This week I will write about Mrs. Augusta (Look) Buescher, and something that happened to her that could have been avoided. A simple mistake using flammable liquids around an open flame.

Augusta Look, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Look, was born in about 1880 in Minnesota. In about 1903, she married Ernest Buescher, son of Ernst and Maria Buescher. They lived in Young America, Carver County, Minnesota.

Augusta and Ernest had at least 6 children:

1. Lorena born 1905
2. Marvin born 1913
3. Roland born 1916
4. Wilford born 1918
5. Ernest born 1920
6. Louella born 1923

In December 1933, Augusta was washing clothes in the laundry room while her son, Marvin, was dry-cleaning a suit with Naptha, a flammable cleaning fluid.

There was a buildup of gas fumes in the room and when Marvin lit a cigarette, the gas exploded causing a fire. Both Marvin and Augusta were engulfed in flames. Augusta was seriously injured.

On 16 December 1933, Augusta passed away, on the way to the hospital in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. She was buried on the 19 December in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery, Young America, Carver County, Minnesota. You can see her memorial #96351465 on Find-A-Grave.com here.