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Mayor H.H. Neuenburg Answers Death Angel’s Sudden Summons, Olivia Times August 28, 1919

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Henry H. Neuenberg

Olivia in Mourning Over the Death of its Prominent and Beloved Citizen. Was Spanish War Veteran and Major in National Guard. Funeral Today From Home.

Henry H. Neuenburg, major of Olivia and beloved citizen is dead. The call came suddenly after an illness of only four days’ duration. The news of his death came as a terrible shock to the people of this vicinity on Tuesday morning. As a result, sorrow was depicted on the faces of the town people as they appeared on the streets and gloom spread to every home in the village. It seems so hard to realize that he, who was attending to his business affairs and mingling with other businessmen in town on Friday had been called so suddenly.

Mr. Neuenburg was taken ill on Friday from an attack of acute appendicitis. Dr. Mesker was called and alter Dr. Peterson of Minneapolis, who advised an operation. On Sunday he was taken to Minneapolis, where he underwent an operation at Fairview hospital. Here it was found that an abbess which formed on the appendix had broken and gangrene had set in. His condition left little hope for his recovery and immediately his two sons, Donald and Wilbur, were sent for and they, with Mrs. Neuenburg and of her relatives were at his bedside when he passed away at 3 o’clock Tuesday morning. The remains were brought to Olivia Tuesday evening and arrangements have been made for holding the funeral this afternoon at 1:30 from the home and 2 o’clock from the M.E. Church.

Olivia mourns today for one of its very best and most esteemed citizens, the history of whose life has been closely interwoven with the history of this village. Born in LeSueur County, Sept. 1, 1867, he came with his parents to Renville County at the age of nine years. The family settled on a farm in Beaver Falls in 1876 and here Henry remained until the age of 18, attending the public school in Renville and Redwood counties and later taking a course in a business college. In 1885 he entered the employ of Heins & McClure in their hardware store at Beaver Falls and this position he held until the death of Mr. McClure when the business closed. In 1890 he came to Olivia taking the position here as cashier of the Peoples Bank, which position he held until 1897 when he engaged in the lumber business forming a company known as H.H. Neuenburg and Co. He continued in this business until 1909, when he was appointed postmaster at Olivia. He served as postmaster for eight years and shortly after leaving the government employ he purchased the Olivia Roller Mills and was conducting this business at the time of his death.

During all the years of his residence here he concerned himself with the affairs of the village and community, filling various public offices and giving his support to the furtherance of every movement for the betterment of the community. At the time of his death, he was acting as major of the village, member of the board of education, member of the armory board, member of the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen lodges and stockholder of the Canning Co. and other local enterprises.

Captain Henry H. Neuenburg
Co. H Spanish-American War

In 1898 at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he enlisted with Company H and served during the war. He remained with the company during the years since, serving as a lieutenant, as captain, and finally as major of the battalion.

On Jan. 14, 1892, he was married to Miss Ida McClure, who with two sons, Donald aged 15, and Wilbur, aged 9 survive him, another son, Vern, having died in the service of his country in the late war.

A proper estimate of the character of the deceased cannot be given in this limited space, but it should be said of him that he was ever loyal to his town and country ever true to his friends and fellow citizen, ever devoted to his home and loved ones and always worthy of the compliments paid him and the honors conferred upon him. To have known Henry Neuenburg was to admire and esteem him, for he possessed in a marked degree those qualities of heart and mind which make men admirable and lovable. He will be sadly be missed from the social and business life of Olivia, but most of all from the home where the influence of his lovable nature and kindly impulses was most felt. To the bereaved widow and sons, the sympathy of the community goes out in full measure. May they find comfort in the thought that their departed loved one has left to them as a rich legacy, an honored name and that his life was filled with deeds which merit eternal reward.