Minister's Wife's Clothing Catches Fire -- Dies of Burns

Mrs. F. W. Nolte, Creal Springs -- Fatally Burned During House Fire Saturday Night

Mrs. F. W. Nolte, 88, wife of Rev. F. W. Nolte of Creal Springs, died Sunday noon [July 10, 1937] at Holden hospital of burns sustained when her clothing caught fire Saturday night. Rev. Nolte testified at the coroner's inquest held at the Carbondale Funeral Home this morning, that Saturday night he dropped off to sleep, while reading in a chair next to a table on which stood a lighted coal oil lamp. He testified he was awakened about ten o'clock by bits of burning newspaper falling on him. Parts of his clothing, the cover of the table, and the rug were all afire. Rev. Nolte said he called to his wife, who was sleeping in an adjoining bedroom, telling her to dress and go out, and that he picked up the blazing lamp to carry it outside. The minister's hands were painfully burned when he attempted to carry the lamp and he dropped it, spreading flaming oil over his floor.

At this point, he ran outside to call to the neighbors for help, meantime Mrs. Nolte thinking that her husband was still in the blazing room, went in to search for him. Her clothes caught fire and she was painfully burned especially on her back and neck.

After the fire was extinguished, it was found that Mrs. Nolte was badly burned and she was brought to Holden hospital. She was entirely conscious, when brought to the hospital.

The body will lay at the Carbondale Funeral Home from 5 p.m. today until 2:30 p.m. tomorrow, when funeral services will be conducted there. Rev. Shelley of Creal Springs will be assisted by Rev. Paul Smith of the Carbondale First Baptist church during the service. Burial will be in Oakland cemetery.

Mrs. Ida Louise Nolte was born May 9, 1849 [more likely 1855 according to 1860, 1870, & 1880 census data], in Springfield, and formerly reside in Carbondale.

She is survived by: the husband, Rev. F. W. Nolte; daughter, Mrs. Ralph W. Taylor, Carbondale; sisters, Mrs. Hattie Marshall, Tina, Mo., and Mrs. Eva B. Batterton, Springfield, Ill.

[July 12, 1937. The Daily Independent (Murphysboro, Illinois). Page 4]