Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1921-08-20
CHRIS. WILKINSON DIES MONDAY
Former Well Known Custer Man Lives
But Few Hours After Attack

Former Well known Custer Man Lives
But Few Hours After Attack.
Custer community was considerably
shocked upon hearing OF the rather
sudden death of former resident and
blacksmith, Mr.. Chris Wilkinson, which
occurred last Monday afternoon at the
home Of his daughter, Mrs j. p Nc.
Keuna, where Mr.. and Mrs. Wilkinson
were visiting.
1t seems that about the first Of last
April Mr.. Wilkinson was attacked with
what seemed to be a slight stroke Of
paralysis, and has shown signs of grad
ual falling health ever since He was
suddenly taken i'll Sunday afternoon
and grew worse until his death occurred
on Monday afternoon,
Funeral services were conducted from
the Congregational Chufch in Custer
Wednesday afternoon, MIR. d. Webster
Davis having charge The choir wa,
composed Of Mrs c. f. Perrin, Mrs +.
b. Wilson, and Mr. and Mrs Eric
IIIeidepriem Burial was made in tie
family lot in the Custer cemetery.
Christopher Wilkinson began life
nearly sixty-six years ago, September
80, 1856, at Liberty, Wisconsin His
parents were John and Grace Wilkinson
In this locality be grew to young man
hood, and in 1851 was married to Miss
Elizabeth Russell. During their earlier
married life Mr. aud Mrs. Wilkinson
started westward, and after a sojourn OF
about year in Kansas came to western
South Dakota, settling in Fall River
county, in the vicinity Of Oelrichs This
was in the year $50, and South Dakota
was yet territory This one fact re-
calls to the memory Of the Old Timer,
a great deal Of South Dakota history.
and suggests much of trial and hardship
through which Mr.. and Mrs. Wilkinson
necessarily came In 1898 The Wukin-
son family moved to Custer City, where
they made their home for about twelve
years. For the past sixteen years they
have lived at Belle Fourche. Mr.. and
Mrs. Wilkinson were the parents of six
children, three boys and three girls, all
Of whom, with the mother are living
Owing to uncomfortable circumstances
two of the children were not able to at
tend their fathers funeral. They are
Mrs. Albert W. Walker, formerly Of
Grand Junction, Colo, but recently Of
Fallon, Nevada, and j. Hubert Wilkin-
son of San Francisco. The relatives at
tending the funeral were Mrs. j p Nc
Kenna, and family, Charles r. and
Dudley Wilkinson of Belle Fourche, and
Mrs. Roy Yuill, of Newell, 5. d. Also
his niece, Mrs. w B. Smith, of Custer.
Mr. Wilkinson has brother, Mr.. Rich
ard Wilkinson, and two sisters, Mrs
Ellen Brel, and Mrs. Rose Becker, all
Of Sitter, Wis. Mr. Wilkinson was a
member of the First Congregational
Church Of Belle Fourche, he was also a
X. F. and a Woodman
Chris Wilkinson was one of those men
whom folks are glad to call neighbor.
lie was known to be devoted husband
a fond father, and upright and industri-
GUS citizen. Right nobly has he played
his part in the development of this and
other communities a quiet unassum-
ing man, yet man whose life was felt
and appreciated, for what he was, and
could do. Our friend was a blacksmith
by trade, and during his residence at
Custer he followed that work Doubt
less those who have known him best
have in their memory picture of him
at the forge. 1t may be said that he
continued to be a blacksmith through
his lifetime, for while during the past
few years he managed garage, his
work was but a slight diversion from
his old trade. Now his hand is remoy-
ed from the forge, the clang, clang,
clang of his hammer upon the anvil,
ringing music into the ears of those who
lovingly regarded the man and his
noble work, must be taken up by an
other, But the nobility of his char
acter, his true worth, will 90 ringing
down through the generations, for he
served his fellowman.