Obit: Sontag, Julius W. (1871 - 1947)

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Sontag, Balch, Sliter, Roehrborn

----Source: CLARK COUNTY PRESS (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 06/19/1947

Sontag, Julius W. (18 MAY 1871 - 13 JUN 1947)

Julius Sontag, 76, retired Omaha railroad conductor and a native of Neillsville (Clark Co., Wis.), died at his home in St. Paul, Minn., on June 13, 1947 from a cerebral hemorrhage. The body was shipped to Neillsville, where a service was held at the Georgas Funeral Home on Monday, June 16. The Rev. Samuel D. Robbins of the Congregational Church read the obituary and offered prayer. Burial was made in the Neillsville Cemetery.

Julius Wallace Sontag was born in Neillsville on May 18, 1871. His parents were Louis and Anna Silverhorn Sontag. Julius lived here until 1898, when he moved to Altoona, and later to St. Paul.

Mr. Sontag was married to Sadie Balch in Neillsville in 1898. Two sons were born to them, Wallace and Allen.

Jule, the name by which he was best known, was retired in 1941 after 51 years of services on the Omaha railroad. He started as a baggage man, and at the age of 21 was promoted to brakeman. He became a conductor his last runs being on the "400." He was the first conductor on this train when it was first put on the run. Jule was long a conductor on the line through Neillsville.

Mr. Sontag is survived by his wife and one son, Wallace. Allen, the other son, died in 1939. A granddaughter, Nancy Jean Sontag, 6 of St. Paul, and three nieces, Mrs. John Sliter and Mrs. Harry Roehrborn of Neillsville, and Miss Laura Louise Sontag of Chicago, also survive.

Relatives from out of town here for the services were Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Sontag of St. Paul, and Mr. and Mrs. William Sontag of Minneapolis. A number of old railroad friends came from Eau Claire and Altoona. They included Harry Darling, Hal Kemrey, A. E. Dievert, James Boyle, John Stahl and Floyd Flynn. Mrs. Henry Williams, Granton, also was here for the service.

Pallbearers included J. L. Neverman, William Campman and Rudolph, George, Ben and Robert Frantz.

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