DOWNEY, William Marion 1888 - 1942

DOWNEY, RICHARDSON, HILL, BOYD, DUNHAM, TROXEL, EDDY, HEADMAN, TETER

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 9/19/2021 at 19:12:24

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Wednesday, December 2, 1942
Front Page, Column 4, and
Page FIVE, Column 3

W. N. DOWNEY FATALLY HURT
Injuries suffered in Douds coal mine accident result in death

W. N. DOWNEY, 502 South Depot street, lost his life yesterday afternoon in an accident which occurred at a coal mine northwest of Douds in Van Buren county.

At last reports, it was stated that no definite decision had been made as to the cause of the accident.

It is a known fact, however, that an explosion occurred underground just before DOWNEY was brought to the surface on the mine shaft cage. The explosion frightened the horse which causedthe (sic) animal to lunge forward and brought the cage to the top of the shaft at a swift rate of speed, striking the steel beam with considerable impact.

It is possible that Mr. DOWNEY received the blow on the head which caused his death when the flat cage struck the top of the shaft. The blast in the mine may have caused his fatal injury. Besides his head injury, one of his legs was nearly torn from his body.

It was stated by some of those present when the accident occurred that all the men had come to the surface except Mr. DOWNEY, who was foreman at the mine. It is supposed that he remained underground to set off a charge in the mine to loosen the coal.

Just before he was brought to the surface, an explosion was heard, causing the cable on the cage to slacken, indicating that the blast forced the cage up the shaft a considerable distance. At the same time smoke and coal dust belched from the shaft.

The horse which was used in raising and lowering the cage in the shaft was frightened and ran away, raising the cage at a high rate of speed. The cage is a flat platform with a bale over it to which the cable is fastened. Mr. DOWNEY was on the cage when it struck the top of the shaft. He was still alive and was taken to the Jefferson county hospital. He entered the hospital here about 6:20 p.m. and passed away about an hour later.

Coroner Jack Raymond was notified but later found that the accident happened in Van Buren county which is out of his jurisdiction. Coroner Harold Catcott, Birmingham, was notified and planned to hold an inquest today.

The mine at which the accident occurred is a new one just being opened and is owned by Eli Reiter of Fairfield.

Mr. DOWNEY was born in Eldon, Iowa and is 54 years of age. He is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mrs. George RICHARDSON, Little Rock, Arkansas; a step daughter, Mrs. Glenn HILL, Fairfield; and a sister, Mrs. A. J. BOYD, also of Fairfield.

His mother, Mrs. Emma DOWNEY, a half sister, Mrs. Bertha DUHAM (sic - DUNHAM); a half brother, Orval TROXEL, all of Eldon; and a brother, Clarence DOWNEY of Newark, New Jersey, also survive.

Mr. DOWNEY is at the Murray funeral home where arrangements are pending word from distant relatives.

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"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Thursday, December 3, 1942
Front Page, Column 4

Funeral Services For W. N. DOWNEY To Be Saturday Afternoon

Funeral services for W. N. DOWNEY will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the home of his sister, Mrs. A. J. BOYD, 500 South Depot street. Rev. S. P. Williamson will have charge of the services and burial will be in Evergreen cemetery.

Mr. DOWNEY passed away at the Jefferson county hospital about 6:20 p.m. Tuesday after being fatally injured in a mine accident near Douds.

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"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Friday, December 4, 1942
Page FIVE, Column 2

LOCALS

... --Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Overturff, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Crowe and Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Cooper, all of Dalton, Okla., were called here Thursday by the death of William M. DOWNEY.

(same publication and page, but Column 8 -- )

--Mr. and Mrs Charles EDDY, Mrs. Edwin DOWNEY and daughter Barbara, and Lloyd Sheldon and son, all of Ottumwa, Mrs. Emma DOWNEY, Mr. and Mrs. Orville TROXELL (sic) and Mrs. Bertha DUNHAM, all of Eldon, came today for the funeral services of the former's son, William M. DOWNEY.

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"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Wednesday, December 9, 1942
Page FIVE, Column 4

OBITUARY

William Marion DOWNEY

William Marion, fourth of the five children of William M. and Belle DOWNEY was born on January 4, 1888, at Eldon, Ia. He passed away on Tuesday, December 1, 1942, when past 54 years of age.

In December of 1931 he was married to Winnie Mae HEADMUND (sic - HEADMAN TETER) and had lived happily in this union since. The surviving loved ones are his sorrowing wife, his daughter, Mrs. Geneva RICHARDSON of Little Rock, Ark.; a step-daughter, Mrs. Glenn HILL, of Fairfield; one grandchild, George RICHARDSON, Jr., of Little Rock, Ark; his mother, Mrs. W. M DOWNEY of Eldon, a brother, Clarence DOWNEY of Newark, N. J.; a sister, Mrs. A. J. BOYD of Fairfield, a half-brother, Orval TROXEL of Eldon, and a half-sister, Mrs. Bertha DUNHAM of Eldon, Ia. Besides these there are a large number of near relatives and friends who will mourn his untimely passing.

The early years of his life were spent in and near Eldon where he was well known. Some four years ago he moved to Fairfield and had made his home here since. Last Tuesday an accident in the coal mine where he worked, he received injuries causing his death. He was rushed to the Jefferson county hospital where everything possible was done to save him but he passed away at 6:45 p.m without regaining consciousness.

Funeral services were held from the home of Mrs. A. J. BOYD at Fifth and South Depots streets (sic) on Saturday afternoon conducted by S. P. Williamson, minister of the First Christian church. The hymns were sung by Mrs. Norvell Switzer and Mrs. S. P. Williamson with Miss Reva Patten at the piano. The pallbearers were G. Woolsey, John Conners, Harry Whitney, Warren Young, Ralph Harper and H. Campbell. The body was interred in Evergreen cemetery. The funeral arrangements were made by the Murray funeral home.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Lot 2nd.276. Wife Winnie died in 1944 and was buried with him.