The death of E. C. Pierce Sunday night came as a great shock not only to the family but to the entire community. He was taken sick June 2nd and was in bed for a couple of days, but since that has been up and around, going down to the post office on Friday for his mail. Saturday evening he was about the house, but wasn’t feeling at all well, being unable to eat anything to speak of since he was first taken sick June 2nd. A hemorrhage Saturday night revealed serious trouble, and Sunday Dr. Davis of Omaha came up to see him, pronouncing it pneumonia, but without any fever or pain. One lung was filled at the time of the examination, and that night the other one filled, and death ensued at 25 minutes past midnight.

The funeral will be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal church at 2:30 today. Father Nobel of Falls City, who is serving the parish during the absence of Rev. A. E. Marsh, is officiating. Washington Lodge A.F. and A.M. of which he was a member for over fifty years will conduct the burial service at the grave, the Knights Templar attending as an escort.

Elihu Cutler Pierce was born in Ulster county, New York near Ellensville March 6th, 1845, and was therefore just past 76 years of age at the time of his death. He worked his way west while he was a single young man, finally landing in this county in 1869, and was present when the town lots for the city of Blair were laid out and sold by the railroad company. He started a furniture store on the corner where the Petersen Hardware Co. is now located, later he moved to the building now occupied by the Blair Racket Store, occupying a portion of the building with the Banking House of A. Cassetter. Still later he moved to the location of the J. E. Campbell furniture store, which he sold to Mr. Campbell four years ago shortly after the death of his only son, Stanley, retiring from the furniture and undertaking business after having been actively engaged therein in Blair for just half a century. He was county coroner longer than any man in the state of Nebraska, serving until the separate office was abolished shortly before he retired.

He and Mrs. Pierce made a trip through the south and west last winter, and when they returned he seemed unusually well and was looking better than he had been for years. In fact he never had really been sick a day in his life, and seemed to have no power to fight disease when attacked.

He was married to Miss Alice B. Phelps at Burlington, Vt. February 14th, 1878, and to this union five children were born: Mrs W. W. Wilkinson of this city; Mrs. C. M. Allen who lives south of town; Mrs. W. S. Rotary of Omaha; Stanley, whose death occurred November 3rd, 1918 during the “flu” epidemic; and Mrs. F. A. Abbott of this city. He is also survived by fourteen grandchildren, seven grandsons and seven granddaughters. He will be greatly missed in the home for the children have all married and left the home nest. Also he will be missed by the entire community, especially the few old residents who have been his associates for half a century and more.

#2-29 June,, 1922 - The Tribune - Elihu Cutler “E.C.” Pierce

ANOTHER PIONEER CITIZEN IS CALLED TO REST

E. C. Pierce, one of Blair’s foremost pioneer citizens, died at his home on west Grant street Monday, June 26, of double pneumonia after but few days’ illness.

E. C. Pierce was born in Ulster county, New York March 6, 1846, and came to Blair in 1869, working his way from his eastern home. He arrived in Washington county, a young man of 23 years, full of life and hope and plenty of ambition, a trait that was ever one of his characteristics. The town of Blair was being laid out that year and Mr. Pierce was one of the first to invest in lots.

On February 14, 1878 he was married to Miss Alice B. Phelps of Burlington, Vermont, and to them was born four daughters and one son: Mae, now Mrs. W. W. Wilkinson; Helen, Mrs. C. M. Allen; Bertha, Mrs. F. A. Abbott, all of Blair; and Cora, Mrs. W. S. Rothary of Omaha. The only son, Stanley, who was his father’s assistant for many years, died during the influenza epidemic of 1918.

“Doc” Pierce, as he was more generally known, held the office of coroner for many years, and it was only a few years ago that he gave up the work. He was Blair’s first undertaker, and his first work in this line was when he made a coffin for a young girl who suicided by drowning in Fish Creek in 1870.

A local paper made the statement a few years ago that “Doc Pierce had buried more people than live in Blair at the present time”. For years he did all of the undertaking, not only for Blair, but the tributary country and towns as well, and his records show that he has buried a small city of people.

After the death of his son, Stanley, he sold his business and retired from active work. He and Mrs. Pierce took a trip to California last year and returned only a few months ago.

He was a familiar figure on the streets of Blair, and he will be greatly missed from business, fraternal and social circles, in all of which he took an active part. He was a Mason, going through the Blue lodge, the Commandry and was made a Knight Templar Oct. 9, 1885. In 1895 he served Jordan Commandry No. 15 as Eminent Commander.

The funeral was held at the Episcopal church, of which he was a member, Wednesday afternoon, Father James Noble having charge of the religious service, and then the Knights Templar took charge of the obsequies. Mr. Pierce was laid away in his Knight Templar uniform. Burial was made in the family lot in the Blair cemetery where Mr. Pierce had laid away so many Washington county people, and near the town where he had spent the active years of his life.

There are surviving, besides the four daughters, his widow, and fourteen grandchildren, seven girls and seven boys.

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

Find a Grave Memorial #41915738