOCK and joined the Davis Creek church and after its disbanding joined the North Loup church just before going to the Black Hills. About four years ago she came back to North Loup and has since made her home here. In the church she will be greatly missed as she was a faithful attendant at all its services. She was an earnest worker and could be depended upon for a careful performance of anything that was assigned her.
On May 3, 1883, she was married to Burr VAN HORN, who was killed in the brick kiln in April two years ago. Ten children, five boys and five girls, survive her, all of whom were present at the funeral except Beecher, who is in Utah. Two of the boys were in South Dakota when the news of their mother's death reached them, but they were able to reach home in time for the funeral. Besides her children she leaves her mother, two brothers and two sisters, B. F. DAVIS of Grand Island, R. C. DAVIS of Lead City, S.D., Mrs. Metta SWEET of Mystic, S.D., and Mrs. Cora ANDERSON of Custer, S.D., all of whom were present at the funeral except B. F. DAVIS and Mrs. ANDERSON.
The funeral services were held Tuesday from the house conducted by her pastor, Rev. Geo. B. Shaw.
Courtesy of Jon Saunders
http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jonsaunders&id=I47368
The Sabbath Recorder, Volume 67
Van Horn—At her home in North Loup, Neb., on Sabbath day, June 12, 1909, Mrs. Lottie B. Van Horn, aged 46 years. Sister Van Horn was the daughter of Newton 2nd Jane Clement Davis and was born on June 20, 1863, at Milton, Wisconsin. From Milton the family removed to Dodge Center, Minnesota, then to Welton, Iowa, and later to North Loup, Nebraska, where as a young girl Lottie Davis became a Christian, was baptized by Eld. Oscar Babcock and became a member of the church on Davis Creek. Later she united with the church at North Loup, of which she remained a faithful member to the time of her death. She was married to Burr Van Horn in 1883. About fifteen years of their life Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn lived in South Dakota in the Black Hills. A few years ago they returned to make their home again in North Loup in order that the children might have the advantages of a Seventh-day Baptist church and society. Soon after their return here Mr. Van Horn was killed by the caving in of a lime-kiln in which he was at work. Lottie Van Horn was left with ten children, five sons and five daughters. It would not be easy to say too much of the Christian character and consecration of the widow whose whole life centered in her children. Neither could one well speak too highly of her devoted sons who bravely and successfully undertook to provide for their mother and the family. Mr. Van Horn died very suddenly. The funeral was held on the lawn before her late home and was largely attended. Of her father's familv there remain her mother, Mrs. Jane Davis; two brothers, B. F. and R. C. Davis: and two sisters, Mrs. Metta Sweet and Mrs. Cora Anderson. The seven older children are members of the North Loup Seventh-day Baptist Church and the others of the Sabbath school and Junior Christian Endeavor Society. Although poor in the goods of this world, Mrs. Van Horn will leave to these young people a rich legacy—to Ernest, Beecher, Merrill, Harry, Bertha, Ana, Leah, Brian, Berdie and to Jamie.
http://books.google.com/books?id=RCFEAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA29&ots=wgSktyyY-p&dq=%22Lottie%20Van%20Horn%22&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q=%22Lottie%20Van%20Horn%22&f=false
"Mother lived for two years under great emotional stress with many problems to solve alone, always cheerful and doing many acts of kindness for those about her. She died very peacefully in her sleep one Sabbath morning while her children were at Sabbath School. She had remained at home because of a bilious headache. This was June 12, 1909. Father had died April 1, 1907. Their family of ten unmarried children were left alone to mourn the loss of both parents and to face the problems of life with no wise counseling." By Leah Van Horn.
Lottie Belle is buried with her husband at the Hillside Cemetery, North Loup, Valley, Nebraska.
