Freeport Daily Journal Thurs, May 16, 1907

Casper Nehus, the  veteran iceman, died very suddenly  at his home, on
Ordway street at 4:10 o'clock yesterday afternoon. He had been feeling
poorly for the  past three or four weeks but had  not been confined to
his  bed  and   he  had  been  out  and  around   every  day  of  that
time. Yesterday noon he ate his dinner as usual and stated that he was
feeling better  than he had  for the past  few days. Shortly  before 4
o'clock he was  taken with a spell from which  he never recovered. His
death came  as a  surprise to his  many friends and  acquaintances, as
there  were but  a few,  who knew,  that he  was ill  or  even feeling
poorly. Mr. Nehus  was born Feb. 5, 1847,  at Logabirum, Ostftiesland,
Hannover,  Germany. He  received a  fair education  and when  about 14
years old started to learn the cooper's trade. As in the custom to his
native country  he was required to  spend seven years at  it.  When he
finished his trade he was of  age and started for America, his parents
having proceded him  a short time. Arriving in  America he came direct
to Freeport,  which he has  made his home  since.  He arrived  here in
1868.

The first five years in this country he worked at farming. He was next
employed by one  of the ice firms in this city  and remained with them
for  eighteen years.  He  was married  in this  city to  miss Caroline
Henrich in 1873. She departed this life - Feb 19,1888

In 1886 Mr.  Nehus started in the Ice business for  himself on a small
scale but his business gradually  increased till it became the largest
ice business in the city.  He thoroughly learned the business while he
was working for others, and his obliging and accomodating ways quickly
gained for him a large patronage.

He is  survived by six children  as follows: John A.,  Miss Anni, Miss
Ida  and  William  of this  city  and  Mrs.  William Brown  of  Silver
Creek. Two  sisters, Mrs.  Charles  Rinderman and Mrs.  William Secker
also live  in this city,  and a brother,  Abel Nehus, lives  at Paris,
Ark. John Nehus, who was also a brother, died in Freeport this spring.

Mr. Nehus was a prominent member  of St. Joseph's church, and had done
a great deal  in helping to build the church  and other buildings that
belonged to  that congregation. He was  also an honorary  member of St
Pius society and  belonged to the Catholic Knights  of Illinois, which
is  an insurance  society. The  roster  of the  Germania society  also
contained his name and he  belonged to the benevolent organizations of
that  institution.  He  was  prosperous in  his  business, paying  the
strictest attention  to honorable methods and doing  towards others as
he would have them do towards him. By following this principle he made
a  large number  of  friends and  customers  to his  business. In  the
affairs  of Freeport  he took  a  great interest  and was  continually
working for the best ends of the city. He was ever for the advancement
of  the  city  and  where  these  improvements  or  advancements  were
consistent to  the welfare of  the people he  was one of the  first to
advocate them.

The  funeral will  be held  from the  home on  Ordway  street Saturday
morning   at  9   o'clock   and   a  half   hour   from  St   Joseph's
church.    Interment    will     be    at    the    German    Catholic
cementery. Rev. Father Kalvelage will officiate.