Obit: Hingiss, Benjamin W. (1906 – 1968)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Hingiss, Venzke, Mantik, Jensen, Marx

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 07 Nov 1968

Hingiss, Benjamin W. (2 JAN 1906 – 31 OCT 1968)

Benjamin Hingiss, 63, died in a fire early Thursday morning at his farm home three miles west and one mile north of Abbotsford.

The cause of the fire is not known, but is believed to have started from an overheated wood stove.

The fire was notice about 7:15 a.m. by neighbors passing by. They tried entering the house, and finding all doors locked, broke a window. They were driven back by smoke and flames, which had filled the small one story home, and the Abbotsford fire department was then called.

Firemen fought the blaze until their tank truck was emptied of water, and then the fire departments at Curtiss and Dorchester were called. Meanwhile, the fire again raged out of control, and the home was completely destroyed.

A portable canvas tank was set up by the Dorchester department and the blaze was then extinguished. Mr Hingiss' body was located in a front room of the house. Death was attributed to smoke inhalation and undoubtedly occurred before firemen arrived.

Other farm building were threatened for a time, and piles of wood near the home also caught on fire while the firemen were bringing more water.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Polnaszek Funeral Home, Abbotsford. The Rev. Lillian Jensen officiated.

Mrs. Alvin Venzke sang "What a Friend We have in Jesus" and "Savior, Like a Shepherd, Lead Us." She was accompanied by organist, Mrs. Rueben Mantik.

Pallbearers for the interment, which was made in the Colby Memorial Cemetery, were Bernard Jacobson, Frank Lukas, Herbert Neuman, Harold Trimner, Art Weideman and Harvey Weideman.

Benjamin Walter Hingiss was born in the town of Mayville (Clark Co., Wis.), Jan. 2, 1906. He lived there all his life and was a dairy farmer. He never married.

He is survived by one sister, Mrs. Selma Marx of Chelsea.

Preceding him in death were his parents and two sisters, Emma and Ella.