Barton County Kansas Obituaries Extracted From The Barton County Democrat, Great Bend, Kansas, 1903

1903 Obituaries from the Barton County Democrat, in Great Bend, Barton County Kansas.

CONVERSE, Henry E., Obituary

KILLED BY LIGHTNING
On Thursday last, about 3 p.m., while working on a new barn at Tobias Unruh's place 1-1/2 miles east of Pawnee Rock, Henry E. Converse was almost instantly killed by a stroke of lightning. He was a carpenter, aged 33 years and 2 months, and has been a resident of Great Bend for a number of months, working with his uncle, H. S. Converse. He left a wife, now in Long Beach, California, but no children.

Deceased, with his uncle, Mr. Unruh and another man, were working in the barn. The bolt of lightning struck the cupola of the barn, spread at the ridge pole, and came down in several places, stunning all of the other men for a few moments. When H. S. came to himself he had been thrown about ten feet from where he stood. He went to the stricken man, whom the others had seen fall, and asked, "Are you hurt?" The man looked up, apparently conscious, and said, "Help me up." The uncle partly raised him by the shoulders, and with a couple of gasps the life went out. A livid mark appeared across his breast and abdomen, smaller marks branching out from it like the veins on a leaf.

The remains were interred in the Pawnee Rock cemetery at 3 p.m., Friday, May 29th. [Barton County Democrat, (Great Bend, Ks.), Friday, June 5, 1903]

MATOR, Mrs., Obituary

Mrs. Mator, mother of Max. Mator an old resident of Blood creek, died last Monday. Interment in the Olmitz cemetery Tuesday a.m. [Barton County Democrat, (Great Bend, Ks.), Friday, January 16, 1903, p.4.]

MAULER, Maria, Obituary

DIED, At her home in Walnut township, Friday, December 18, 1903, Mrs. J. F. Mauler, wife of Mr. J. F. Mauler, one of the first settlers in this community. Interment was held at the Olmitz cemetery on Tuesday, December 22nd. Mrs. Mauler was beloved by all her friends and neighbors and her cheery presence will be sadly missed by all who knew her. She leaves a sorrowing husband and a large family of children, most of whom were with her at the last. The bereaved family have the heartfelt sympathy of a large circle of friends and neighbors. [Barton County Democrat, (Great Bend, Ks.), Friday, December 25, 1903, p.5,]

OSBORNE, Mariah, Obituary

Mrs. Osborne, colored, wife of Joe Osborne, died at her hme in the southeast part of town on Thursday, July 30th, of dropsy. She was upwards of 68 years old, and had been a sufferer for some time. The Osborne's came to Great Bend in the early days, and were always an industrious, peaceable family. The funeral which occurred on Friday forenoon, was largely attended. [Barton County Democrat, (Great Bend, Ks.), Friday, August 7, 1903, p.11.]

SHAW, William H., Obituary

W.H. Shaw Dead.
William H. Shaw, an old and respected citizen of Hosington, passed away at his home in that city last Monday, aged about 70 years. Mr. Shaw was born in Rome, N.Y., in 1833, settled in Lake Couty, Ills. in 1846, and had been a resident of Kansas for something like 20 years. He enlisted in 1862 in Co. I. 5th Minn. Vol Inf., and served honorably and faithfully until the close of the war. He was married twice. Three children survive him, Mrs. Anna J. Francis, Alva, Okla., Mrs. Edith Stark, Des Moines, Iowa and Alice M. Shaw, who lived with him. Early in life Mr. Shaw became a member of the Baptist church, and lived a good Christian life. He was well known and beloved by all, and in his passing we lose one more of the early pioneers, and one of the flag's defenders. His remains were laid to rest on Wednesday, and were followed to their last resting place by a large concourse of friends. The Democrat joines in extending sympathy to the bereaved children. [Barton County Democrat, (Great Bend, Ks.), Friday, November 13, 1903, p.1.]

SMITH, Elizabeth Capon, Obituary

The Passing Away of a Pioneer

It is with a feeling of sadness that we record the passing away of Mrs. Elizabeth Capon Smith, which took place at her home in Eureka township, October 30, 1903. She had been ailing for several weeks and her death was not altogether unexpected, although she had always been a woman of uncommon vigor until the past six years. Rheumatism of the heart was the final cause of her death. Mrs. Smith was born in Catrick, Yorkshire, England 1827. Her maiden name was Metcalfe; she came with her husband and children to America in 1867, and settled in Illinois. Being left a widow at an early age, she came with her young family to Abilene, Kansas, and afterwards to Great Bend in 1872, when the town was quite new, where she took an active interest in the business and social life of the town. All of our early settlers remember her with the highest respect and esteem. After living here three years she took a homestead in Eureka township, where she has resided ever since, and where by patient industry and perseverance with the aid of her son and daughter, she has built up a beautiful home in which there is such a void today, such a loneliness without "mother" and "grandma."

During Mrs. Smith's early life she enjoyed liberal advantages of education and culture, her ancestors being people of rank and wealth in England. She was a lady of great refinement and good taste. She was the soul of honor, truth, unselfishness and devotion to duty; she was a member of the church of England but had untied with the Methodist church at Mount Pleasant.

Two of her brothers had passed on before during the last two years, and two sisters survive her, both living in Illinois. Her son, Robert Capon and daughter, Mrs. Jennie Brown, and grandson Dannie Brown are left to mourn her loss. While they miss her so sadly they have the great consolation of knowing that such a life, rich in goodness, peacefulness and devotion to duty, has now received the crown of reward in that happy world where they can all meet her again. [Barton County Democrat, (Great Bend, Ks.), Friday, November 13, 1903, p.1.]