PARKS, Lulla

PARKS, STACE, FERRIS, WENTWORTH

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 3/23/2006 at 12:29:43

The Cherokee Democrat, October 16, 1895

(warning: this article contains some graphic details about her death).

A SHOCKING AFFAIR

Cherokee Woman Burned to Death in Dakota

Particulars of the Manner in Which Mrs. Tom Parks Lost her Life-Her Babies Escaped.

One of the most shocking events it has been our duty to chronicle is the catastrophe which befell the family of Thos. Parks last week, through which Mrs. Parks lost her life and one of her children was badly burned. Mr. Parks has been living in Spring township and concluded to locate in Buffalo county, South Dakota. With his wife and two children, a girl four years old and a boy about one and half years, he started out in a covered wagon. Their first bad luck over took them after they had been out a few days. During the night their team strayed away and were not found for four days. On Tuesday Oct. 8, they stopped for the night about four miles west of Plankinton. Mr. Parks had taken care of his team and was just going to the wagon, where Mrs. Parks was preparing supper. The wagon was closed up pretty tightly. He heard his wife scratch a match to light the gasoline stove. In an instant the wagon was filled with flames. His wife jumped out with her clothing on fire. Tom got the little girl out and left her to his wife, who thought more of saving her babies than herself. The baby was in the opposite end of the wagon to where the stove was, and this end of the wagon was closed up tight. Tom tried to tear through the canvas but couldn’t. He got his knife out and ripped it open and succeeded in getting the little fellow out. His clothing was on fire and he was quite badly burned. By this time Mrs. Parks had a girl safe but her own clothing was burned entirely off and her flesh burned to a crisp in many places. A coat had been saved and this she was able to hold around her head while she walked to the nearest farm house, a distance of about two miles, the flesh dropping off from her body during the journey. Tom managed to get the children there. Mrs. Parks lived about twenty-four hours. All that could be done under the circumstances was done to relive her terrible suffering. The burns on the little baby were quite severe, but at this writing he is getting along nicely.

Mr. Parks brought his wife to Cherokee for burial, arriving here Thursday night. The funeral took place from the residence of his brother-in-law J. Stace, the services being conducted by Rev. Ferris. The deceased was twenty-four years of age. Her maiden name was Lulla Wentworth, and she was married to Mr. Parks about six years ago.

The cause of the fire is not exactly known. There was no explosion and Mr. Parks thinks the gasoline had probably been leaking and was not observed by Mrs. Parks until the match was lighted. The wagon and everything in it was probably destroyed. The horses were left to take care of themselves and Mr. Parks has not succeeded in locating them yet.