Evert Borgers (1885 - bef. 1918)

Born 2 Aug 1885 in Ede, Gelderland, Nederland

Ancestors

Died before 3 Feb 1918 before age 32 in Alton, Sioux, Iowa, USA

Biography

Evert Borgers is geboren in Gelderland na 1811

Evert Borgers was born on August 2, 1885 in Ede.^[1]

Father: Berend Borgers, 28 years old, timmerman by profession Mother: Hermina van Beek, no profession

Burial

Burial:

Date: 6 FEB 1918

Place: Nassau Township Cemetery, Alton, Sioux, Iowa

Occupation

Occupation: Farmer

Cause

Cause: Suicide, killed on train tracks

Note

Article in the Alton Democrat Saturday February 9, 1918

Demented Man Killed by Train

Stepping directly in front of the morning passenger train Sunday which was running at a speed of 40 or 50 miles an hour, Everett Borgers of Harris, aged 32 years, was instantly killed. His skull was crushed, both ankles broken, right shoulder and left hip dislocated and his neck broken and there is no doubt but what death was instant.

The young man was about 2 miles from this side of Hospers, walking toward that town. It was 7:45 in the morning when the train came along and the engineer saw Borgers when about a mile away from him. He blew the whistle and thought Borgers was a farmer and would step out of the track onto the grade crossing near him, but Borgers instead of getting clear off the track stepped off with only one foot and then stepped back into the track facing the train with both fists raised towards it. J. Barber, the engineer, put on the emergency brakes but could not check the speed of the train enough to save Borgers. The body was brought to Alton where he had relatives.

Borgers was farming for himself near Harris. His mother formerly lived near Alton, His father died after two weeks in this country and his mother later married Art Multer. Young Borgers' sister who is 23 years old has been going blind since childhood and they were very closely attached to each other, until lately she was taken insane and had to be removed to Cherokee. This seem to affect her brother's mind and he has talked peculiarly since except when talking over farm or business matters when he was perfectly rational. Last Friday he induced a friend to go with him to Cherokee but they missed the Illinois Central train at Sheldon and then came down to Alton where they spent Saturday. During the day Borgers tried to get a livery team with which to drive to Cherokee but was not successful. At night he told his friend, Fredd Rass, to go to the Mulder home and he would go to another relatives. After this no more was known of him until the tragedy. In his pockets he had over $2,300 in cash and checks, mostly the latter.

Coroner Meyers was here from Hawarden Monday morning and empaled a jury consisting of M.D. Gibbs, E.J. Kooreman and Mr. Christy. They arrived at a verdict that the deceased was killed by a train while walking on the track in a demented condition.

The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, burial taking place at Nassau Township Cemetery. The young man leaves in mourn his mother, Mrs. Art Mulder of Harris; brothers, John, Raymond, Arthur, Will, Herman and Gerrit Borgers, sisters Mrs. W.D. Mills of Sanborn, Mrs. Gerrit Brower of Plessis, Bernadene Borgers, Cherokee. Those present from out of town besides the relatives were Dick Heneson of Sheldon, John Brewer of Hull, Gerrit Brouwer of Plessis, Mr & Mrs. C. Kool of Maurice.

Sources

1. ↑ Gelders Archive in Arnhem (Netherlands), Civil registration births Ede, archive 207, inventory number 5306, August 3, 1885, record number 251

• Evert Borgers Death Certificate [1]