October
8, 1915 – Five of Nels Nelson’s children, former residents of
the town of Frohn, but now of Zerkel, Minn., a little village 14 miles south of
Bagley, were burned to death this morning between 1 and 2 a.m. Mr. and Mrs.
Nelson and their little baby narrowly escaped with their lives. It is thought
the fire originated from a defective chimney between the store building and the
addition, which was being used as living quarters. Both buildings were burned to the
ground.
The oldest son of the family was in North Dakota at the time of the fire, and he, together with Mr. and Mrs. Nelson and the baby, are the only survivors in a family of nine. Two of the children had been attending school in Bagley and had returned to spend the weekend at home; both were burned to death.
Mr. Nelson was burned about the head and Mrs. Nelson’s face was also burned while they were making their escape. The little baby was sleeping with the father and mother, which is the reason it is still alive. Dead are: Amy, 16; Roy, 14; Kenneth, 12; Lillian, 11, and another little girl, aged 7 years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson were forced to walk half a mile to a neighbor’s home in their night clothes in order to obtain shelter. Both are suffering severely from the terrible shock. There was no insurance on the buildings or their contents.
The charred remains of the five children were found this morning lying in a position that indicated they were overcome by smoke and never left their beds.
Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “Five Children of One
Family Burn to Death. Early Morning Fire Destroys Store Building and Living
Quarter at Zerkel. Father, Mother and Baby Barely Escape. Parents Forced to
Walk Half a Mile in Night Clothes to Obtain Shelter.”; October 8, 1921; p. 1.The oldest son of the family was in North Dakota at the time of the fire, and he, together with Mr. and Mrs. Nelson and the baby, are the only survivors in a family of nine. Two of the children had been attending school in Bagley and had returned to spend the weekend at home; both were burned to death.
Mr. Nelson was burned about the head and Mrs. Nelson’s face was also burned while they were making their escape. The little baby was sleeping with the father and mother, which is the reason it is still alive. Dead are: Amy, 16; Roy, 14; Kenneth, 12; Lillian, 11, and another little girl, aged 7 years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson were forced to walk half a mile to a neighbor’s home in their night clothes in order to obtain shelter. Both are suffering severely from the terrible shock. There was no insurance on the buildings or their contents.
The charred remains of the five children were found this morning lying in a position that indicated they were overcome by smoke and never left their beds.
http://www.whizmoandgizmo.com/JerkQuest03/images/Day04/ZerkelJerk.jpg
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