Charles Wesley Richards

RICHARDS, BEATTY, DITTO, NICHOLS

Posted By: Marlene Skalberg (email)
Date: 4/9/2012 at 14:58:06

Fatal Accident
Charles W. Richards, of Taylor County, Struck by Large Hay Fork
The community very much regrets the death of C. W. Richards, one of the honored citizens, who lived near the Taylor county line, resulting from an accident that befell him on Friday afternoon of last week. Mr. Richards was assisting in putting up the hay on his home place, when a large bundle handed by the big hay fork struck him, knocking him from the stack to the ground. He lit on his head and shoulders and the injury was considered serious at the time. Medical aid was at once summoned, but Mr. Richards died from the effects of the injury on Sunday of this week. No blame attachés to any one, as the accident was one of those unfortunate affairs that seemingly cannot be avoided. Probably Mr. Richards was standing closer to the large fork than he realized, being busily engaged in attending the duties of the stacking. He had been assisting his neighbors in getting their hay, with characteristic generosity, leaving his own until the last. The accident was a most unfortunate one, and the community sympathizes with the bereaved ones in their sorrow.
Adams County Free Press, August 5, 1908, page 5
This week we are called upon to chronicle the death of Chas. W. Richards, a resident of Iowa for the past fifty-six years and living in Taylor county since 1872. Although he was over sixty-eight years old and has accumulated a goodly amount of this worlds goods, the accident that caused his death happened while he was performing his duties in the hay field. He was knocked head first from the stack (about fifteen feet high) by a large forkful of hay and from the wounds the indications are that he fell upon his face. Immediately after the accident medical aid was summoned, but in thirty hours after the accident the body was lifeless. The subject of this sketch was born in Darke County, Ohio, March 7, 1840. Came when a boy, in 1852 to Muscatine County, Iowa. On February 1, 1865, Mr. Richards married Miss Jane Beatty, who with four children, Wesley, George, Mrs. John Ditto, and Mrs. Chas Nichols survive him. The funeral took place Tuesday at twelve o'clock from the Fairview Church conducted by Rev. J. W. Ackley and the remains were laid to rest in the Prairie Rose Cemetery.
Adams County Free Press, August 5, 1908, page 8