W. H. Pontzius

W. H. Pontzius died very suddenly of heart failure at 3 o’clock last Friday afternoon as he was about to lie down on the bed. When found his feet and knees were on the floor and the rest of his body lying on the bed. The funeral was held at the Methodist church at 3:15 Monday afternoon, Rev. W.H.Underwood officiating. William Henry Pontzius was born in Logan, Ohio, June 15th, 1842, and was therefore past 75 years of age. When but a lad of nine years he moved to Iowa with his parents and grew to manhood there. He was married to Miss Martha Miller in Missouri, Nov. 8th, 1869, and they moved to Kansas in 1874. They came to this county in 1899 and this has been their home since that time. Four children were born to them and two lived to maturity. They are Mrs. Emma Patterson of Calloway, Neb., and Mrs. Lillian Barry of this city. Besides the wife he is survived by eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Also seven brothers and three sisters. In the latter part of ’61 Mr. Pontzius enlisted in the 8th Iowa cavalry and served until the close of the war. He spent five months in Andersonville prison and came out of the service with one leg missing, yet he was always able to look after his own business and made his own living to the end of his days. Thus passes a real hero whom his many friends delight to honor. He was a member of the G.A.R. Post and the Post conducted the last rites at the grave of their departed brother.

#2-Tribune 15 Aug 1918

W. H. Pontzuis Dies Of Heart Failure Friday

Relatives and friends were shocked to hear of the death of William Henry Pontzuis, which occurred on Friday, August 9, 1918. Although he had not been in good health for the last few years he seemed about as well as usual, being up and around the most of the time until about 3 o’clock Friday afternoon when he passed away suddenly from heart trouble.

He was born in Hocking county, Ohio, June 15, 1842, going from there with his parents to Wapello, Iowa, when about nine years of age, where he grew to manhood. He was married to Miss Martha Miller November 6, 1869, and to this union four children were born, two of whom died in infancy. Five years of their married life was spent in eastern Iowa. They moved from there to Kansas in 1874, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock raising until they moved to Blair in 1899.

He was an old soldier, having been a sergeant in the 8th Iowa calvary from 1861 until the close of the war. During the latter part of the Civil War he was taken prisoner and spent five months in Andersonville prison, where he contracted a disease from which he lost a limb.

He was a member of the G.A.R. Post in Blair, whose members had charge of the funeral, which was held at the Methodist Episcopal church, Monday, August 12. Rev. W. H. Underwood having charge of the services.

Besides a wife and two daughters, Mrs. Emma A. Patterson of Calloway, Nebr., and Mrs. Lillian M. Barry, west of Blair, he leaves eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, seven brothers and three sisters to mourn his demise.

Note: William Pontius, Was in Andersonville Prison. Was in 103rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. #D 40316.

From FAG record: Pontzius, William Henry Age 23 Company Commissary Sgt He was born on 15 Jun 1842 in OH and enlisted on 5 Aug 1863 from his residence in Wapello, IA. He was taken prisoner on 30 Jul 1864 at Newnan, GA and paroled in December of 1864 at Annapolis, MD. He was discharged on 11 Jul 1865 at Nashville, TN. He died on 9 Aug 1918 and is buried in Section 67 of the Blair Cemetery, Washington County, NE.

#3-Enterprise August 16, 1918

W. H. Pontzius Dies Suddenly

The messenger of death summoned W. H. Pontzius without warning at his home on the north side at 3 o'clock P. M. last Friday. He had been in poor health for some time and a week previous had experienced a severe nervous shock, from which, however, he soon recovered.

Deceased was passed 76 years of age, was a veteran of the Civil War, through which he served, suffering the loss of one of his limbs and was several months in the Andersonville prison. He had been a resident of Blair for 19 years. The wife and two daughters, Mrs. Emma Patterson, living at Calloway, this state, and Mrs. Thos. Barry, west of Blair, are surviving near family relatives. Funeral service was held at the M. E. Church at 3 o'clock Monday. (The rest of the newspaper obituary is missing.)

Buried in Blk 67 Lot 5 Gr 4; Find a Grave # 57412177

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~