Surnames: Kapfer, Smale, Housely, Wagner, Crump, Schultz, Meyer, White

----Source: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 27 August 1931

Kapfer, Chris M. (9 Feb. 1872 - *25 Aug. 1931)*Could be off

This community was greatly shocked Tuesday afternoon to learn that Chris Kapfer a prominent farmer of Pine Valley Center was so seriously injured by a tractor that he died a few hours after the accident.

It appears that he had been helping fill silo at Clair Smale’s who lives near the Silver Crest school house. Mr. Smale’s job was finished just before noon and the crew was getting ready to move to another farm. The tractor was backed up to the filler and Mr. Kapfer was between the filler and tractor attempting to couple the two together. Andrew Walters was handling the tractor and as it backed, according to the report, the pole of the filler missed the coupling, ran through and knocked the driver’s foot off the clutch letting the tractor back suddenly. Mr. Kapfer was caught by the big drive wheel and badly crushed, the pelvic bones being broken and one of the big lugs on the wheel penetrating his body and rupturing some of the internal organs. He was brought to Dr. Housley’s office. After receiving first aid he was taken by Schiller’s ambulance to the hospital at Eau Claire, where he died about half an hour after his arrival. He remained conscious almost to the last.

Chris M. Kapfer was born in Germany, Feb. 9, 1872. He came to America with his parents when he was seven years of age and lived at Laray, Missouri until he was twenty. He then went to Annamoose, N. D., where he staid seven years. He then returned to Luray, where he was married to Miss Nellie Wagner, March 4, 1903. They returned to Annamoose for three years and then moved to Wausau, Wis., where they lived three or four years, coming to Neillsville in 1910. They bought the Crump farm in Pine Valley west of Black River, which has been their home ever since.

Mr. Kapfer was a most industrious farmer, a man of the highest moral principles and interested in all things that made for the good of the community. His kindly spirit was known to all in the vicinity -- he was every ready to help anyone who was sick or in need of assistance. He was a faithful and active member of the Methodist church. His death is a great loss to his family, the church and the entire community.

He is survived by his wife and five children: Elmer of Pine Valley; Albert at West Bend; Lee at home, Vera, Mrs. Guy Schultz of Levis and Mildred at home. He leaves also four grandchildren, two brothers, Henry in North Dakota and Lewis in Missouri; a sister, Mrs. J. Meyer and his step-mother both at Gorin, Missouri.

The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at the union church in Neillsville, Rev. Paul White officiating.