Miss Bessie Fagg Passes Away In Philippine Islands

Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Fagg received a cablegram on Monday evening that their daughter Bessie had passed away early Sunday morning following an operation at a hospital in Manila, P.I. The news came as a great shock to the family and many friends: while Bessie had written she hadn’t been very well, she wasn’t thot to be in a serious condition. Only a week ago the family had a letter stating she was feeling much better than usual. She had intended to return to the States in the spring to live. At the age of sixteen, Bessie graduated from the Arlington High School and since that time has been teaching school, having taught at Magnet, Calhoun, Callaway, Cozad, West Point and Arlington. Seven years ago last July she entered into the employ of the U.S. Government and went to the Philippine Islands to teach. She remained five years and then came home for a vacation, returning in the fall and resuming her work at Manila. Bessie was always a great favorite with her pupils taking an active part in their sports and athletics and a friend to the young and old. She was born in Arlington, July 17th 1892, and passed away November 15th 1925. Her remains will be brought here for burial and will probably reach home in about four weeks. Surviving her besides her parents, are two sisters, Mrs. P. J. Christensen of Bennington, Miss Evelyn Fagg of this place and a brother, Tom Fagg of Colorado.

#2 Printed in the November 19, 1925 The Tribune

BESSIE FAGG, ARLINGTON GIRL, DIES AT MANILA

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fagg of Arlington received a telegram Monday evening informing them of the sudden death of their daughter, Bessie, aged, 33, at Manila, Philippine Islands, Sunday afternoon following an operation. She had been ill but a short time. The last word received from her, which arrived in Arlington last week, stated that she was in good health.

Miss Fagg was in government work and was teaching in the Manila schools. She had been in the Philippines eight years. Two years ago she visited her home and this summer planned to give up her teaching at Manila and return to Arlington.

Her sudden death comes as a shock to a host of friends in Arlington and vicinity. She was a very popular Arlington girl. Born and raised in that vicinity, she graduated from the Arlington schools in the class which completed the first entire school course in Arlington. She was sixteen years old at the time of her graduation.

Afterward she taught in the West Point, Cozad and Fort Calhoun schools in addition to teaching for some time in the Arlington schools. The remains will be brought home for interment. It will be about four weeks before the remains arrive in Arlington.

#3 Enterprise 19 Nov 1925

ARLINGTON GIRL DIES IN PHILIPPINES

Word has been received at Arlington of the death of Miss Bessie Fagg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fagg of that place, at Manila, Philippine Islands where she has been teaching. She underwent an operation recently and had been ill but a short time. The last word received from her, which arrived at the Arlington home last week, stated that she was in good health.

She was in government work and had been in the Philippines eight years. Two years ago she visited at her home and planned to give up her teaching there and return to Arlington soon.

She was a very popular girl in this county, having taught in the Arlington and Calhoun schools besides other places in the state.

She was a most efficient teacher and her friends are legion in the county.

Surviving are her parents and sisters, Mrs. P. J. Christensen, of Bennington and Evelyn of Arlington and one brother, Tom of Colorado.

The remains will be brought to Arlington for interment. It will be about four weeks before the remains arrive in Arlington.

Pilot 18 Nov 1925

The many friends of Miss Bessie Fagg received the sad news of her death Monday evening. Miss Fagg had been teaching in the Philippine Islands for the past seven years. Her death was caused by blood poisoning following an operation. The body will be brought here for burial.

#4 Pilot 20 Jan 1926

MISS BESSIE FAGG

Bessie Fagg was born in Arlington July 17th, 1892, grew up here and graduated from the Arlington high school at the age of sixteen. She then taught school at Magnet, Calhoun, Callaway, Cozad, West Point and Arlington.

In July, 1918, she entered government service for educational work in the Philippine Islands. After five years she returned home on a furlough, and spent the summer of 1923 with home folks and her many friends here, returning to Manila in the fall and resuming her work there. She had been contemplating returning to the home land for good in the spring, 1926, but during the summer of last year she somewhat declined in health, and, while it was seen that an operation might be necessary, it was not at first considered serious, and it was thought the matter might wait until she returned home and could go to Minnesota for the same. However in November the illness developed rapidly and on Friday, November 13th, she went to the Philippine General hospital at Manila, where on examination it was found that immediate operation was necessary. The same was performed, but in spite of every bit of skill and care that could be expended Miss Fagg sank rapidly and passed away Sunday morning November 15th, 1925.

Many loving friends there cared for her during these last crucial hours and afterwards. Funeral services were held in the Episcopal Cathedral conducted by the rector, Dr. Williamson. The government undertook to ship the remains here, and while waiting for transport the body lay at the U.S. Army Mortuary in Manila. By the first transport Lieut. Gollon escorted the body home arriving in Arlington on Saturday January 16th.

During these weeks of sad waiting Mr. and Mrs. Fagg have received many letters from the Philippines, written by friends of Bessie and all testifying to the affection and esteem in which she was held by a very large circle of friends there.

Besides her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Fagg, thee survive one brother, Mr. Tom Fagg, and two sisters, Mrs. P. J. Christensen, of Bennington and Miss Evelyn Fagg, of Arlington.

Services were held here Monday, first a short prayer service in the home and afterwards in the Congregational church where Rev. J. E. Aeschbacher read the scriptures and offered prayer and Rev. Frank Williams preached a special sermon. Gifford Dixon, of Blair, rendered two beautiful solos, one of which was “The End of a Perfect Day,” by Carrie Jacobs Bond. Ted Peterson sang a baritone solo “Lead Kindly Light.” Many old friends of Bessie and of the family attended these services, which were followed by interment in the Arlington cemetery.

Surely since leaving school at home Miss Fagg has led a busy, happy life, crowded with useful service, a life that leaves no room for regrets as to any waste of opportunities. Brightness and sunshine radiated from her personality, and if her life has been shorter than many who shall say, when measured by achievement, that it was not longer and larger than many?

The sincere sympathy of our whole community goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Fagg in their inevitable sense of loss, while at the same time it is a good thing that the memories of their daughter will ever be blessed ones.

#5 Tribune 21 Jan 1926

The funeral of Miss Bessie Fagg, whose death occurred in the Philippines in November, was held on Monday afternoon at two o’clock, Rev. Williams preaching the funeral sermon. Ted Peterson sang, also Gifford Dixon of Blair sang two beautiful songs. Rev. Aeschbacker assisted with the services in prayer and scripture reading. The sympathy of the entire community goes to the family their time of sorrow. Miss Bessie was the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Fagg. She leaves to mourn her parents, a brother, Tom, of North Platte, two sisters, Mrs. P. Christenson of Bennington and Evelyn at home. Among those from out-of-town who attended the funeral were: Parker and Agnes Ollermann of Blair, Pete Dickey, Benson, Mrs. Scott Wall and Mrs. Tom Brown of Fremont, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Landis, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fischer and John Schroeder of Ft. Calhoun, Miss Angeline Risse of West Point, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Libbert, Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Neumeyer, Hans Neumeyer and Henry Oft of Bennington and Gifford Adams and family of St. Edwards, Nebraska.

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

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