Hearne, May 30. -- The people of this city are again called upon to witness a sad accident in railroad life. The victim is a promising young man by the name of John Cole, a resident of Rockdale, Texas, and lately a brakeman on the I. and G.N. railroad. Young Cole, it seems, was attempting to board a freight train, and missing his hold was crushed beneath the wheels, severing his left arm near the shoulder and crushing his left leg below the knee. Owing to some delays that it seems could not be avoided the patient lost a good deal of blood. Drs. Morrison and Matkin, of this place, and Drs. Horton and Walker, of Rockdale, are in attendance, but up to 8 o'clock P. M. the man is too weak from loss of blood to endure the amputation of his mangled limbs, and but little hope is entertained of his recovery. Galveston Daily News, May 31, 1878
Rockwall [sic], Tex., May 16. -- Information was received here this morning of a terrible calamity in the German settlement five miles west of town, which happened a little after dark last night. While the wife of Louis Palmer was cooking supper she dropped a lighted lamp, which broke and ignited the oil and enveloped the poor woman in flames. Mrs. Palmer ran from the kitchen through the bed room in which her two little boys aged three and four years lay asleep into the yard where her husband was, who at once set to work to extinguish the flames. In this attempt he was unsuccessful until his wife was so badly burned that she cannot recover. Suddenly looking back he saw the house was in flames and burning within it the two little boys whom it was impossible to rescue. Mr. Gustor, a neighbor who arrived on the ground too late to render much assistance found Mrs. Palmer in a terribly burned condition, and her husband's hands also badly burned in trying to save her. A remarkable instance of the fire transpired in the escape without an injury of Mrs. Palmer's infant found in the yard, but how gotten there is unknown. Drs. Wallis & Wallis, accompanied by Messrs. Breeding and H. Lockwood, visited the scene last night and rendered such aid as was possible, but the occurrence was not generally known here until the issue of a supplement to the Rockdale Messenger this morning. The Sun (Weatherford, Tex.), Vol. 7, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 30, 1889
The Temple Daily Telegram
Temple, Tex.
Vol. 6, No. 160, Ed. 1
Friday, May 23, 1913
Engineer and Fireman Crushed
When S. A. & A. P. Engine Turns Over.
YOAKUM, Tex., May 22. -- The wrecker on the S. A. & A. P. railway left herre [sic] at 1 o'clock for Lexington on the Waco branch where a freight wreck occured [sic] at 11 o'clock this morning.
The engine turned over and Engineer E. D. Waterwall and Fireman Bradley were instantly killed. Waterwall lived at this place and leaves a wife and small children.
S.H. Woreington, [sic] an inmate of the Harris county poor farm, was struck by a freight train and instantly killed Tuesday morning about 9 o'clock near Westheimer's dairy, east of Houston. According to the engineer of the train that struck him, Mr. Woreington, who was about 60 years of age, stepped from under a culvert and got on the track in front of the train. The pilot of the engine hit him, knocking him about 75 feet. He was returning to Houston afoot from Carthage, where he had been to visit relatives, and had in his pocket an express receipt for a package sent to Carthage. Monday afternoon he was noticed near the place of the accident by a negro woman who said that he was lying with his head on the track. She told him that it was dangerous and suggested that he go to the shade. He made no answer. Justice Ray held the inquest. Houston Post, May 19, 1915
Tim Dunn, of Oak Hill, died at his home Monday evening at 7 o'clock and was buried at the Hat Prairie cemetery Tuesday evening. Brother D.T. Wooton called at the Messenger office Tuesday morning and kindly gave us this item. Rockdale Messenger, May 18, 1899
Mrs. M.J. Orr died at the residence of her son-in-law, H.D. Brodnax, on Brushy Creek, last Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock, after an illness of several weeks. Decedent was eighty years old, and was one of the pioneers of this section, and a much-loved Mother-in-Israel who passing will be sincerely mourned by a wide circle of true friends. The funeral was held at the Odd Fellows cemetery in Rockdale at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Rev. H.B. Smith, pastor of the Methodist church, officiating. The Reporter joins in expressions of sympathy to those bereaved. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, Thursday, May 18, 1916
On Monday morning between the hours of 1:30 and 6 o'clock the Angel of death hovered close to earth and carried away the spirit of one of the best men that the Great Ruler has seen fit to let live among us, Captain Frank Clements. At 1:30 Monday morning a coughing spell came over the deceased and his son came to his bedside to administer that loving care with which he and his brothers and sister had been giving him through his last days, after the spell was over his son saw him peacefully asleep again never to awake any more.
Frank Clements was born in McNairy County, Tenn., on October 3rd, 1831. At the age of 24 he was married to Miss Martha Bryant. In 1870 he with his family moved to Milam county and has resided here ever since.
Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Clements one of whom died in infancy and five after they were grown. Those who survive are Mrs. J.H. Bonds of Rockdale, F.J. of Austin who is connected with the State Comptroller's department; Sam, cashier of the Thorndale State Bank; Jack B., a rural mail carrier out of Thorndale and Jones who is connected with the grocery department of the Thorndale Dry Goods and Grocery Co.
The funeral services were conducted at Salty church which the deceased had built many years ago, by Rev. C.E. Garrett of the Thorndale M.E. church and interment took place immediately following in the Salty cemetery. Masonic honors were bestowed upon Captain Clements at the cemetery. Thorndale Champion. Cameron Herald, May 3, 1917
