Obituary Record

Henry A. Bolte
Died on 3/3/1936

None

5 Mar., 1936 - The Enterprise

FARM HAND IS KILLED WHEN HIT BY TREE

Henry Bolte, 27, Who Worked For L. Monke Accident Victim

LOCATE RELATIVES

Henry A. Bolte, 27 year old itinerant farm hand, employed by Luther Monke, farmer nine miles west of Blair, was killed instantly Tuesday afternoon when a tree he was cutting on a neighboring farm fell on him. Bolte was crushed beneath the tree and died within a few moments.

Because roads were impassable for automobiles, Bolte’s body was transported in a lumber wagon four miles over muddy roads to a highway where a hearse from the Bendorf Funeral home of Blair was awaiting it. The body was then brought to Blair.

Deputy Sheriff Willard Gustin was notified, and immediately began to search for relatives of Bolte, who until recently was an itinerant. It is believed the dead man has a sister at or near Salina, Kansas. He spoke but seldom of any relatives, according to Mr. and Mrs. Monke.

On Wednesday, Deputy Sheriff Gustin located a cousin of Bolte’s, Roy Agin at Salina, who in turn directed him to notify Earl Bolte, a brother at Sterling, Colo. No word concerning possible funeral arrangements had been received in return by Wednesday evening.

According to reports made to the sheriff’s office, Bolte had gone to the John Niebaum farm near the Monke place to help cut wood, and was working with William Riens, the Niebaum’s hired man when the mishap occurred.

The two men had anchored the tree to prevent it from falling against a woven wire fence, and as it was falling Bolte is said to have started to run, coming directly into the path of the tree. One of the heavy branches struck him, pinning him to the ground. His head was crushed.

Early this winter, it was said, Mr. Monke had encountered Bolte in Fremont and offered him a place as a hired man on his farm. Bolte accepted and had been a steady employee since that time. He was a good worker, reliable and regular Mr. Monke said. The identity of Bolte’s relatives was made through letters found in the man’s room by Mr. Monke.

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

Printed in the Washington County Enterprise on 3/5/1936


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