THE DEATH OF ANNA HORA

by Novella Reynolds The Mullen Roundup
local History 1884-1917

Entry T101 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

The Dismal River gave up a secret Friday,
February 22, 1918 - a secret which for two
years had hidden much of the evidence that
would explain Anna Hora's failure to return
to her home.

Miss Hora was 18 years old, the eldest
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent F. Hora of
Thedford residing south of town. She left
Sunday evening, February 6, 1916, to return
to the home of where she boarded while
teaching school. This necessitated crossing
the river, she was never again seen alive.

Two years later, the body of the missing girl
was found in the Dismal River by Fred
Magnuson, a trapper. The girl's clothing, in
good condition was molded to her body. Her
corset strings held despite the ravage of the
waters. Her head and one arm, broken off,
were carried away by the current. The entire
torso was completely turned to stone, but
other parts of the body were of a porous,
stony substance.

It is thought that when she disappeared,
the body was dragged down by an under-
current and quickly covered by sand. Break-
ing up of ice floes or some other disturbance
is believed to have dislodged it and permitted
the current to carry it up on the sandbar.