Bio: Clark, Homer C. (11 Nov. 1915)

Contact: Ken Wood
Email: ken@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Clark, Perry, Nash, Handke, Roder, Zimmer, Paulson, Schuelke, Kissling, Garrison, Cornelius, Adler

----Source: Marshfield News (Marshfield, Wood Co., Wis.) November 11, 1915; Page 1

MANY ATTEND CLARK FUNERAL

PROCESSION NEARLY MILE LONG--500 BROTHER MASONS IN LINE

Marshfield and Eau Claire Masons Go Over in Special Trains

The funeral of Homer C. Clark, held from his home in Neillsville, Wisconsin under the Masonic auspices Sunday afternoon, was one of the largest, if not the largest, ever seen in Neillsville and brought together an unusually large number of Masons, there being in the neighborhood of 500 in line, among whom were about 150 Knights Templars, and they with the vehicles and others in line formed a procession nearly a mile in length. It is very rare indeed that much honor and respect is shown one man. The service was conducted by W. W. Perry of Milwaukee, state secretary of the Masonic bodies, and in his talk on the life of the deceased paid a glowing tribute to his memory.

The Marshfield Masons, about 100 strong, were coveyed to the funeral in a special train of two coaches. Other delegations were from Medford, Phillips, Stanley, Thorp and black River falls. E. E. Nash, assistant general superintendent of the Northwestern system, was there in his orivate coach. He is president of the consistory class of which Mr. Clark was the orator. The Eau Claire Masons also went to Neillsville in a special train, consisting of four coaches. Other prominent among those present were the state officers of the Masonic fraternity.

A new angle of the story of the accident is furnished by a report that a wrist watch had something to do with the cause of the trsgedy, the report being that he, in speeding along to make a record trip, glanced at the time piece to see what time he was making and that in doing so he lost control of the car. Whether this happened in connection with the move of turning out for a passing rig was not known.

The accident happened as he turned out for Gust Handke, who had got out of his rig to lead a frightened horse by, near the Paul Roder farm. The car left the road and went down the embankment, turning bottom side up. Mr. Clark was pinned underneath the fron seat in such a way that his chest was crushed and death resulted almost instantly. Miss Zimmer was thrown clear of the car and Miss Paulson was pinned underneath the rear seat, but neither of them were badly hurt and were able to continue on to Neillsville soon after the accident.

Charles Schuelke and Theo. Kissling, two farmers living south of town, came upon the scene immediately after the accident and Gus. Handke extricated the unfortunate ones from underneath the car. Mr. Clark had ceased breathing and Miss Paulson apparently was little harmed for she immediately took Mr. Kissling's car and drove into Granton for help. Mr. Kissling and the others remaining upon the scene.

The car driven by Mr. Clark is the same one in which M. D. Garrison of Thorp was killed about two years ago.

The Granton News, in its account of the accident says: "Mr. Clark, who had been to Marshfield on business made the trip over in just one hour and seven minutes while Mr. Cornelius in his Packard with a number of Mr. Clark's friends autoing over to the Philip Adler funeral made it in just one hour and three minutes and it is the conjecture of many hereabouts that Mr. Clark in the return trip was trying to beat this record."

Mr. Clark had only recently made arrangements to leave Neillsville to enter a well known law firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

 

 


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