While swimming in a pond of backwater of the Missouri river near the Iowa approach to the river bridge, Grover Norris, aged 15 years, was drowned at 4 o’clock this Sunday afternoon. Some twenty boys had been in with him, but all had left except two small boys who could give no accurate account of the accident, except that Norris, who could not swim, had placed two canvas water wings under and went into the water, which was about fifteen feet deep, but failed to fasten them, as they floated ashore afterwards. He came up the third time, but the boys were too small to render him any help. A ferry boat was run to the scene of the accident, and five divers worked faithfully and many more with nets and poles and the body was recovered about 10:30 pm. Young Norris lived with his brother, Bert, in this city, his mother residing in the western part of the state.

#2-28 Sept., 1905 - The Blair Democrat - Grover Norris

Grover Norris, a lad about sixteen years old, was drowned last Sunday afternoon in a pond of backwater of the Missouri river north of the Iowa approach to the bridge. Some twenty boys had been in with him, but all had left except two small boys who could give no accurate account of the accident except that Norris, who could not swim, had placed two canvas water wings under him and went into the water which was about fifteen feet deep, but failed to fasten them as they floated ashore afterwards. He came up the third time, but the boys were too small to render him any help. A ferry boat was run to the scene of the accident and five divers worked faithfully and many more with nets and poles, but the body was not recovered until about 11:30 that night. Young Norris lived with his brother, Bert, in this city, and the remains were laid to rest in the Blair cemetery Tuesday afternoon. In recovering the body pitchforks bent in the shape of rakes with long handles were used under the direction of Pat Quinlan. A net was placed across the mouth of the backwater to prevent the body from being carried into the river and a large fire of driftwood built to light the searchers in their work. The body was found in about twelve feet of water, and after fastening two of the forks together in the shape of a pair of tongs it was raised to the surface. It seems that the unfortunate boy had been coaxed into trying what his boy companions called a couple of life preservers and with them around him jumped into the water.

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

Find a Grave Memorial #117677333