The Pilot is in receipt of the sad news of the death of Elmer Vaughn, the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Vaughn, the oldest son of the Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Vaughn formerly of this city but now of Stanton, Neb. At the breaking out of the war with Spain, Elmer joined the 23RD Infantry U. S. Regulars at San Francisco and left with them for Manila. He was sick but five days and on September 4th passed away. Not until six weeks later did the news reach home. Elmer will be well remembered by many Blair people, old and young. He was born and raise here and among the young people was a favorite. The Pilot learns with deep regret the sad news and tenders its sympathies to the bereaved family. The following was taken from Stanton Pickett:

As lead cast upon the water of a placid stream which pierces its calm surface and sinks to the bottom came to Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Vaughn last Saturday a letter containing the sad tidings of the death of their son, Elmer, at Manila, which fills their hearts with anguish and brought them to such grief as only parents who have lost a son under similar circumstances can know and appreciate.

Elmer E. Vaughn was born at Blair, Neb. July 3rd, 1874 and died at the army hospital at Manilla, Sunday, Sept. 4th, 1898, aged twenty-four years two months and one day, and was buried with Military honors at Paco Cemetery near Manila.

Deceased came to Stanton in 1892 with his parents and here remained until two years ago, when he went west and was in California most of the time since until last May, when he went to San Francisco, California, and enlisted for the war with Spain, being assigned to Co. B. 23rd Regiment, U. S. Regulars, and sailed with his regiment for Manila soon afterwards landing at Cavite July 31st. On the voyage, which landed at Honolulu, he wrote a letter giving an account of his journey, which was printed in these, columns, and also sent a Honolulu paper. After reaching Cavite he again wrote and the last letter received here three weeks before the sad news of his death arrived.

The first the parents knew of his death or sickness was last Saturday noon when a letter was received from the Lieutenant of his company notifying them of his death after an illness of five or six days.

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

Note: The Vig Files at the Danish American Archives has the family name spelled Vaughan and this is the spelling on his headstone.

FindaGrave # 87012383