Obituaries--Bowman, Schaap, Schreur, and Noble children

I am often struck by the number of children and young adults whose deaths appear on a all too regular basis in the old papers.  In the same paper that first mentioned Grover's death that was in our previous posting, there also appeared the following four notices of deaths.  Thankfully it is now rare to see so many young people dying in a single week. 


From the 7 August 1913 Fremont TimesIndicator:

1--Mr. and Mrs. Orrie Wilkinson and sons were in Grand Haven lasw week for the funeral of Cornelius Bowman, aged 18, a nephew of Mrs Wilkinson, who was drowned in Grand River while bathing last week Tuesday.  the young man was in the river alone at the time of the drowning and his friends on the shore made every effort to save him, but without avail.

2--The nine year old daughter of Rev. J. C. Schaap, of Kalamazoo, who was confined to the hospital in that city because of hemorrhages, died Sunday evening.  The funeral services were held yesterday in Kalamazoo and burial took in Grand Rapids.

3--The infant child of Mr. and Mrs Martin Schreur died Tuesday evening.  The funeral services will be held Friday afternoon from the Christian Reformed church.

4--Harold Noble, aged 5 years, died Saturday afternoon, after a week's severe illness with scarlet fever.  the family are under quarantine, so the burial was private.  A few friends gathered in the shade of a tree and Alfred Amos conducted a very impressive service and spoke works of comfort to the sorrowing family.  The little body was tenderly laid to rest in the Clark cemetery.  The family have the cympathy of the community in their bereavement.


Five deaths, counting that of Grover Schufelt in the last post in one edition of this weekly paper.  The oldest (Grover) was 23, the youngest an infant.  Thankfully weeks like that are much more rare, even if our community has grown, the mortality rate has declined.  Especially for our younger citizens.
I found it exceptionally moving the final notice, with the service held, apparently under a tree, near the family's home.  The family was able to hear the service, with the few friends keeping their distance.  How sad to be unable to greet the loved ones who came, due to the quarantine.  It is hard to imagine today, what those situations must have been like.