Hurt - Fred C. - Span-Amer - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Last Tuesday Dr. W. J. Hurt, of Waynetown, received a telegram from Fortress Monroe announcing that his son, Dr. Fred C. Hurt of the volunteer medical corps, was dying of typhoid fever at that place. Dr. Hurt hurriedly began his preparations for leaving for Virginia but an hour later a second message was received stating that Fred had died that morning at five o’clock. The body was shipped to Waynetown for burial.

Fred C. Hurt was one of the best known and most popular young men in Montgomery County and the news of his death will prove a shock to his many friends in Crawfordsville and elsewhere. He was born at Waynetown twenty two years ago and then received his early education. For several years he acted as the Waynetown correspondent of The Journal and was one of the most efficient writers ever connected with the paper. Several years ago he came to Crawfordsville and entered Wabash College in the class of ’98. He attended college here for three years, when he left two years ago to enter the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis.

During his college career here in this city, Fred was very popular with all and took a high rank in the classroom. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and was a favorite in society. After entering the medical college he identified himself with the Knights of Pythias and was regarded as one of the brightest members of that order in the county. Immediately upon the outbreak of the war with Spain he tendered his services to the country and was accepted as a member of the medical corps. He went to Chickamauga and was stationed there until about two weeks ago when his parents had a letter from him as he was on the point of leaving for Newport News to embark for Porto Rico with General Brooke. They were expecting to hear from him every day that he had landed safely in Porto Rico and their shock on hearing of his death at Fortress Monroe can be imagined. It seems that he was taken ill just previous to the departure of his corps and was left behind. The death is a peculiarly sad one for his was certainly a life of great promise and his untimely end can hardly be reconciled. He was preeminently possessed of the highest attributes of manhood and his death is a positive loss to the community. -s

Dr. WJ Hurt of Waynetown received the startling intelligence Tuesday of the death of his son, Fred C. Hurt.  A message came to him from Fortress Monroe to the effect that his son was dying and it was followed shortly by another stating that he was dead.  No particulars were given and it is only a surmise that his death occurred at Fortress Monroe.  Soon after the war broke out Fred, who had been attending medical college at Indianapolis, joined the hospital corps and the last letter Dr. Hurt had from him was about two weeks ago.  He was then at Newport News and expected to be sent to Porto Rice without delay. It is possible, therefore, that his death may have occurred there and the word went by the way of Fortress Monroe. Fred Hurt was well known in Crawfordsville having attended Wabash College for several years.  He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity and was very popular alike in college and social circles.  He left college about two years ago to take up the study of medicine and would have completed next spring. He was a bright manly young fellow with a future full of promise and his untimely taking off occasions the deepest sorrow in Crawfordsville as well as in his home community. The body will be brought home for burial.