The body of Hans Christiansen was found in the well at his home in North Blair Saturday, and had evidently been there for some time for it was pretty badly decomposed. He lived alone, and the last time the neighbors saw him was Decoration day. He had evidently been cleaning out his well and had a rope ladder to go down in on. A bruise on his head showed he had fallen and probably died instantly as the well was about fifty feet deep. Coroner Pierce took the body out and placed it in his morgue. He had two sons, J. C., the proprietor of the Orum store and Martin, who lives on the old farm near Orum. The funeral was held at the Danish church at Orum Sunday.

#2-16 June, 1909 - The Tribune - Hans Christensen

Blair, Nebr., June 12 - (Special Telegram) - The body of Hans Christensen, aged about 70 years, was found at the bottom of a 60 foot well on his premises this afternoon. Mr. Christensen lived alone, being a retired farmer, and had cleaned out his well before this by means of a rope ladder which was found hanging in the well today. He had been missed by his neighbors since May 30, but was supposed to have gone to visit his son, J. C. Christensen, who is a merchant at Orum in the western part of the county. His face was badly bruised and the body badly decomposed - Bee.

#3-17 June, 1909 - Blair Democrat - Hans Christensen

FOUND DEAD IN WELL

Hans Christensen, an old man living in the First ward, was found dead in his well by neighbors last Saturday noon.

It seems that Christensen, who was about seventy two years old, was living the life recluse in a small cottage on a twenty four foot lot. In the rear of the house was a thirty foot well that he was in the habit of cleaning out at least once every spring, and it is presumed that in attempting to do this work this spring he missed his hold on the ladder and fell to the bottom. The fall probably stunned him and as there was two or three feet of water in the well he was undoubtedly drowned before regaining his senses.

The old man’s habits were well known by the neighbors, although few of them were more than on speaking terms with him. He was in the habit of going out in the country to work each spring and when he left home the doors and windows of his shack as well as the fence gate were locked with padlocks, and it was owing to the fact that the shutters on the windows were not closed that the neighbors became suspicious.

The old man had not been seen since Decoration day when he made a trip out in the country, returning after night, and when he failed to appear day after day, a search was instituted, the body being found at the bottom of the well Saturday noon.

The means the old man used to get down into the well was a rope ladder swung from the top, and it is thought that in either going down or coming up, he lost his hold and fell to the bottom, the body remaining under the water until its decomposing condition forced it to come to the top.

Coroner Pierce had the remains removed to his undertaking parlors where it was found that the flesh on the face had become so badly decomposed that it would drop from the bones at the touch. The old man was dressed in overalls and had an old pair of boots. When found the body was floating in a curved position on top of the water with the face exposed which accounted for its badly decomposed state.

It was developed since the finding of the body that several of our Danish citizens who knew the old gentleman had called at his place since Decoration day, but as they never found him at home, they thought he had gone out in the country, the true fate of the poor old fellow never once entering their minds.

The old gentleman leaves two sons and a daughter living at Orum, one of the sons being the storekeeper and postmaster at that place. The remains were taken there Sunday, and services held at the church that afternoon, interment being in the Orum cemetery.

It is said that the deceased owned an eighty acre farm out near Orum valued at about $120 an acre.

Coroner Pierce decided that the manner in which the old gentleman came to his death was so plain that it would not be necessary to hold an inquest, and as his children agreed that it would be as well not to hold one, it was decided to forego this formality.

#3-The place of the newspaper article was not recorded but had the date June 1909 written on the article.

Hans Christensen, 72, who lived alone in a small home in the First Ward, was found dead at the bottom of a 30-foot well on his property. Neighbors had instituted a search after missing Christensen for several days. Apparently the man had fallen while attempting to clean out the well.

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

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