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Note: Holdrege relatives received word last Thrusday of the sudden death of Rev. William Robert Pierce, at Columbus, where he was taken Tuesday morning to a hospital suffering from a severe illness, which became acute the evening before. Rev. Pierce is well known around Holdrege, having grown to manhood here. During the past few years he has been living at Petersburg, Nebraska where he was pastor of the Congregational Church. William Pierce was born in Ashland, Wisconsin, May 30, 1870. His parents moved to Illinois and there to Iowa. Living in each state but a few years. They came to Nebraska in 1884. His father took up a homestead west of Holdrege where William grew up. He received his education in the Franklin Academy. He taught school in Brewster, Kansas. He began his ministry in the M.E. Church, laboring under the corps of the conference four years. In 1910 he began his ministry in Grant, remaining there two years, preaching in the Congregational Church. He spent five months in the Sunday School work in the western part of the state. He was ordained in 1912 in the Silver Creek Church where he was pastor for four years. Later he served as pastor for the church a Doniphan for three years. His last pastorate was at Petersburg. He preached as usual on Easter Sunday morning when he had the joy of receiving twelve into the membership of the church. He had charge of the evening service, being assisted by the junior choir. After the services of the day were over he said "Another good day's work is over", little knowing that it was his last. At midnight he was taken to the hospital in Columbus where he passe away last Saturday morning at three o'clock. The funeral was held Monday afternoon at the Presbyterian Church at Holdrege, co;conducted by Rev. W.A. Tyler of Lincoln, J.M. Douglas, of Holdrege and Rev. King of Ragan. Interment was made at Prairie Home Cemetery. He was married to Miss Dora Backencamp Febuary 28, 1897. To this union were born four children, Roy of Wilbur, Mabel, Elvira and Elmira. He leaves besides his family his aged mother, two sisters and one brother. Cause of death, ruptured appendix. 1910 Census Grant Village, Liberty Twp., Perkins Co., NE image 5 Pierce, William R.39WIWalesWalesMinisterCongegational Dora31ILILVA Roy12NEWIIL Mabel 2KSWIIL 1920 Census Petersburg Village, Oakland Precinct, Boone Co., NE image 34 Pierce, William50WIWalesWalesPastor Congegational Dora40ILMOWV Roy21NEWIILIn school Mabel12KSWIIL Elmira 6NEWIIL Elvira 6NEWIIL Source: Cheyenne Democrat, Bird City, Kansas Is this William Robert Pierce ? April 21, 1888 ---Rev. W. R. Pierce has returned from Tobias, NE and has gone actively to work on his claim. He brought back a fine lot of stock, and contractor Allison is building him a fram house. April 13, 1889 ---Rev. W.R. Pierce, formerly of this county, will preach for the people at norton the ensuing year. He writes us that he will take great pleasure in reading the Democrat in the future. It will most assuredly follow him to his new field of labor.
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