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Unruh, Cornelius P. (1866-1935)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1935 Nov 13 p. 1
Birth date: 1866
text of obituary:
Tragedy Strikes Five Families of South Dakota Community.
Freeman, S. D., Nov 7. — The town was shocked Tuesday evening when the sad news reached town that C. P. Unruh, Isaac Smith, John Adrian, Peter B. Deckert and Auctioneer Buller had a collision when on their way home from Soo [sic Sioux] Falls. C. P. Unruh and Henry Buller were killed instantly. H. Johnson, a Soo [sic Sioux] Falls hardware man drove home from a pleasant hunt on Highway 16, while these five men from the Silver Lake community drove home from Soo [sic Sioux] Falls when they met in a collision about 17 miles west of Soo [sic Sioux] Falls at about 4:30 P. M. Both cars were smashed beyond repair. A Soo [sic Sioux] Falls ambulance took Smith, Johnson, Adrian and Deckert to a Soo [sic Sioux] Falls hospital where Smith died at 7 o'clock in the evening and Johnson at 3 o'clock in the night. There is very little hope for the others. At this writing the inquest has not been held so very little is known about the cause of the accident.
Mr. Adrian is a son of Rev. J. J. Adrian. Besides farming he has an oil station near the M. B. church at Silver Lake.
After we wrote the above, word came that Mr. Deckert died yesterday, between 4 and 5 P. M. Johnson leaves a wife and three children, Smith leaves a wife and four children, Buller leaves a wife and four children, Unruh leaves a wife and six children, Deckert leaves a wife and four sons. — Freeman Courier.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1935 Nov 20 p. 2
text of obituary:
Dear Editor and Review Readers:
Since my last letter to you, the Lord has spoken very earnestly to this community through a terrible auto accident on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Two cars collided and four people were killed. Two were seriously injured.
Will we listen to the voice of God or will we harden our hearts even as is stated in Heb. 3:15? Those from this immediate community who were killed are: Henry H. F. Buller, age 45 less 2 days. He was a farmer and auctioneer and through his happy nature made many friends. Funeral services for him were held in the Bethesda church on Friday, Nov. 8.
Corn. P.. Unruh, 69, farmer; funeral service in the Silverlake [sic Silver Lake] M. B. church.
The messages, that were given were all more or less along the same line. We are all aware that God is trying to say something to us through this accident. Are we ready to meet God? We should examine ourselves. Where are we?
Where would we be if it had been our lot to be so suddenly called into the presence of god? have we settled the old account already? Another thing that was mentioned at the funeral which gave food for thought as, Man has in this day and age made things that are dangerous to his life. god did not mean it thus, but through these inventions man has made things which will cause his destruction. Cars and alcohol are the most deadly instruments in the hands of man in our day.
People from Kansas, Nebraska, and Minnesota came to attend these funerals.
John Adrian, son of Rev. J. J. Adrian, has recovered from his wounds and shock enough so that he could be taken home Saturday.
Peter Deckert, who has the bones in both legs broken and crushed is now in the Tieszen clinic where an attempt will be made to set these fractures. He is suffering intensely. He needs the prayers of God's children. We hope he will soon recover.
Mrs. Ben W. Deckert, an aged widow, had three close relatives involved in the accident. Namely: her son Peter Deckert; her son-in-law, Hy. Buller, and her brother-in-law, C. Unruh.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur F. Tieszen, Mrs. Will Ewert, Mathilda and Gusta Becker returned Tuesday from their trip to Kansas.
The first thing which they heard when they came home was the news of the terrible accident and that Mrs. Tieszen's father, I. Smith was seriously injured. They at once left for Sioux Falls but were informed at a filling station that Mr. Smith too had passed away.
