Person:Francis Olinger (1)

From the August 18, 1921, edition of the Marble Rock (IA) Journal

Frank Olinger, 15 years old, was killed by lightning during a storm at Strawberry Point recently. He was with a threshing crew on the Hock farm. Four of the crew remained at the separator when the storm started to cover the machine. The bolt struck the machine and young Olinger was killed while the other three were stunned. One M.R. Meyer, a deaf mute, managed to crawl to the farmhouse where he scribbled "dead" on a piece of paper and fainted.

From the Aug. 18, 1921, edition of the Clayton County Register (Elkader, Ia.)

Last Wednesday while Alex Meyer, Frank and Leon Olinger were assisting John Hock Jr., who resides five miles and one half of town with his threshing, an electrical storm came up in the afternoon. The boys had just put the canvass up over the machine and got in under it for shelter when it was thought that the blower was struck by lighting, killing Frank Olinger instantly and stunned the other three, but they are doing nicely. Frank was the sixteen year old son of Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Olinger. Funeral services were held at the Sacred Heart church Saturday forenoon, conducted by Rev. Casey. It was the largest funeral ever held there. He was a young fellow well liked and his death is a great blow to his parents. He attended the High School and was well liked by the teachers and his associates. The sympathy of all is extended to the bereaved parents, brothers and sisters.