Burl King Dies At Age 97

Burl King, 97 years of age, passed away at the home of his son, James King, in this town last Tuesday afternoon. Funeral services were held this Thursday morning at 10 o'clock.

The deceased was the father of thirteen children. He was an early settler in the county and, since the death of his wife a number of years ago, he has resided along the river, making his livelihood by fishing, getting old wood, and gardening. He was a real river man. He loved the river and felt at home on the river and in his cabin along the riverbank. He was known far and wide among river men, and in his dealing with men, he bore the reputation of being strictly honest, and he was held in high respect for these qualities. His physical parlous for a man of his advanced years was most wonderful, and at 96 years, he gave an exhibition in swimming that but few men could equal regardless of age. He is said to have come of a race of people, known for their longevity of life, and his one ambition in recent years, was to reach the 100 year mark.

Note: according to Pat Hunsche, our genealogist who has a special interest in veterans, Burwell "Burl" King, Co K, 3rd Iowa Infantry, Civil War

#2 August 19, 1937 - The Pilot-Tribune

“GRANDPA" KING IS DEAD AT 97; SWAM MISSOURI IN 1936

Blair Nonagenarian Gained Nationwide Fame on 96th Birthday

HAD BEEN BEDFAST FOR SEVERAL WEEKS

Death Takes Aged Blairite Who Lived for Years Along the River; From Long-Lived Family, His Sister Died at 109 Years.

"Grandpa" Burl King, 97, who achieved nationwide fame last year when he swam across the Missouri river and back and performed difficult dives on his 96th birthday, died late Tuesday afternoon at the home of his son, Jim, in Blair.

The homemade herb tea on which he had relied for years to bolster his health lost its power several months ago and he was brought here from his river shanty despite his vigorous protest. Nearly blind for several years, the nonagenarian was un-conscious five days before he died.

"Grandpa" King's birthday occurred in June, but despite the fact that he had invited his many relatives to watch him duplicate his 1936 swimming feat, he was unable to leave his bed.

Never Had Swimsuit

On his 96th birthday, he performed without a bathing suit before his many grandsons. After swimming the river, he dived into the stream from a tree trunk, performing difficult dives with ease

"Dad gum it," he said when asked whether he didn't think a bathing suit would be in order, "I ain't never wore one yet and this ain't no time to start."

Active despite his old age until his fatal illness set in, "Grandpa" King was accustomed to roaming up and down the river watching for driftwood or other articles of value floating in the stream. When he spotted something, he would climb into his rowboat and bring the object into shore.

He came from a long-lived family. His grandfather, Jerome Hatfield, lived to be a vigorous 103-year-old in Tennessee.

His mother, Mrs. Margaret King, was up and around shortly before her death at the age of 106 at Middlebend, Iowa, in 1931. And his eldest sister, Mrs. Rebecca Vommen, who apparently took even better care of herself, died at the age of 109 at Missouri Valley.

Fumed at Protests

When informed this summer shortly before his 97th birthday that his doctor and family planned to prohibit his scheduled swim in the Missouri, along whose banks he had lived most of his lifetime, he fumed and snorted: "If you won't let me swim in the river, by gad, I'll swim in the Blair pool."

Then as an afterthought he added: “By ding, I've got to have something to do if I have to stay in town all summer. I have a good notion to get a suit and try out for the lifeguard job at the pool."

He was referring to the job held by Jonas Burcham, 76, believed to be the oldest registered lifeguard in the nation.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. today at the Campbell mortuary, the Rev. Thomas J. Reese of the Baptist church officiating. Interment was in Blair cemetery.

He is survived by 11 of his 13 children. There are 68 grandchildren, 70 great-grandchildren and others of a fifth and sixth generation. A complete obituary will be published next week

#3 August 26, 1937 Pilot Tribune

BURL KING RITES HELD THURSDAY:

OBITUARY OF AGED BLAIR RESIDENT WHO DIED HERE LAST TUESDAY

Following is the complete obituary of Burl King, 97, Blairite who died last Tuesday and an account of whose life was published in The Pilot-Tribune last Thursday.

Burwell King was born in Clayborn county, Tennessee, June 5, 1840, and died in Blair at the home of his son, James, August 17, 1937.

He was married to Hanna Louise Buckmaster in 1871, and she died in Blair February 8, 1930. To them were born 11 children, one of whom died in infancy.

Surviving Mr. King are four sons, Abner and James of Blair, George of Concord, and Thomas of Kilgore: and six daughters, le Mrs. Mable Miller and Mrs. Sidney Gilliland of Blair, Mrs. Martha Hall of Kilgore, Mrs. Elvira Moore of Sioux City, Mrs. It Sarah Stubbs of Missouri Valley s and Mrs. Mary Reynolds of Grand Island. A large number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren survive, and there is one great great-grandchild.

Funeral services were held last Thursday morning in Blair, with the Rev. Thomas J. Reese of the Baptist church officiating. Interment was in Blair cemetery.

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

FindaGrave # 77178165