The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-10-04
WILLARD J. NOURSE

Daiiy Associated press reports car
ry in nearly every issue of the vari-
Gus papers news of railroad wrecks
in which lives are lost, people are
seriously injured and many narrow
escapes are recorded. We read these
items with passing interest, in
many cases glancing only over the
headlines and giving the incident no
further thought or attention. The
terrible Casper disaster, however, of
last Thursday night carried more
than passing thought to the citizens
of Gunnison county, for word came
Friday that W. ]. Nourse was a pas
senger on this ill-fated train. Sus-
pense for family and friends from
that time until Saturday morning
can be only imagined. Saturday at
noon came word from Casper from
the Masonic order at that place, that
the body of w. ]. Nourse had been
found. This distressingly sad news
was at once sent to the brother, E. M.
Nourse, who was in Denver, frantic
ally using every effort to secure news
of his missing loved one. He had
been unable, either to get to the
wreck or to secure any news of his
brother, whom he knew had been on
the train.
The Masons of Casper prepared the
body for shipment and after heart
breaking delays it arrived in Denver
Tuesday morning. That evening F..
M. Nourse started to Gunnison with
the remains arriving Wednesday
morning. He was met by the mem
bers of the Gunnison Masonic lodge
and by his family and many friends,
The funeral was held at two o'clock,
the beautiful. solemn and impressive
ceremony of the Masonic order being
given. All services were at the grave
where sorrowing friends gathered in
large numbers to do honor to the
memory of one whom they had known
and esteemed for so many years
Flowers in great profusion covered
casket and mound.
Willard ]. Nourse was born in
Westboro, Massachusetts, October l.
1866. He was educated in the east
and was graduate of Amhurst Col
lege, Mass He was one of the star
athletes of the college. After grad
.o4;a.. L. Iooo,,,o oeeoo;otad .,;tl, the
Bancroft Whitney Law Book company
and for some years was in Atlanta
Georgia, in branch office for this
company 1t was while living at At
lanta, in the early nineties that he
lost his beloved wife. A little son
two years old was left motherless
This son, Harry Lightner Nourse, sur
wives him. and is now a resident o1
Walla Walla, Wash, and was at hi:
fathers funeral.
A short time after the death of hi:
wife, Mr.. Nourse came to Colorado
Joining his brother e. NJ, in Gunni
son He had studied law in college
and was admitted to the Colorado
bar in 1900. He practiced at Lake
CITY and was associated for tim,
with his brother in Gunnison. How
ever, the legal side in the business
world never appealed to him and HI
became interested in mining. HI
had charge of many mining activitie
at Lake City, Tin Cup and man!
other mining localities, and was on'
of the most widely known mining
men in the state. After the sluml
in mining he became Interested il
the insurance business and was con
sidered an authority on most matter
pertaining to this subject. He movet
in. very prominent business circles il
Denver where he has. been located
for several years.
Among his friends, and they wer
myriad, Mr.. Nourse was known a
"Bill" Nourse He was man whom
all respected. His friends held hin
in the very highest esteem. Busines
associates considered his word as hi
bond, and that word, once given wa
never broken He was man of ster
ling worth, splendid morals, and higl
ideals of life, was kindly and loya
and with his CHEEKY smile and goo
word for one and all, gained forIhim
self an enviable following of. friends
He was devoted to his son, hi
brother, Judge Nourse, and the lat
ter's family. The very close and in
innate friendship which existed be
tween the brothers was often re
marked by friends. The one CLEAR
of comfort which comes to the rela