Obit for BLAKE, William (b.1888 d.1917), Redwood Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Gwenn M Solseth Submitted: October 2003 ========================================================================= Redwood Gazette, Nov. 7, 1917: William Blake Killed in Accident -- Young Man of Milroy Meets Death When Car Tips; Wife is Badly Injured William Blake, the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Blake of Milroy, was killed instantly in an automobile accident last Thursday evening and his wife who was the only other occupant of the car, was badly injured but is expected to completely recover. Funeral services for Mr. Blake were held Sunday. Rev. Tollefson of the Lutheran Church of Lamberton, conducting the service. Interment was made in the family burial lot on the Blake farm. Mr. and Mrs. Blake, who have recently lived on the farm owned by Mr. Blake Sr. near Milroy had been visiting Mr. Blake's mother who is ill at her home at Milroy. They started to drive to their own home about eight o'clock and shortly after that time were found by a passing car both pinned under their car which had turned completely over in the ditch beside the road. Mrs. Blake was unconscious when taken out and Mr. Blake was dead, his neck being broken. It was probable that death was instantaneous, the impact of the car across his neck having broken it when the car tipped. Besides his parents and his brothers and sisters, Mr. Blake is survived by his wife and three small children. He was about thirty-two years of age and a man of considerable prominence in the Milroy community. As one of the Milroy men said of speaking of him immediately after his death: "He was a prince of a fellow--one of the best men we had and is going to be missed terribly." Mrs. Blake remained unconscious for some time after the accident and is still suffering greatly from the nervous shock and her several injuries. She is able to explain the accident only by saying that the lights didn't work well and Mr. Blake became confused in his driving. _____________________________________________________________________ Milroy Echo, Nov. 8, 1917: William Blake at Rest The fatal accident which befell Wm. Blake Thursday evening is one of the saddest which we have been called upon to try to express in words, and from the outset we realize that words cannot impart the shock and gloom that was cast over this community about seven forty- five on this beautiful evening. Our little village was extremely lively it seemed, no doubt due to an entertainment at the hall. Cassel Middleton who was on his way here to furnish music, when less than a mile out of town on our state road leading north of town just at the Jens Pederson side road, noticed a car in the ditch with all four wheels in the air. They passed the car several rods when they decided that something must be wrong, whereupon they went back. When nearing the fatal spot, they could hear the moans of one in distress. This they found to be Mrs. Blake who was pinned underneath the car. She was lying in the ditch with the rear door rest across her back with the lower part of her person under the car. She was only semiconscious and could tell the rescuers nothing. They managed to raise the car enough to release her. They were certain someone was under the car but not a sound could be heard, and upon finding themselves unable to right the car they hurried in with Mrs. Blake and gave the alarm. Mrs. Blake was left in Dr. Nuessle's charge while a large number of cars hurried to the scene. She received a broken arm and one rib fractured. The car was righted which revealed the lifeless form of Mr. Blake lying on his back with the rear of the front seat resting across his chest. This however was not what caused his death for upon examination the base of his skull was found fractured which must have been caused by striking his head a severe blow when the car struck the ground after going over. He and his wife had come to Milroy about 4:30 that afternoon to do some trading and stayed longer than they had thought of doing and remained at the home of his parents for supper. They left the house about seven and after getting their groceries, etc. started for home, both sitting in the front seat. It was not over 15 minutes later when Mr. Middleton brought Mrs. Blake back and gave the alarm. All Mrs. Blake can remember is that the lights went out and that Will reached over to her side for something. The car was an Overland and he had been having the same trouble with his lights before. A little wire and come unsoldered and would occasionally come out of place but all he had to do was to put it back and it is the consensus of opinion that he was trying to replace this wire while the car was running in the dark and ran into the ditch. He was driving along the west side of the road and the tracks show that the car went across the grade at less than a 45 degree angle, the right front wheel going over the edge and dropping nearly two feet first and seemed to have cut deep in to the soft dirt causing the car to turn over cornerwise leaving it bottom side up facing just opposite from the way they were traveling. The brakes were set as the wheel slid all the way across the road, a distance of about 60 ft. Upon examination the car was found to be in its (sic) condition excepting the wind shield being smashed. This wire was found to be out of place when the car was pulled in. The appearance of the tracks would indicate that the car had been going at a good rate of speed or it would not have slid as far as it did and still have force enough to turn over, nevertheless Will was as careful a driver as we know of. He was cool and very handy with his car and it was not thru careless driving he met his death. Others had ridden with him when his lights had done the same thing, but he knew just what do to and had had no trouble before. The remains were brought to town, later being taken to their home 4 miles northeast of town, where the coroner was called. William was one of the best men it has been our pleasure to meet, he was kind and affectionate. A kind husband and father. Everyone who knew him liked him. His departure leaves besides those who were near and dear to him thru family ties, an extremely large circle of friends. The departed was born on the home place Nov. 2, 1888 and has made this his home since his birth. In 1910 he was married to Mabel Solseth and they took charge of the old log cabin farm over which he has had charge ever since. He was an active member of the Lutheran Church and belongs to the local camp of the Woodman lodge. Besides a young wife, he leaves three children, Chester 5, Clarice 4 and Wilbert 2 to mourn his departure. Also a father and mother, four brothers and one sister. The floral offering was very fine, especially that given by the local Woodman Camp. The choir sang two favorite selections, Lead Kindly Light and Abide with Me, and Mr. Duncan sang a solo. The funeral was the largest we have ever seen in this locality. Services were held at the church and the remains were laid to rest in the cemetery on the old place where he was born and raised. Those from a distance who attended the funeral Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock were Christ Olson and wife and Mrs. Henry Olson of Evan; A. Philipson and family of Cobden; S.B. Johnson and wife of Georgeville; Dr. and Mrs. Ravn of Windom; Mr. and Mrs. Amund Solseth and Mr. and Mrs. Peter Lebak of Madelia; Hans Roy and Julius Paulson and wife, also L.P. Larson and wife of Redwood Falls.