McCormick, John - 1875

MCCORMICK

Posted By: Janice Sowers (email)
Date: 4/3/2005 at 16:40:57

TIMES December 30, 1875 P4 C3

On the morning of Dec. 18th at Port Jarvis, N. Y. it is said that four hundred people were assembled to witness the departure of the remains of the brakeman John McCormick, for the home of his parents in Iowa.

The sad event of his death occurred Dec. 11th under the following circumstances:

About 9 o'clock that morning as the train approched a bridge, he was standing on a car with his face turned from the wind and smoke. The warning whistle came too late, for he was struck by one of the timbers, and would have fallen off, had he not clung to the rounds of the ladder from which he was speedily taken. In a few moments he expired.

The friend who attended him on this melancholy journey reached Jamestown Thursday afternoon.

One week from the morning of the accident, the deceased was interred in the Catholic burial ground in Afton township followed by a large circle of relatives and friends. Three days before his death he had written home of his intentions to leave the railroad, on which he had been employed most of the time since he was fourteen years of age, and settle on his farm in Iowa. But the letter was not received by his stricken parents until after news of his death had reached them. This young man was said to be so respectful and agreeable in his manner, that whether at home or abroad he was ever surrounded by friends.

Words can but poorly express our sense of a bereavement like this; when a person just entering upon the bright possibilities of life, is suddenly taken away, carrying with him to the grave his own fair hopes, together with those his friends have based upon him. But the infinite Helper is over all, and offers divine solace to aching hearts.