Florence Gibson 1881-1917

GIBSON

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/23/2021 at 17:43:30

September 29, 1917 - The Clinton Advertiser page 1

TRAIN HITS AN AUTO AT STANWOOD; THREE DIE
(Special to the ADVERTISE) Stanwood, Ia., Sept. 29--Train No. 18 of the Chicago & Northwestern crashed into an automobile near this city at 3:30 o'clock Friday afternoon, and three occupants of the car were almost instantly killed. The dead: SCOTT HAMILTON, of Stanwood; MISS FLORENCE GIBSON, of Elvira; MISS GRACE REED, of Elvira.

The mangled bodies of the victims were carried more than a block by the train before the engineer could bring it to a stop. Today the remains of the two Elvira girls were sent to their homes in that town.

The train struck the automobile, which was driven by Mr. Hamilton, at a crossing on the edge of town. Miss Gibson was a niece of Mr. Hamilton, while Grace Reed was a cousin. It is believed that the engine of the automobile stopped while the car was in the center of the track, and before any of the victims could get out of the car, the fatal crash occurred.

Miss Gibson and Miss Reed were popular young Elvira ladies. They had come to Stanwood to attend a meeting of the Women's Missionary Society of the LeClaire Presbytery, both having been active church workers.

Mr. Hamilton had taken them out into the country to call on relatives, and when they were returning to Stanwood the triple tragedy took place. The auto, smashed to pieces, was carried several rods in front of the train.

The train was stopped not far from the rear of the Hamilton home, and a porter rushed to the back door of the residence. Mrs. Hamilton answered his summons, and learned that there had been an accident. The porter asked her for some sheets to cover up the bodies beside the tracks. Mrs. Hamilton quickly got the sheets and started at once for the scene of the accident. She was nearly prostrated to find that the victims were her own husband and his two relatives.

Grace Reed was 22 years of age, and was the daughter of Curt Reed, living about a quarter of a mile west of Elvira. She leaves to mourn her untimely death her parents and three brothers, Clarence, Marion and Marvin.

Miss Gibson, who was about the same age, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gibson of near Elvira. She also is survived by a sister Myra, and a brother Bruce Gibson.

The girls were popular throughout the district, and the intelligence of their death Friday afternoon brought sincerest grief to their hundreds of friends.

October 1, 1917 - The Clinton Advertiser page 3

The funeral of the three victims of the Stanwood auto accident, Scott Hamilton, Miss Florence Gibson and Miss Grace Reed, was held this afternoon at 3 o'clock at the Elvira United Presbyterian church, of which the two girls were members. Mr. Hamilton had been a former member of the church and his remains were brought from Stanwood for burial in the Elvira cemetery.

The church being too small for the large number of friends of the three victims, the seats were removed to the outdoors, and open air services were held on the church lawn. The present pastor, Rev. Bell, and the former pastors, Rev. Leeper of Morning Sun, Iowa, and Rev. Walter Davidson, of South Bend, Neb., preached the services over the three bodies.

The pallbearers for Miss Gibson were her six boy cousins from Andrew, Iowa. The honorary pallbearers were girl friends of the deceased as follows: Misses Dorothy Bray, Hazel Ingwersen, Nellie Ahrenholtz, Mable Dannatt, Doris Hall, Nona Myers, Belle Reusche and Ruth Livingston.

Florence Luella Gibson was born April 29th, 1881 and was 36 years of age. She lived all her life at Elvria and was loved by all. She was pianist at the United Presbyterian church of Elvira. She has been an earnest and faithful member of this church for years and was a member of the Willing Workers Sunday school class which was recently organized.

Miss Gibson in company with Miss Reed, went to Stanwood to attend the meeting of the LeClaire Presbytery. They visited at the home of Mr. Hamilton, and after the services had closed Friday morning Mr. Hamilton took the girls around his farm to witness the filling of the silo. It was while returning from this trip that the fatal accident occurred.

Miss Gibson will be missed in the church and in the community in general, for she was a favorite with all. She was treasurer of the Woman's Missionary society. She leaves, besides her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Gibson, one brother, Bruce, and one sister, Myra.