Bridgeton pioneer., 1902-04-17
HUSBAND DEAD,
WIFE rs DYING.
The Well Knewn Undertaken
Died Saturday Afternoon at
Half-past Two O'clock.

Half-paSt Two O'clock.
The entire community was Saturday
evening plunged into deepest grief
when it was learned that Hugh III.
Nickelson, the we'll known undertaken,
had succumbed to the ravages of
pneumonia, while in an adjoining
room his faithful wife, most highly
esteemed woman, lay dying from the
same disease.
So well and favorably known were
these two people that the shock seems
all the greater, the grief the more
deep, the sympathy for the stricken
mother all the more sincere.
Dead, it scarcely seems possible.
These two people were so much in
the life of great part of the COM
munity-the one in business and the
social side of the community, the
other in her domestic life and the life
of her church and Sunday School.
Hugh H. Nickelson was forty years
old on the 18th of February last. He
was born in West Greek, Cape May
county, and was early in life thrown
upon his own resources, his father, q
sea captain, being lost at sea. He
trained himself for carpenter, and
later took up undertaking under direc-
tion of his uncle, j. r. Wilson, of
Cape May.
For twelve years he was engaged in
business in Port Norris, but was not
highly successful and came to Bridge
ton in 1896, succeeding the late James
NJ Bateman.
His success here seemed certain
from the beginning and he rapidly ad-
vanced, becoming one of the leaders
in the profession, and his friends
were those who met him. His genial.
winning personality, his unostenta-
tious manners appealed strongly to
everyone, and the friendships ordi-
narily existing between people of a
community, with him became deep
and earnest affection Everyone were
glad of his business success, and but
recently he had been enabled, by his
own efforts, to wipe out the business
embarrassments OF the past, fitted
himself splendidly in his business,
and was enjoying prosperity that
gave everyone greatest satisfaction.
Three weeks since he was attacked
with pneumonia. He was quite sick
and as the seriousness of his illness
became more apparent the community
was much exercised. Still Mr.. Nick
elson, with his indomitable courage,
had no thought of dying. He was
we'll prepared for death, but felt that
he would recover and so expressed
himself The disease had spent itself,
the fever was broken and there was
great hope. But the strength of the
man had been sapped. The heart did
not respond and for days physicians
battled with death, and just a spark
of life was kept Pickering in the body
by artificial means. But the unequal
half past five O'Clock, and the much
loved man, in the prime of manhood,
sank peacefully into never broken
sleep.
Just across the hall, his stricken
widow was suffering with the same ill
fated illness. She had been stricken
while faithfully nursing at his bed
side. With the dying moments of
him, disease was fast carrying her to
the brink. When the end came her
condition was such that she could not
know and the great sorrow was hidden
from her. All day Sunday she was
sinking, failing, dying, and Monday
morning.it was but question OF hours
when she would join her life com-
panion in never ending eternity. A
little before ten it was announced she
had Joined her husband, but the faint
est, Pickering spark was still kindled.
She lived ON for hours.
Crushed hearts of those who loved
them can scarcely realize what seems
almost tragedy. None left in the
household but the grief stricken, sor-
row burdened mother of Mrs Nickel
son. She had been part of the
household in the happy domestic life
she is alone in the household, in
the saddest of hours, both taken from
her.
Mrs. Nicholson was the daughter of
Almira and the late Stephen Mayhew.
Her entire life had been dedicated to
her husband She was tower OF
strength to him, and her influence
went beyond her home, and extended
to his business In Central Onufcn,
where both belonged he an official
member, her light was always burn
ing. She was one OF the active
women, a singer in the choir, ana
as superintendent of the infant
department in the Sunday School,
she was as successful as she was
faithful.
Seldom have useful lives thus ended,
and there is greatest gloom weighing
heavily upon very many people, not
only in this community where death
found them, but in the lower part of
the county, where they linked their
lives together and gave to those
about them some of the best years OF
their lives.
With the death of Mrs. Hugh H.
Nickelson, Monday night, little after
six O'Clock, arrangements were made
e. ~ R1,. I, hx,r