Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-12-20
Obituary.

Paul Kleemann was born in the town
of Erfurt, Province of Saxony, Germany,
in 1850. He served as lieutenant of
cavalry under Prince Frederick in the
Franco Prussian war and for gallantry
in action received the badge of the "Iron
Cross" He was for six years travelling
agent for firm in Berlin, who were
heavy dealers in silk, and during these
years he spent most of his time in Paris
and other cities of France and Germany.
He was the youngest of sixteen children
and was a direct descendent of one Of
the oldest titled families of Germany.
OF his family there remain three broth
ers and two sisters who are living in
I, Germany.
Mr.. Kleemann came to America and
landed in the Black Hills April Is, 1877,
and lived first in the town of Harney,
where he kept store. He was married
July 18th, 1877, to Miss Margaretha
Wiednann, the marriage ceremony be-
ing performed in the town of Hayward,
S. u. In the autumn of VI they moved
to Rockerville, and remained in that
place until they came to Custer in 1880,
where he engaged in the hotel business,
in which occupation he continued until
the day of his death. The eldest daugh.
ter, Elsie, was born in Rockeryille, while
the second daughter HELENE, and their
ponl hnth horn in Cncfnr
where the wife and three children still
live to mourn over the departure of a
loved and loving husband and father.
The funeral took place in the Congre-
gational church, Mrs. Katherine Powell,
officiating. He was buried in the Gus
ter cemetery in the afternoon of Decem
ber 18th, 1902, long procession of carri.
ages filled with friends and friends of
the family following his remains to the
grave.
The disease by which he was stricken
down gave little warning of its approach.
He was taken Thursday evening while
walking from his hotel to the depot and
fell unconscious on the street. He was
carried to his home and physician was
called, but all efforts proved of no avail,
and about $3.50 Friday afternoon he
breathed his last surrounded by his grief
stricken family. His malady was dis
ease of the kidneys technically known
as "uraemia," and was brought on in
part by too much care and worry, and
too long continued loss of sleep.
Yes, Paul has left US to tread the mazes
of another world and the streets of the
old town will never again resound with
the familiar tread of The feet that are
still, and our ears are no longer greeted
by the sound of that deep toned voice
that is hushed forever on earth. The
occasion is solemn one, and bids us
pause and reflect upon the transistory
nature of all things in this life and to re-
mind US that we cannot tarry here but
little while. This world is not our
home. But we come now to speak some.
what Of the man as we knew him, and
of his sudden and sad departure from
among us. Paul was our landlord and
an old citizen He was likewise miner
like the most of us, and delved into the
earth and rent the rocks. He had his
friends whom he loved and who loved
him. He had his enemies whom he dis
liked and who disliked him. He did
not pose as saint, neither do we design
to picture him as such, but truthfully
we can say that he had many good and
praise eworthy qualities. Blunt and out
spoken, even at times to roughness, it is
but natural that some should take Of
fense and treasure up ill feeling, but
they will understand that the time has
come when all bitter remembrances
should be put away, and all enmity
should cease. We are prompted to this
by every feeling of our better manhood,
and reason teaches us that when a man
leayes this world and all its scenes of
strife, he has so far as he is concerned
paid every debt and is free. At such
time the proper thing to do is to forgive
and forget, SO shall you give peace to the
spirit of the departed and comfort to
your own souls.
Paul Kleemann, although rough at
times was not at heart unkind. He was
charitable to the poor, and we question
if there is any one who was familiar
with his daily life, who will dispute the
statement that he gave more to charity,
and without recompense fed more hun
CRY bodies than any other man in the
community in which he lived. And this
is saying a good deal in community
that is so favorably known for the gen.
erosity of its people, who in all the long
years since we have lived here, have
never (when it was known) allowed any
one to suffer with hunger or cold, or for
want Of proper clothing to protect them
from the elements. But Paul's crown
ing virtue was his devotion to his family
1t was upon them that he centered his
affections, and when reyerses in business
came upon him, and he was loaded down
with care and trouble he took good care
Of them. When notes were pressing,
and he was struggling to lift the mort