R. A. Bork Dies Aged Nearly 93
North End Resident Born In Germany and Came To County In 1891.
Rudolph A. Bork, one of the oldest residents of the county, died Friday, Nov. 18, 1938, at the home of his son, William, near Flora, where he had made his home a few years. He would have been 93 years old next march. He was in good health until his last illness, and attended a family picnic at Wallowa lake early in October. Before that he had visited around with his children and grandchildren and always had found some chores he could do at each home, usually splitting wood.
Funeral services were held Monday at the Methodist church, Flora, conducted by Rev. Charles F. Cole. Several numbers were sung by a quartet composed of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ralls, Mrs. Charley Poole and Grant Johnson, accompanied by Macie Lu Poole. The pallbearers were Charley and Delbert McCall, Lynn Johnson, Ralph Jewell, Wayne Nedrow and Randall Ralls. Burial was in Flora cemetery.
Mr. Bork was born in Germany March 27, 1846, and was married Jan. 26, 1872. he and his wife came to the United States in 1884 and in 1891 drove into Wallowa county and homesteaded and spent the remainder of their lives here. Mrs. Bork, who was born April 3, 1852, died at Flora Nov. 13, 1934.
Surviving are eight children: Fred Bork, Mrs. Edith Conrad, Mrs. Elsie Evans, Rudolph Bork, Mrs. Lillie Evans, William Bork, Ira Bork and Mrs. Bertha Evans, and there are 30 grandchildren and 19 great grand children. One son, Frank, died in southern Idaho seven years ago.
Mr. and Mrs. Bork were well known over the north end and relatives and friends gathered at the celebration of their 60th wedding anniversary, which was observed Sunday, Jan. 24, 1932. They story of their voyage to America was then told again, and appeared in the Chieftain of Jan. 28, as follows:
“In 1884, they decided to come to America with their family of four children. They boarded the ship at Hamburg and started on their journey to American. After one and one-half days it was found the ship was leaking and they must return to Hamburg for repairs. This did not discourage them.
“After a five days wait they again boarded the same ship and began the journey a second time, which lasted 21 days. All this time they did not see anything but sky and water, the waves rolling completely over the ship at times. A number of passengers were very ill. Two deaths occurred and the bodies were buried in the waters of the Atlantic ocean.
“They arrived in New York after a very tiresome journey and hurried on to their new home at West Side, Iowa, where they remained for seven years. They had a longing to try a new country and again they started out with their family of seven children, and the west was their destination. Leaving West Side by train they came to La Grande and from there on to their present home at Flora by team and wagons, where they have made their home since the year 1891.
“All the children were home for the occasion (the wedding anniversary.) The dinner was brought in by them and was a huge success. Mrs. Rena Bork brought the wedding cake. After the dinner everyone gathered in the sitting room and an hour or more was spent in singing hymns that everyone knew. They were accompanied on the organ by Miss Bernice Conrad and the music was greatly enjoyed by all.”
Card of Thanks
We wish to thank all the friends and neighbors who assisted us during our recent bereavement; also for the beautiful flowers. – The children of R.A. Bork.
Enterprise Chieftain, Thursday November 24, 1938, Page 6