Died 26 March 1909

Burial in Blair Cemetery

#1-31 Mar., 1909 - The Pilot - Hans Grimm

HANS GRIMM IS DEAD

WASHINGTON COUNTY PIONEER DIED SUDDENLY OF HEART FAILURE LAST FRIDAY EVENING.

It was a peaceful death that came to Hans Grimm just after supper last Friday evening. He had been bothered a little with his heart, but noting to speak of. He wasn’t sick and never missed a meal.

He ate his supper as usual and laid down on the couch to rest. His heart bothered him a little and when Joe Cook came in a little later, told him he believed he was going to die. Joe replied jokingly “of course you are but not right away”.

His daughter was alarmed at such talk as this and telephoned for Dr. Langstaff who came over at once and gave him a hypodermic injection to stimulate the heart action. His pulse was very feeble and even a second injection would not whip the tired heart into action.

Dr. Langstaff saw that the inevitable was at hand and asked him if he wanted to say anything. He left a last message for his eldest son, Henry, and when asked if there was anything more said: “nothing more”. These were his last words.

His breathing became a little more difficult and finally he closed his eyes and entered in on the last long sleep of death. There was no struggle, his legs were crossed as he lay on the couch and he didn’t even uncross them. It was a peaceful end to 68 years of fresh, sweet and abounding life.

The news spread rapidly over the city, each one repeating the message, “Hans Grimm is dead” and to each heart was added a new burden of sorrow, for everyone knew Mr. Grimm and liked him. He was jovial and friendly, two qualities that always made friends.

Though death occurred at about 7:30 Friday evening the funeral was not held until 2:30 Monday afternoon, owing to the inability of Dr. Arthur Grimm to arrive from New York City before Monday morning. Dr. Peter Grimm was on his way home to see his father and had he not missed the evening train up from Omaha, would have arrived in time to see him a few moments before he died.

Mr. Grimm was a member of the German Verein and was on the building committee for the Hall so it was deemed fitting to hold the funeral service there. Rev. Arthur E. Marsh, of the Episcopal church, conducted the service, assisted by his church choir.

The big hall was filled to overflowing with the friends of the deceased, anxious to pay their last respects to their departed friend, fellow citizen and fellow pioneer. The pallbearers were: F. H. Mattiesen, Joe S. Cook, Claus Mencke, W. D. Haller, L. L. Lantry and Geo. P. DeTemple.

Hans Grimm was born in Schleswig, Germany May 5, 1841 and would therefore have been 68 years old had he lived a few weeks longer. He came to this state in May, 1866 and worked in Omaha until early in ’69 when he came to Blair.

In June, 1869 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Harder, theirs being the first wedding celebrated in Blair. The license was secured at DeSoto, that being the county seat at that time, of Clerk Stilts and Judge McNeeley performed the ceremony.

Of this union seven sons, Henry, Peter, Hannus, William, Arthur, Louis and Edward, and one daughter, Anna, were born. Will died some ten years ago and the mother on Dec. 21st, 1903. All live in Blair except Dr. Arthur, a dentist in New York City, and Dr. Peter, a physician at Edgar, Neb.

For 38 years Mr. Grimm lived on the farm just east of Blair, and there he and his sturdy sons carved out a fortune of perhaps $100,000. Two years ago he built a house on the corner north of the collar factory and with his only daughter, Anna, lived a quiet but happy life of retirement.

He left no will for he settled everything up two years ago when he retired, dividing his property equally among his seven children. A life insurance policy of $2,000 was made in Anna’s favor.

This was certainly a very wise way to do, for now his estate will not even have to go through the regular course of administration.

#2-31 Mar., 1909 - The Tribune - Hans Grimm

HANS GRIMM

The sudden and unexpected death of Hans Grimm on Friday evening came as a shock to the many friends of the family. Mr. Grimm had enjoyed rugged health for years, and almost up to the hour of his death had taken his daily constitutional about the city, chatting and laughing with old friends. On Friday evening he was taken sick with heart trouble as a result of which he sank rapidly.

Hans Grimm was one of the sturdy pioneers of the west, one of the type now fast disappearing, a man in the fullest sense of the word kind and charitable, and an ideal father and husband. For almost forty years Mr. Grimm has been an important figure in the farming and stock raising interests of Washington county, and his agricultural holdings were considered as one of the best in this section of the state.

Mr. Grimm was born in Schlschwig, Holstein, Germany May 6, 1841, came to America in 1865, whence he went to Rock Island, Illinois for a few months. The same year he went overland to Nebraska City, Neb., arriving there on Christmas morning. Mr. Grimm made his home in the settlement for a few months and worked on the U.P. Railroad as a carpenter. Later, he went to Omaha where the government was erecting the United States barracks, and followed the employment for one year.

In May, 1869 Mr. Grimm came to Washington county and married Miss Elizabeth Harder in DeSoto. For thirty eight years he resided on the old homestead south of town. A few years ago Mr. Grimm retired from the care of the farm and stock raising and turned the property over to his children of whom he had seven sons and one daughter, Miss Anna. He leaves six sons and one daughter, all living in Blair with the exception of Dr. Arthur Grimm of New York City and Dr. P. G. Grimm of Edgar, Neb.

The obsequies were held in Germania hall on Monday afternoon, and the hall was crowded with the friends of the family who came to pay their last tribute of veneration and respect to the deceased. Rev. Marsh read the beautiful and impressive Episcopal service for the dead and the choir of the Episcopal church sang the following hymns: “Nearer My God To Thee”, “Jesus Lover of My Soul” and “Lead Kindly Light”, after which the benediction was pronounced and the friends of the late Mr. Grimm took their last look at his face. The body was escorted to the Blair cemetery by the members of the German Verein where the interment took place.

#3-Published in Blair Democrat on 1 April 1909

H. GRIMM DIES SUDDENLY

People of Blair were surprised and shocked last Friday evening when the news was spread that Hans Grimm, a retired farmer living in Blair, had died suddenly that evening shortly after seven o'clock of heart failure. The people of Blair had been so accustomed to seeing Mr. Grimm on our streets that the news of his sudden death cast a deep gloom over the entire community as it was only the day before that he had been visiting his usual haunts with old friends whom he had been chummy with since coming to town to round out his days in rest.

Mr. Grimm had felt in his usual good health up until Thursday and was up town that day, but on Friday he contented himself with sitting out on the porch at home, and it was because he had not been up on the streets that day that Joe Cook went down to the Grimm house to spend a few moments with the old gentleman.

A moment before Joe arrived at the house Mr. Grimm had had a spell of hard breathing and was lying down on the couch. A few minutes later he was taken with a spell of vomiting and severe pains across the breast. It was then that the old gentleman remarked that "this was the last, but as he had prepared for it he was ready." The boys were called in from the farm and a physician summoned, but in spite of all Mr. Grimm's prediction proved true and his spirit wended its way to the Great Beyond.

The funeral was held Monday afternoon, thus allowing a son, Dr. Arthur, to get here from New York City. Early in the afternoon the remains were removed to Germania hall and the services held there, which allowed ample seating capacity for the many friends and fellow citizens. The hall was nearly filled, and after the services by Rev. A.E. Marsh a large number followed the remains to their last resting place in the cemetery east of town. The German Verein, of which the deceased was an honored member, headed the procession and walked in a body to the cemetery.

Hans Grimm was born in Schleswig, Germany, May 6th, 1841, and came to Nebraska in May of 1866, marrying Elizabeth Harders on June 11, 1869, this being the first wedding celebrated in Blair. For thirty-eight years he lived on the home place just on the east edge of Blair, retiring from active work about two years ago, when he built a cottage in town to be occupied by himself and daughter, Anna. Hans was the second youngest of seven children, and has a brother living in Denver, Colo. The wife of deceased died several years ago and there is left six sons and one daughter to mourn his sudden death. All of the children with the exception of Dr. P.G. Grimm, of Edgar, Neb., and Dr. Arthur, of New York City, live in and near Blair and all whom were present at the funeral.

Hans Grimm was everybody's friend and everybody was a friend to Hans Grimm; he had lived as a follower of the Golden Rule to "do unto others as you would that they should do unto you." He was a good father, a good neighbor and a good citizen, and will be greatly missed by the people of Blair who have been accustomed to seeing him upon our streets. The Democrat joins the many, many friends of the Grimm family in extending sympathy in this their hour of sad bereavement.

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

Find a Grave # 111500948