Obituary Record

Conrad Christopher Achilles
Died on 3/19/1913
Buried in Blair Cemetery

#1 Published in the Printed in the Washington County Enterprise on 3/28/1913

Conrad Christofer Achilles was born August 25, 1823, at Brunswick, Germany. He came to America in 1849 and settled at Denmark, Ia, where he lived until he came to Nebraska in 1857. He settled near Fontanelle, purchasing a tract of land on which he lived for twenty-five years. He was married to Sophie Krow at Ft. Madison, Ia, in 1851. His experiences on the farm in this county during the early days were many and varied as came to every pioneer and he delighted in telling the stories of his pioneering as every pioneer does. For years they were so far distant from the markets that it would require several days away from home at a time to make the trip. He moved to Blair in 1883, where he built the house in which he spent his declining days. Mr. Achilles was a man of deep convictions, a strict Congregationalist of the kind who believed that religion was a living and not merely a believing. In all his life in this city he has been a citizen of the highest type and an example for both old and young. His last days were peaceful and his sickness was remarkably free from suffering. Just before his death, he asked for a drink of water and this wish being complied with, he remarked that he would turn on his side and go to sleep and in this position he was found, having passed away as one who lies down to pleasant dreams. he was 89 years old and leaves a wife aged 86 years.

#2-Published in the Tribune on 3/19/1913

DEATH OF C. C. ACHILLES Just as we go to press we learn of the death of C. Achilles which occurred at 12:45 today. Mr. Achilles would have been ninety years in August, being the oldest man in Washington county. Conrad Christopher Achilles was born in Brunswick, Germany, in 1823 came to America in 1849, locating in Denmark, Iowa. In September 1851 he was married at Ft. Madison, Iowa, to Sophia Krow also of Germany. They came to Nebraska in 1857 locating at Fontanelle where they lived until 1883 when they moved to Blair. The wife, two nephews, and one niece who live in Iowa, survive him. There are no children. He had been a member of the Congregational church for many years. No arrangements for the funeral have been made.

#3-Printed in the Blair Democrat/Courier on 3/27/1913

The funeral of C. Achilles was held from the family home last Friday afternoon, the services being conducted by Rev. McKeith, pastor of the Congregational church, of which Mr. Archilles had been a faithful member for a long term of years. Mr. Archilles, who would have been 90 years old had he lived until next August, was born in Brunswick, Germany, August 25, 1823, and came to America in 1846, settling near Denmark, Ia. He was married to Miss Sophia Krow at Ft. Madison, Ia., in Sept. 1851 and they came to this country in 1857 settling out in the Fontanelle neighborhood. They moved to Blair in 1883 where they have since lived. They had no children.

#4- Published in the Washington County Enterprise on 3/21/1913

The death of Mr. Achilles, at the advanced age of eighy-nine years, was not unexpected by his friends, who knew his condition. No truer, unselfish Christian ever lived than C. Achilles. No particulars are available at this writing, from which to compile an obituary notice for publication this week.

#5- Published in the Tribune on 3/19/1913

Just as we go to press we learn of the death of C. Achilles which occurred at 12:45 today. Mr. Achilles would have been ninety years in August, being the oldest man in Washington County. Conrad Christopher Achilles was born in Brunswick, Germany, in 1823, came to America in 1849, locating in Denmark, Iowa. in September 1851 he was married at Ft. Madison, Iowa, to Sophia Krow also of Germany. They came to Nebraska in 1857 locating at Fontanelle where they lived until 1883 when they moved to Blair. The wife, two nephews and one niece who live in Iowa, survive him. There are no children. He had been a member at the Congregational church for many years. No arrangements for the funeral have been made.

#6-Published in the Pilot April 13, 1913

(Photo)

Another Pioneer Gone-Biography of C. Achilles as Prepared by his Pastor, Rev. Geo. R. McKeith, of the Congregational Church

In the death of Mr. Conrad Christopher Achilles, on March 19th, 1913, Blair lost one of its most exemplary citizens and the Congregational Church, one of its oldest most loyal members.

Mr. Achilles was born at Brunswick, Germany, on August 25th, 1823, being thus in his 90th year, he passed away full of years and good works. He came to the United States in 1949, and lived for a few years at Denmark, Iowa, and joined the Congregational Church there in 1851. He moved to Nebraska in 1857 and settled at Fontanelle, being one of the early pioneers of this state, and coming before the railroads, it took him nearly four weeks to make the journey from Fort Madison to Omaha, the only means of transit being the old time ox-team and wagon.

At Fontenelle he took a great interest in the establishing of Congregationalism and he became a member of what was the second Congregational Church in this state. He was treasurer for twenty-two years. The new building was erected just at the time of his leaving Fontanelle, and having a great deal of work in soliciting donations for its erection, he had the satisfaction of knowing it would be opened free of debt, the dedication taking place soon after he settled at Blair.

These early associations brought him into close relationship with Father Turner, the first Congregational minister in Iowa, and Father Reuben Gaylord, the first Congregational minister in Nebraska. He never failed to speak words of appreciation of the work of these ministers.

Mr. Achilles settled at Blair in 1883. Therefore, for exactly thirty years he lived in this city a life full of all that goes to make a true Christian gentleman, a loyal church member and a true citizen of the land of his adoption.

It is interesting to note that the year 1851, when he joined the Congregational Church, was also the year he plighted his troth to his estimable wife in the bonds of holy matrimony and for sixty years he had given of his best to both objects of his love and both remain to mourn his loss.

Our friend and brother was not of the militant type of Congregationalism, but of that steady, faithful, persistent kind who live the poetic faith, whose life is a psalm of praise and who wear the white flower of blameless life.

It is not given to many to live well high a score of years beyond the allotted span, and less often and such extra years a joy, but in the noble life of Mr. Achilles there was the reward of meekness and the abundance of peace. Such a life becomes a challenge to those who are left to live the heroic and righteous life, that life which is lived in the view of two worlds; for we cannot but “Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace.”

Servant of God, well done: for us-the tears. The miss of one beloved, the empty place. For him-the music of the heavenly spheres. The cloudless rapture of the Savior’s face.

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

Printed in the Washington County Enterprise on 3/28/1913


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