Surnames: Schroeder, Kuehling, Beschta, Kilty, Morgan, Goldschmidt, Schnelle

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 06/29/1950

Schroeder, John (1911? - 25 June 1950)

Unity Farmer Killed When Storm Collapses Barn

A freak gust of wind which ripped along County Trunk K west of Unity at about 9:00 o’clock Sunday night resulted in the death of one man and thousands of dollars in property damages. Killed was John Schroeder, age 39, a resident hired man on the Norman Kuehling farm, a mile and a half west of Unity. He was crushed beneath the timbers of the 36x80 barn as he apparently prepared to leave the building. He was caught beneath the debris about four feet from the barn door. Schroeder and his wife had completed the chores and turned 23 head of stock out to pasture. Mrs. Schroeder left the barn for the house when the terrific gust of wind struck.

Mrs. Schroeder returned to the barn and then summoned the Spencer fire department. Jacks were used to raise the timbers to extricate the man who was pronounced dead by a physician who had been called.

Two calves were also in the barn but neighbors succeeded in getting them out with ropes. They, apparently, were not injured. Two hay loaders, a side delivery and a quantity of hay from last year’s crop were damaged. The barn was partially covered by insurance.

Schroeder came from Junction City and moved onto the Kuehling property about four months ago. He is survived by his widow and three children, Terry, age five, Sandra, three, and David, one; four brothers, Roy of Rudolph, Henry of Colby, Elmer of Lansing, Mich., and Arthur of Waupaca. One brother, Henry, preceded him in death in 1944.

Funeral services for Schroeder are being held this Thursday morning at St. Mary’s Catholic church, Rev. N. B. Beschta officiating, and internment will be made in the Auburndale cemetery.

Other Barns Down

A 112-60 foot basement barn, one of the strongest in the area, owned by Glen Kilty, a short distance west of the Kuehling property, was blown down. There were no casualties at this place but five tons of baled hay, a new mower, a chopper, a grain binder and a hammer mill were ruined. The barn was partly covered by insurance. A chicken coop on the Kilty place was completely spun around and left standing on its foundation.

Also blown down were a silo on the Richard Kuehling farm, east of where Schroeder was killed on K; a side barn on the Morris Morgan farm; a barn on the Richard Goldschmidt farm, four miles east of Colby; a barn on the Louis Luerdecke farm, two and one-half miles northeast of Abbotsford, Wis. At the Vernon Schnelle home in the town of Hull, the wind ripped off barn doors, porch posts and broke windows.