Research Papers

Research Papers

Today is:

                                A Walk In the Cemetery

A. Maintain social distancing in this time of the COVID1-19 pandemic
     – Go for a walk – through a cemetery

    Gravestones tell stories
        Dates of death – diseases

    The stones – wide variety
        Many symbols
        Tree trunk cement markers
            Mainly, but not exclusively, used by Woodmen of the World members

    There was a request for information about one in the Kearney Cemetery - the Hoover plot

B. Dr. M A Hoover plot

    A prominent doctor who came to Kearney from Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1883 and practiced here all his life

    Was official doctor for UP and Black Hills railroad for several years.

    Was member of many organizations in Kearney including several fraternal societies
        May account for his having the tree trunk tombstone

    Built a house which still stands on the southeast corner of the 21st & C intersection

    Was married three times and had 8 children, 5 five lived to adulthood

    Hoover Kearney Cemetery plot
        Lot 1187 – owned by Dr. M. A. Hoover [3 children, 2 wives & himself]

    Homer H. Hoover – Plot 5 – age 3 days, died 4-9-1889 – Cause of death was inanition

   A M Hoover – plot 5 – age 14 days, died 1-5-1893 [Agnes Marie]

    Mrs. Eva C. Hoover – plot 1 – age 39, died 1-12-1895 - Cause of death was cancer

    Marvel C. Hoover – plot 2 – age 6 ½ months, died 9-24-1900

    Agnes P Hoover – plot 3 – age 25, died 11-21-1900 (died after a lingering illness, accordng to the Kearney Hub)

    Maurice A. Hoover – plot 8 – age 81, died 3-40-1940 – Coronary arteriosclerosis, last living in Grand Island

    Findagrave.com website information about Maurice Hoover
        Spouses
            Eva Alice Cox Hoover - 1855–1895 [children: Bessie, Homer, & Agnes]
            Agnes P. Hoover - 1875–1900 [child: Marvel]
            Stella Ethel Tucker Hoover - 1877–1967 (m. 1901) [died in Los Angeles, CA & buried there]

        Children
            Bessie Bolton Hoover Sinclair - 1885–1968
            Homer H. Hoover - 1889–1889
            Agnes Marie Hoover - 1892–1893
            Ione I. Hoover Muldoon - 1902–1961
            Amber Audrey Hoover Harbottle - 1904–1986
            Maurine Alberta Hoover Lewis - 1915–2007
            Maurice Albert Hoover - 1916–1975

C. Levi Hoover plot
        Another Hoover plot in the Kearney Cemetery
        Lot 892 – 5 persons buried here

        George Hoover – plot 4 – age 42, died 3-24-1893 – cause of death was poisoning

            Kearney Hub – March 24, 1893 - Yesterday George, who lived in southeast Kearney, went to a drug store
            and bought 10¢ worth of strychnine, saying it was to poison some rats. In the evening he went to his parents’
            home to see his mother who was ill. He stayed overnight. In the morning when he got up he went into the
            pantry and apparently took the poison. After getting a drink of water he sat down by the stove briefly and
            then, donning a coat, went out to the outhouse and then to the barn. His father thought he might be sick so he
            went out and found him in the barn writhing in agony. He died before his father could summon help

            George was 45 and left a wife and “two or three children.” He had been despondent due to financial
            difficulties.

         Mabel Hoover – plot 8 – age 5, died 5-26-1893 – cause of death was croup

            Kearney Hub – May 26, 1893 - "---The health officer notified the police this morning that a young child of
            Mrs. Geo. Hoover had diphtheria."

        Grace Hoover – plot 7 – age 3, died 5-30-19-1893 – cause of death was scarlet fever

            Kearney Hub – May 31, 1893 - "--Another young child of Mrs. Geo. Hoover was buried yesterday. Her
            husband committed suicide about a month ago and this is the second child she has lost in two weeks."

        Mrs. Hoover – plot 2 – age 60, died 12-30-1893
            (Findagrave.com website - Spouse of Levi Hoover - Lydia Nicenander Hoover - 1827–1893)

        Levi Hoover – Plot 3 – age 83, died 8-12-1908 – cause of death was hemorrhage of brain
            Was living with daughter Mary Yotty in Kearney when he died
            He also had another son, Norman
            Findagrave.com website for gravesite for Levi Hoover
                Children
                Mary Alice Hoover Yotty - 1849–1914
                George M. Hoover - 1850–1893
                Norman Levi Hoover - 1863–1917

D. Maxine Mae Zimmer (another interesting burial)

Zimmer, Maxine Mae Odessa, Ne. Plot 1820 A, Lot 7 East section of the cemetery
    Date of death - 9/20/1949
    Date of interrment - 9/23/1949
    Age - 23 years 4 months 5 days
    Cause of death - Fracture of skull
    Owner of the plot - Ray E. Karner

    Kearney Hub account of the death : There was a car-truck accident
    Maxine was headed west on Highway 30. Her left fender clipped a Watson Bros. truck.
    The trailer came loose from the truck and ran over her car
    Maxine suffered a broken leg as well as the head injury

    Maxine and her 2-year-old son had been living with her parents in Odessa which is west of Kearney.

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Revised: 07/11/2020