Rockdale Child is Victim of High Powered Electric Wire
Little Velma Ashby Meets Instant Death by Electrocution When Hand Comes in Contact with Texas Power & Light High Voltage Line.
One of the most distressing tragedies that has ever happened in Rockdale occurred Friday, resulting in the death of little Velma Ashby, thirteen year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. Ashby, who met her untimely end by coming in contact with a high powered electric light wire.
The child was across the street from her home in the yard of J.D. Hamilton, playing with the Hamilton children. She climbed into a chinaberry tree to gather some of the sweet-smelling blossoms. It so happened that two uninsulated wires of the Texas Power & Light Company ran through the foliage of the tree, and little Velma evidently grasped one or both of the wires, receiving the full charge of the 2,200 volts of electricity, and evidently resulting in instant death. Her body slipped and caught by the feet in a tangle of small limbs, leaving her hanging by her feet, head down, some eight or ten feet from the ground.
The children gave the alarm and Tom Marrs, from across the alley, ran over with a ladder and assisted by his son, Wynette, and Miss Laura Hamilton, got the body down. Life was then practically extinct the child gasping once or twice after being taken down. Physicians were soon on the grounds and pronounced death due to electrocution.
The funeral was held Saturday morning at ten o'clock, being conducted by Rev. B.B. Blaylock of Temple assisted by Rev. G.S. Tumlin of this city, and the unanimous interest and sympathy of the people of Rockdale was evidenced by the large attendance and many beautiful flowers. The attendance of children was particularly notable. Velma was in the sixth grade at school and was popular with her classmates who grieved sorely at her death. Interment was at the New City Cemetery [i.e., Oaklawn], the religious services being conducted at the grave, where the consoling words of Bro. Blaylock, and the tender prayer of Bro. Tumlin brought comfort to the bruised hearts of the stricken family. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, Thursday, April 27, 1922
Mr. and Mrs. A. Wolf, of this city, were passengers on the steamship Frankfurt, which was the first ship to speak [to] the Titanic by wireless after the accident. The Frankfurt was too far away, however, to do any good, and arrived on the scene only to find wreckage and dead bodies where the monster ship had gone down. Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, April 25, 1912
This is to notify all people who have had photographs taken by me from the beginning of Rockdale until the present time, that with few exceptions, my negatives will be at my daughter's, Mrs. Valdie Lewis, about four miles southeast of Rockdale. All who want them can get same at following prices: Negatives up to and including cabinet size, 50 cents each, and all larger than cabinet, $1.00 each. Look on the back of photo and get the number and you can get them at above prices. She will have my register with names of parties and the number of negative. So I bid you all a kindly farewell. John Scott. Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, April 24, 1913
John Scott, the "old reliable photographer," he of early days in Regal Rockdale, but who left here three years ago, was mixing with his friends about town this week. He has been up in Oklahoma, and more recently at Palestine. He is now visiting his daughter, Mrs. A.V. Lewis, south of town. Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, April 20, 1916
Coweta (AP) -- Dr. Howe King Riddle, 71, Coweta physician and former mayor, died Wednesday of a heart attack in his native Rockdale, Tex., while on a business trip. He also was a former member of Coweta's council and Board of Education. Miami Daily News-Record, Miami, Oklahoma, April 14, 1961
Company G "Milam County Grays", 5th Texas Infantry. This company was organized at Cameron, Texas July 15, 1861 and mustered into Confederate Service for the war at Houston, Texas on August 29, 1861. It was surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia April 9, 1865. Commanded by Captains J.C. Rogers and John Smith.
Milam County, Texas in the Civil War
