Vandermast, Martha Gertrude 1896-1901

VANDERMAST, LOAR

Posted By: Janice Young (email)
Date: 12/2/2003 at 01:49:50

Gertrude Vandermast

Iowa State Democrat, Thursday, January 24, 1901
Page 1, Column 5

Monroe, Jan. 19 – Gertrude, the 4-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Vandermast, Jr., of Monroe was fatally burned while she and her little brother were playing with a magic lantern. The mother had left the children and went across the street to her father’s, Dr. G. W. Loar’s, and was gone only a few moments. On returning home she found the child enveloped in flames. This happened about 2 o’clock. The child lingered in agony until 7 o’clock, when death came to the little sufferer. The father of the child is assistant editor of the Monroe Mirror.

Since the above was put in type we have received these particulars.

At about 10 o’clock Friday forenoon her mother had rushed across the street to Dr. Loar’s residence on an errand and although back within two or three minutes the little girl had gone to the stove to light something with the fire, and when the mother came she found her child enveloped in flames, her clothes having caught fire. The mother fought the flames, trying to smother them with a quilt and finally wrapped the child in the quilt and rushed with her across the street to her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Loar, to get help. Everything that mortals could do was done for the little one, Dr. Shrader attending her, but it was of no avail. The burns received on the face, and part of the body, was beyond human help.

The funeral took place from the M. E. Church Sunday afternoon at 2:30. Rev. D. M. Helmick conducting a short but beautiful service.
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Prairie City (IA) News, 1901

Martha Gertrude Vandermast died January 18, 1901, at the home of her parents, in Monroe, Iowa.

She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Vandermast Jr. and was born October l6, 1896 at Victor, Iowa.

She died from burns when her clothing caught fire.

She was the granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. Loar, also of Monroe.