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16 PAGES — 3 SECTIONS SECTION I — PAGES 1-8
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North-Nebraska’s Fastest-Growing Newspaper
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"volume 69—NUMBER 27 O'NEILL. NEBR„ THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 10. 1949. PRICE—7 CENTS
FRED W. CRONK, 79,
RITES WEDNESDAY
Holt Resident 69 Years
Succumbs Suddenly
At Farm Home
PAGE—Fred W. Cronk, 79, a
Holt county resident since April,
1880, died'at 10:40 a.m. Friday
at his farm home 5 miles North
east of Page. He died suddenly.
Death was attributed to a heart
ailment. Mr. Cronk was one of
Holt county’s best-known farm
*rs.
Funeral services were held at
2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the
Methodist church at Page. Bur
ial was in the Page cemetery
with Rev. T. O. Bownfield offi- j
ciating.
The late Mr. Cronk was
born April 30, 1870, at Mag
nolia, Rock county. Wise., a
son of Mr. and Mrs. James A.
Cronk. His mother’s maiden
name was Adelaide Van Gild
er.
With his parents and five
brothers and sisters, Mr. Cronk
was among the first people
coming to this part of Nebraska
for the purpose of making a
home. The family went from
Wisconsin to Colorado, then
went to Iowa. In October, 1879,
the Cronkg came to Antelope
county in a prairie schooner—
requiring 18 days to make the
trip.
On April 16, 1880, the family
came to Holt county, settling
on a homestead East of Page,
the present home of Charles
Cronk.
Deer were plentiful and sup
plied the family with meat.
They hauled their grain to a
'mill at Neligh, which was 35
miles away. At the age of 10,
Mr. Cronk planted 35 acres of
sod corn with a hatchet, follow
ing behind hi£ father, who broke
the sod.
He attended school at Ewing
and taught country school for
two years. He later was a mem
ber of the board of education
for 20 years in the district
where he lived until his death.
Mr. Cronk held a record for
having lived in this community
the greatest length of time and
having voted in Verdigris pre
cinct more times than any other
person. He began voting in 1891
and served on more than 30
election boards.
He was a lifelong Republican
and a member of the Odd Fel
low and Rebekah lodges.
At the time of O'Neill's re
cent Diamond Jubilee cele
bration the late Mr. Cronk
was a strong contender for
the title of "king." The honor
was determined by longest
continuous residence in the
county.
Mr. Cronk’s family ordered a
subscription from The Frontier
the week the paper was born
and was considered a charter
subscriber—a distinction he oft
en mentioned.
On March 16, 1907, he married
Carrie Finch at Inman. They
became the parents of two sons
and three daughters.
Mrs. Cronk died on Septem
ber 18, 1937.
Survivors include: Sons —
Frank and Warren Cronk, both
of Page; daughters—Mrs. Dale
(Mae) Fetrow, of O’Neill; Mrs.
Melvin (Hazel) Lorenz, of O’
(Continued on page 8.)
Farmers-Ranchers
To Be C of C Guests
A record throng is r 'r>eet
ed to attend the sixth annual
farmer - rancher stag party
Monday, November 14, at the
American Legion auditorium
here- , „ .
The “for men only affair,
sponsored by the O’Neill
Chamber of Commerce, is
scheduled to get started at 8
p. m., with the doors slated to
open at 7 p. m. L- M Deihl
man and F. E. Parkins are
cochairmen in charge of tne
event- . , -v,.
Fred Harris, emcee of tne
entertainment troupe will
present a variety of fast
moving wit and wisdom of
the modern times.”
Also on the program will be
Johnny Gunier and Dale
Hammond.
James W. Rooney, secretary
of the Chamber of Commerce,
said Wednesday that all fann
ers and ranchers in the O -
Neill trade territory are in
vited to be guests of the
Chamber for the entire eve
Following the entertainment
a dutch lunch and coffee will
be served.
Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan, of the Omaha Roman Cath
olic diocese (center, facing altar), officiated in a pontifical sol
emn high Mass here Monday in funeral rites for Rt, Rev. J. G.
McNamara, 77, pastor of St. Patrick's church here. Seventy-six
Fred W. Cronk . . . spent
first years in Holt county in
a sodhouse.
(See story at left.)
WM. PICKERING, 80,
BURIAL AT DORSEY
DORSEY — Funeral services
were conducted at 2 p.m. on j
Thursday, November 3, at the i
Dorsey church for William Pic
kering. 80, a longtime resident
of the Dorsey community.
Rev. Chester Anderson, of
Butte, officiated with songs by
'he male quartet of the Butte
Full Gospel church.
Pallbearers were George Bar
fa. Ed Carson, H. V. Roscn
krans, Erwin Armfield, Jess
Veich and Walter Wells.
William Charles Pickering
son of Syrena and Milo Pick
ering, was born September
24. 1869, at Newell. Ia., in
Bunevesta county. He died at
his home at Redbird on Mon
day. October 31.
When a young man, he came
to Nebraska with his parents,
settling in the Dorsey commun
ity where he continuously made
his home except for a short
time spent in Iowa soon after
his marriage.
On August 19, 1894, he was
united in marriage to Myrtle
Connelly. To this union five
children were born: three sons
arid two daughters. One son,
Harold Dean, passed away in
infancy.
While health and eyesight
permitted he w;as a faithful
church attendant and in 1935
was converted during a Full
Gospel revival meeting at the
Dorsey church. Thereafter he
was a member of the Full Gos
pel church of Butte.
In the Fall of 1939 he receiv
ed an injury to his right eye,
causing him to lose his sight
in it and so weakening the oth
er that he became virtually
blind.
Survivors include: Widow;
daughters—Wilma Churchill, of
Keswick, la., and Vera Johnson,
of Spencer; sons — Oral, of
Lvnch, and Claude, of Redbird;
12 grandchildren, and three
great-grandchildren.
JOHN ALBERS, 59,
DIES SUDDENLY
Gun Shot Wound Fatal
To Retired Farmer;
Burial Tuesday
CHAMBERS — Funeral ser
vices were held at 2 p.m. Tues
day in the Methodist church
here for John Albers, 59, re
tired Chambers farmer. He died
between 3 and 4 o’clock last
Thursday afternoon, November
3, as a result of a gun shot
wound.
He had been ill for several
years. The body was discover
ed in an upstairs hall at the
Albers home. A coroner's in
quest was held Friday in O'
Neill. Dr. J. W. Gill was the
attending physician.
Rev. V. R. Bell, of O’Neill,
officiated in the funeral rites
and burial was in the Chambers
cemetery. The church could not
accomodate all who came to the
funeral.
The late Mr. Albers was born
on March 6, 1890, in Platte,
county, near Platte Center, a
son of Peter Henry Albers and,,
Katherine Reese Albers, who
were German immigrants.
On May 17, 1920, he married
Anna Rippen They came to
Holt county in 1936 from Platte
county.
Survivors include: Widow;!
son—John D. Albers, of Lincoln;
daughters—Mrs. Ruth Walters |
and Mrs. Dolores Harley, both
of Chambers; brothers—Henry:
and Walter Albers, of Costa
mesa, Calif.; William Albers, of
Fremont; sisters—Mrs. Thomas
Thomazin, of Genoa; Mrs. Frank
Baltz, of Fremont; Mrs. William
Lloyd, of Lindsay; Mrs. Dave
Perry and Mrs. Owen Perry, of
Monroe; and Mrs. William Bles
sen, of Platte Center.
He also leaves three grand
children. ,
One son, Richard Albers,
died during World War II and
his remains were returned to
.Chambers for final burial on
July 26. 1948.
Pallbearers were A B. Hub
bard, John Honeywell, Steve
Shavlik, Joseph Daas, Lyman
Covey and Lewis Harley.
Mr. Albers had farmed on
the Wheeler-Holt county line
Southeast of Chambers for a
number of years before retiring.
Since then the family resided in
town.
JOINS NAVY
INMAN — Mr. and Mrs.
Robert C. Heck have received
word that their son, Delmont,
has joined the navy and is
taking his basic training in
San Diego, Calif.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Loren D. Ulrich and Betty
Lou Dorr, both of Lincoln, No
vember 7.
Mary Alice Biglin and
James F. Early, both of O’
Neill, November 9.
Catholic clergy were in attendance. (Casket may be seen in
aisle in center of photo.)—The Frontier Photo by John H. Mc
Carville.
Rt. Rev. J. G. McNamara, 77 . . . for 52 years a priest in a
half-dozen Nebraska communities—O'Neill Photo Co.
_ . *•
Msgr. McNamara,
Priest 52 Years,
Dies in Hospital
Archbishop Bergan Officiates in Pontifical
Mass for St. Patrick’s Pastor
Rt. Rev. J. G. McNamara, 77,'<
Nebraskans first native son or
dained into the Roman Catholic
priesthood, died at 10:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 2, in Sa
cred Heart hospital at Lynch.
The veteran clergyman, who
last Spring completed 52 years
in the priesthood, had been ill
three weeks. Death was attri
buted to a cerebral hemorrhage.
He had been active until this
illness, which proved fatal.
Earlier on the day that he
died Rev. C. J. Werner, his as
sistant at St. Patrick’s, had
been summoned to Sacred
Heart hospital to administer the
church’s sacrament.
With Monsignor McNamara
when he died were Rev. John
Wieczorik and Dr. Wyrens,
both of Lynch, and the Mon
signor's brother, George Mc
Namara, of Beemer.
Monsignor McNamara was
born at Wiener on March 1,
1872, a son of the late James
and Margaret McNamara, who
were among the earliest settlers
in Northeast Nebraska. For sev
Continued on page 4.)
Ewing Accident
Hospitalizes 2
_
EWING—One person was in
jured and another suffered from
shock following an accident
that occurred three miles West
of Ewing on highways 275 and
20 about 6 p. m. Monday.
Nona Schneider, 2 Vi-years
old, suffered a broken right leg,
bruises about the face and a
small cut on the forehead. She
was given first aid treatment
at a doctor’s office at O’Neill
and then rushed to the Ortho
pedic hospital in Lincoln in a
Seger ambulance.
Lloyd Schneider, of Ewing,
'ather of the little girl, was suf
fering from shock and a back
njury. He was taken to Veter-1
nns’ hospital at Lincoln. Schnei
der’s wife and small boy, who i
w re also occupants of the ve-!
hide at the time of the accident,
were uninjured.
According to Patrolman Fay
Robeson, the Eastbound Schnei
der car was traveling on high
way 275 and 20 when the car
hit some “rough” road Schnei
''*>• lost control of the car roll
ng over twice and ending up
n the South ditch.
Reserve Corps
Meeting Slated
|
There will be a meeting of all
army, air force and naval re
serve corps members and other
interested veterans at the Am
rican Legion auditorium here
n Wednesday, November 16
Meeting will begin at 8 p. m.
Plans for the formation of a
round force reserve unit will
be outlined.
It is intended that reserve
personnel from all branches |
nay participate.
MOTHER ATTENDS SON'S GOLDEN WED
DING . . Ninety-four-year-old “Grandma”
Sarah Hull takes her natural position in the
center of this group as she poses with her son
and his wife on their golden wedding anniver
sary and with their children. Directly behind
the elderly Mrs. Hull is the honored couple,
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hull. The observance took
place Wednesday, November 2, at the Niobrara
state park dining hall. Their children, left to
right, are Doyle, of Alliance; Glen D., of Lynch;
Guy L, also of Lynch; and to the right of Mrs.
Hull, Claude, Niobrara; Mrs. Mary Ellen Bol
ter, Venus; and Harold, Harlan, la.—The Fron
tier Photo by Ellen Landon.
Hundreds of Catholics and
non-Catholic friends thronged
St. 0 Patrick’s church Monday
morning to pay their final trf
buite to a well-loved priest—a
priest who had been an O'Neill
spiritual leader for the past 15
years, at Bloomfield for 34
years prior to 1934, and who
had been known affectionately
throughout the Omaha archdio
cese as “Father Mac.”
Shortly after 9 am. on Mon
day, a sunshiny November day,
men, women, and children
started arriving at the church
and continued to come in a con
stant stream until by 10 o’clock
even the outside aisles and the
the rear of the church were
completely filled.
Seventy-six Catholic cler
gymen from all over Nebras
ka as well as surrounding
states came for the pontifical
solemn high Mass said at
10:30 for the Rt. Rev. J. G.
McNamara by Most Rev. Ger
ald T. Bergan. The occasion
was the Archbishop's first
visit to O'Neill.
Archbishop Bergan comforted
the grieving parishioners of
St. Patrick’s when he told
them that “even though this
is a sad occasion, it is also a
cause for joy because a priest
who was 77 years old with 52
years in the priesthood is en
titled to the rest the Good
Shepherd has promised.
“Put into practice the exem
plary advice Monsignor McNa
mara gave you from this pulpit,"
he admonished.
Archbishop Bergan pronounc
ed Monsignor McNamara one of
the outstanding, worthy priests
among many in the archdiocese
and said the effects of his
priesthood at O’Neill have been
very potent.
Rev. Francis Werthman gave
the eulogy for the beloved, 77
year-old Monsignor, who, he
pointed out, day - after - day,
week-after-week had ascended
the holy altar to offer prayers
for the living and the dead.
"Everyone loved and res
pected this great man. He was
always a respected citizen, a
true Christian gent'eman and
a loyal and model priest of
God," Reverend Werthman
went on,
“His priestly life was one of
utter sacrafice. He did not pre
pare for you an earthly treas
ure but something much great
r- ln avi v u the Lord Jesus
Christ himself. The i lith he iias
instilled in your souls will live
on.”
Assisting Archbishop Bergan,
celebrant, with the pontifical
funeral Mass were: Rt. Rev.
B. H. Lordemann, of Har
tington, assistant priest; Rev.
B. J. Leahy, of Fremont, and
Rev. Raymond Auer, of Madi
Continued on page 4.)
Collins-Kennedy
Plan Big $50,000
Machinery Auction
Two new sales are listed this
week on The Frontier’s auction
calendar. They are:
Friday, November 18.—Lor
an M Kruse farm sale at the
Place located 17 miles South of
T highway 281 and I
mile East Kruse will sell 116
35 head of hogs,
fa,hmaCi hKrses’ a bi8 > un of
faim and having machinerv
X -eMd goods and mif
fn of £YS ebu,nm’nt Ed Thor
'n. of Chambers, will be the
auctioneer and tV Chamber!
State bank will clerk (See ad
vertisement on page 12.)
Saturday, November 19 _
| O’Neill GO«11‘hS *mplements, of
^ and Kennedy EauiD
ZZv'Co- of Ainsworth. wE
■ j excess farm machinery
>nd equipment, including at
litu 1J new tractors of popular
Seiln a pgantic $50,000 auc
.on. The sale will take place at
the East outskirts of O’Neill on
highways 275 and 20, regardless
" l]ain’ ,sn°w or shine. This
auction is bined as the bigg^
m kS Vnd ever heId in North
Nebraska or Southern South Da
k°ta. Auctioneers: Ed Thorin
of Chambers; Harry Cooper Sf
Clifford Neboi
of Oakland. O’Neill Nnttnnat
bank will dark. <S« bifdSE
Page advertisement oa.
pages 10 and 11, section 2.)
