1903: Fritz son dies

Included with the packet of Fritz/Curts family photos sent back to Hannibal by descendant Delmas L. Anderson is this circa 1903 photo of Charles Curts Fritz.

The Quincy Daily Herald published the following news item when young Charles died. Thanks to the Quincy Public Library for its digital collection of historic Quincy newspaper clippings.

This photo accompanies a story published on July 4, 2015, detailing the family's long history of funeral providers in Hannibal. Click here to read that story.

Quincy Daily Herald, Monday, Nov. 23, 1903

Young Hannibal Man Well Known in Quincy’s West End

Hannibal Sunday Journal: Mrs. Kate Fritz received a telegram Friday night from New York City conveying the sad intelligence of the death of her son, Charles Fritz, which occurred in a hospital in that city at 1 o’clock Friday morning. The telegram contained no particulars, and yesterday Mrs. Fritz wired New York instructing the officials of the hospital to ship the body to Hannibal, and it will probably arrive here some time Tuesday.

Charley Fritz left Hannibal some seven or eight years ago and for the past three years has made his home in New York City. His health broke down some time ago and he entered a hospital, where he remained until death relieved him of his sufferings. His mother knew that he was ill and that he was in a hospital, but she did not know that his condition was so serious until she received the news of his death. The deceased was about 32 years old and was the son of the late Evan Fritz.

Fritz lived in Quincy for several years and played the piano in saloons and sporting resorts. Hazel Fritz was his sister, and they came from Hannibal at about the same time, after the death by suicide of their father, Undertaker Fritz.