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The Ku Klux Klan Funeral of Simon Nelson, Orwin, 1925
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 20, 2018
Previously on this blog, the death and funeral of Simon Nelson was described:
Simon Peter Nelson was born on 23 October 1878, in Orwin, Porter Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, the son of John Nelson, an immigrant from Germany, and his wife, Rebecca [Heberling] Nelson, who was born in Pennsylvania. He was a coal miner. He died on 26 February 1925, killed accidentally by a crush of falling coal. Ironically, as the son of an immigrant, he chose to support the views of the Ku Klux Klan and rose to be one of the Schuylkill County leaders of the Klan. Thus, the Klan turned out in force for his funeral.
This post is a continuation of the reporting on hate groups that were active in the Lykens Valley area in the years following the Civil War. It was a widely known fact that the Ku Klux Klan had a significant presence in the Lykens Valley and adjacent valleys during the early years of the 20th Century. This iteration of the Klan was strongly white supremacist and was opposed to equal rights for African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.
An additional news article has been located that described his funeral.
From the West Schuylkill Herald, 6 March 1925:
The mortal remains of Simon Nelson, who was instantly killed by a fall of slate at Brookside Colliery last Thursday afternoon, were laid to rest in the Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery at Orwin on Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock. Brief services were held at his home after which burial was made and a further service conducted in St. Peter’s Reformed Church by Rev. Charles H. Slinghoff, assisted by Rev. Daniel A. Draper.
The funeral was one of the largest and most colorful ever held in that community. The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, of which the deceased was a member, turned out in large numbers to pay tribute to the memory of their unfortunate brother. Most of the members were attired in their Klan regalia, and included both the male and female organizations. Hundreds of these were in line of the funeral procession. Added to this were hundreds of spectators drawn to the scene by curiosity. It was the first time since the inception of the organization in this valley that that organization attended a funeral clad in the regalia of its adoption.
Mr. Nelson was born at Orwin, Pennsylvania, on 23 October 1878, and was a son of the late John Nelson and wife, now Mrs. Rebecca Behney. He had been a resident of Porter Township his entire life, and was well known througout the entire valley, where universal sorrow was felt over the untimely death. For a number of years he was a familiar figure on the streets driving a small Shetland pony, a scene which always attracted the children.
He was employed as a miner at Brookside Colliery, and was a member of the Reinerton Local Union.
To survive, he leaves his mother, Mrs. Rebecca Behney, of Orwin; two brothers, George Nelson, of Muir; Harry Nelson of Suedburg; one sister, Mrs. James Gibson, of Orwin; and three step-sisters, Mrs. Harry Minnich, Mrs. John Paul, and Mrs. Earl Paul, all of Orwin; his wife, and the following children: Mrs. Jennie Scheibelhut, Ira Nelson, Wayne Nelson, Tilly Nelson, Jenevieve Nelson, Alverta Nelson, Gloria Nelson, and an adopted son, Herbert Nelson.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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