Surnames: BOUVRAN

----Source: HUMBIRD ENTERPRISE (Humbird, Clark County, Wis.) 08/11/1906

Bouvran, Joseph (1834? - Jul 1906)

The Granton News, Clark County, Wis. of Aug. 3, 1906 gives account of the tragic death of a former resident of Humbird, as follows: "Mrs. Geo. Hart was grievously surprised last Friday upon receipt of a telegram from Wausau containing the sad intelligence that her aged stepfather, Mr. Joseph Bouvran had departed this life. She took the next train for Wausau and learned that he had met his death through falling down an elevator shaft. The Wausau Daily Herald gives an account of the accident:

Joseph Bouvran, proprietor of the confectionery store in the Rens building, was found dead at the bottom of the elevator shaft in the Kickbusch Wholesale Grocery Co's. building. The discovery of the lifeless body was made by F. Erdman, one of the employees in the shipping department who went into the basement by way of the elevator to get a keg of herring. On his way back to the elevator, which was a a point a few feet above the basement floor, he notice white shirt sleeves. Approaching nearer he found it to be the dead body of a man. He reported his discovery of the dead person, after which the coroner and district attorney were notified. Mr. Bouvran was last seen by his wife and children at the store about 10:30 o'clock, at which time he left saying he was going to Kickbusch's to buy peanuts for his store. He came to the wholesale house about 11 o'clock and asked for peanuts. They were given him and paid for in return, after which Bouvran started away. No further attention was paid to him except that one of the clerks saw him walking slowly through the warehouse, as if inspecting the stock. The supposition is that he accidentally fell down the elevator carriage was up on the second floor. Mr. Bouvran had been a resident of Wausau but a short time. He came here with his family from Eland Junction on July 8th and opened a confectionery store. He lived at Eland Junction about a month. He was 72 years old and leaves a wife and two children, but his second wife, and five children by his first wife."

The body was taken to Black River Falls for burial."