| Notes |
- 1880 United States Federal Census
Name: John Ludwig
Age: 9
Birth Year: abt 1871
Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1880: Princeton, Bureau, Illinois
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Nephew
Marital Status: Single
Father's Birthplace: New York
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois
Occupation: At School
Household Members:
Name Age
Enic Blackford 29
Ida Blackford 23
Allie Bartholomew 12
Emma Hamilton 33
John Ludwig 9
Off for Klondike
St. Joseph Record February 26, 1898 page 1
John W. Ludwick parted with his many friends and associates here on last Saturday and started on the long, venturesome trip to the gold fields in Alaska. He went as far as Urbana and visited over Sunday with his mother. From there he will resume his journey, going via Chicago, where he will visit his brother for a few days. Mr. Ludwick is the first man, bound for Klondike, that has left this immediate vicinity and very naturally his friends and acquaintances are deeply interested. He is a hale and hardy young man, and one that has had a marked amount of experience in traveling, having traveled over the western states when but a mere boy, and succeeded in acquiring considerable money. Those that are acquainted with his past record say that he is a man who will succeed where others would fail. We join with his many friends in wishing him a safe journey and a rich discovery.
John W. Ludwick Killed
St. Joseph Record Saturday April 23, 1898 page 1
Thursday evening between nine and ten o'clock a message was caught from the wires here, which revealed the following, "Have remains of John W. Ludwick from Alaska, wire instructions." The above telegram was sent from Seattle, Washington, to the Mayor of Urbana. This was a severe shock to the entire community and they were slow to believe the awful truth. The message did not say how he came by his death, but the general opinion prevails that he was caught in the avalanche that occurred at Chilkoot Pass on April 3, in which 100 lives were lost. This snow slide occurred 13 days after the writing of a letter that appeared in our last week's issue, and everyone was in hopes that he had escaped it. In whatever manner Mr. Ludwick met death in its accepted by his many friends here as shocking and terrible fate, for he was a young man who had won the hears of all his acquaintances, and they had built high hopes for his success in the gold fields. His brother, Mr. P. L. Ludwick, was notified of the sad affair Thursday night, also his mother, who lives at Urbana. At present it is not known what instructions they will give, relative to his burial, but they will probably have his remains sent here. He carried a $3,000 life insurance policy in the Ben Hur lodge.
Death Reaps a Harvest
St. Joseph Record Saturday May 7, 1898 page 1
John Warren Ludwick was born in St. Joseph township, Champaign county, Illinois, November 10, 1870, and died April 8, 1898, in Sheep Camp, Alaska. He was converted during the pastorate of Rev. C. R. Carlos in St. Joseph in the winter of 1891, and was baptized. He leaves to mourn, his mother, three brothers and two sisters. He was a member of the K. of P. lodge and the Tribe of Ben Hur. John was a manly young man, well beloved by all. He had a host of friends. He was ambitious, of good moral character. In seeking for the gold of the Klondike he found the gold of heaven.
Little did the many friends of Mr. Ludwick think on Saturday, February 19, when they bid him goodbye that they would be called upon to attend his funeral ere three months had passed. But such was the case, and the occasion is one of universal sorrow. He left this place on February 19, and went to Urbana and Champaign, where he remailed a few days before starting on the log, perilous journey to the Alaskan gold fields. Occasionally he wrote home and several of his letters were published in the Record, the last one, however, being written March 20, at Sheep Camp where he died. At the time he was enjoying good health and seemed in the best of spirits. But it appears that on April 2, he was taken down with spinal meningitis and survived only seven days. Further particulars concerning his illness we did not learn. After his death, his body was sent to Seattle, Washington, under the supervision of Will Shaw, who was with him part of the time during his illness, and who John had asked to send his body home and look after his effects in case he died. Upon the arrival of his body at Seattle, the news of his death was telegraphed to his relatives Thursday, April 21, which was indeed a sad message to them. They immediately sent for the body, but for some unknown reason it was not sent until last Saturday evening, arriving in Champaign Wednesday where it was taken to his mother's to await the funeral the next day, which occurred in the church at Mayview. A large crowd was in attendance, over one hundred going from here. The Ben Hur lodge of this place had charge of the services, meeting the funeral cortege from Champaign and Urbana and Mayview at 12 o'clock. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. C. R. Carlos of Springfield, assisted by Rev. J. C. Eninger of this place. A quartet, composed of Mr. and Mrs. Lew E. Stevenson, Miss Jessie Whitzell and Mr. O. P. Kellogg, and the Ben Hur band, furnished appropriate music. The remains were laid to rest in the Mt. Olive cemetery.
Transcribed by the Homer Historical Society
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1870 - 1898 (27 years)
