To the many friends and acquaintances of Mr. John Toft were saddened to learn of his sudden death which occurred on March 11, at Los Angeles, California, where he had gone as a last resort to regain his health which had been failing for three years.

Mr. John Toft, was a Washington County boy, having been born at Orum, Neb., on February 2, 1874, where he grew to manhood. He was baptized and confirmed in the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in which faith he lived until his death.

He married Ellen Olson of Orum, who passed away a year later leaving a son, J. E. Toft.

Mr. Toft then moved to Arlington where he engaged in business for a number of years and during that time in 1904, married Miss Emma Hansen of Blair.

Four years ago they moved to their farm two miles east of Arlington, where they resided at the time of Mr. Toft’s death. About three years ago Mr. Toft’s health began to fail with Bright’s Disease and he made many pilgrimages to Excelsior Springs, Mo., with but little improvement. About three months ago his physician advised him to try the California climate, so with his family he started on his last journey in hopes of regaining his health. The spent two months at San Diego, where Mr. Toft improved considerably and then went to Los Angeles, where he planned to stay three months longer. As he was getting along so nicely, they thought best that his wife and children return to the Nebraska home and take up the farm duties, which they did, Feb. 22. Letters to his family told of his continued improvements until about ten days later when erysipelas set in and while he could be up and around his room, the weakened system could not shake the disease and he passed away while at sleep., Sunday, March 11, at nine o’clock. The body was brought to Arlington where the funeral services were held Monday, March 19th at one o’clock from the M. E. Church, Rev. Lang of Blair, officiating. Interment was made in the Arlington Cemetery.

He leaves to mourn his loss, the wife and two sons, Charles Raymond, and Harold Franklin, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Nielsen of Blair, one sister, Mrs. Henry Block of Lewellen, Neb., four brothers, Hans Toft of near Kennard, Peter Toft of near Orum and Jim and Chris Nielsen of near Orum.

#2-Printed in The Pilot, March 21, 1917

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Nelson were over to Arlington Monday to attend the funeral of her son, John Toft, whose death occurred Sunday, the 11th, at Los Angeles, Calif. He was born Jan. 2nd, 1874, and was therefore 43 years of age. He leaves a widow, three sons, one sister, four brothers and his aged mother. He was a prominent farmer and stock raiser near Arlington and had gone to California for his health.

#3-Published in the Blair Democrat

The body of John Toft, son of Mrs. Otto Nielsen of Blair, arrived from Los Angeles, Cal., Saturday evening, and was taken to their home near Arlington by his wife and relatives and on Monday the funeral services were held at the Methodist Church in Arlington and burial in the Arlington Cemetery. John Toft was born in Orum, Jan. 2, 1874, and leaves to mourn his demise his mother and step-father, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Nielsen, his wife and two sons, and a grown son, Ellert, whose mother, Mr. Toft’s first wife, died when Ellert was an infant. One sister, Mrs. Henry Black of Luellan, Nebr., and her husband, was also in attendance at the funeral. The remaining sons are Peter and John Toft of Kennard, while Chris and Jim Nielson also of Kennard are half-brothers.

~~~This newspaper article has two spelling of : Nielson and Nielsen~~~

Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file at the Blair Public library.