GRINSTEAD, Effie M. 1864 - 1917

GRINSTEAD, BELL, HOLGATE, HOLLY, MARTIN, GOETZ

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 12/31/2023 at 23:34:42

"The Fairfield Daily Journal"
Tuesday, November 6, 1917
Page 2, Column 2

(Note: All three of the following articles are in the same publication and column)

FATALLY INJURED WHEN VEHICLES COLLIDE

Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD's Skull Fractured When Her Rig is Wrecked.

In a collision between horse-driven vehicles last evening, Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD was fatally injured and her daughter, Borea, suffered a fractured arm and other slight injuries. The two occupants of the other vehicle, Clyde Dve (sic - Dove) and Zell Brown, Jr., were uninjured.

Miss Borea GRINSTEAD, who is bookkeeper at the J. C. Thorne & Son store, was driving out with her mother to their rural home one mile southeast of the city at about 6:20 last evening, just before it was dark. Just as they crossed the bridge a short distance from their home their pony picked up its ears as if noting something unusual and the occupants heard a horse coming rapidly toward them from the front.

In a moment there was a collision, the unseen horse seeming to jump upon the small surrey, crushing down the rear seat and wheels, while leaving the entire front half almost untouched. Both the women were setting (sic) in the front seat. The GRINSTEAD pony broke loose and ran home while the other horse, entangled in the wreckage lay on his back in the ditch.

It was then that Clyde Dove and Zell Brown, Jr., emerged from the darkness and at once assisted in getting Mrs. GRINSTEAD out. One of them went to the creek with a pail to get water, and an effort was made to make Mrs. GRINSTEAD comfortable.

Zell Brown, Jr., then got on and rode the horse to the Thos. Raines home on East Burlington street, and there telephoned for assistance, he and Mr. Raines at once returning.

In the meantime Thomas Hannah, in an automobile, reached the spot and took Mrs. GRINSTEAD first to her home, and then upon consultation, to the Jefferson County Hospital. There Mrs. GRINSTEAD died at 1:50 this morning, never having regained consciousness. She suffered a fracture of the skull at the back of the head.

Clyde Dove, son of W. W. Dove, resides two and a half miles southeast of Fairfield and Zell Brown, Jr., states that they had been visiting their traps in the country and were returning to town.

When they reached the new culvert in the road a short distance from the bridge the horse shied and jumped so that Brown was thrown out and stunned. The next he knew the collision had occurred.

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CORONER'S INQUEST.

At 2 p.m. Coroner L. D. James convened an inquest into the deathof (sic) Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD, the jury being as follows: I. T. Wisecarver, Wm. L. Long and J. A. Crawford. Later in the afternoon the inquest was continued until tomorrow.

Miss Borea GRINSTEAD testified among other things that the horse was coming at an "unmerciful rate" and that her mother said it might be a runaway. However, two boys were in the cart and one had the lines.

Zell Brown, Jr., testified that they came down the hill slowly but that the horse shied and ran away galloping. They had no whip. He was thrown 25 or 30 feet into the north ditch. Both rigs were in the middle of the road after the accident.

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Life of Mrs. GRINSTEAD.

Effie M. BELL, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. BELL, was born at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, June 7, 1864. On May 15, 1892, she was united in marriage to G. S. GRINSTEAD in that city. To this union were born three daughters, Mrs. Leland HOLGATE, Borea, and Erma, all of this city. Besides the husband and daughters, she is survived by five brothers and three sisters, who are as follows: James BELL, of Omaha, Neb.; Charles, whose residence is not known; Jesse of Rome, Iowa; Ellis, of Clarinda, and Perry, of Denver, Co.; Mrs. Margaret HOLLY, of Rome, Mrs. Clifford MARTIN of this city and Mrs. Otto GOETZ of Indianapolis, Iowa.

The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock from the residence in charge of Rev. W. R. Keesey.

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"The Fairfield Daily Journal"
Wednesday, November 7, 1917
Page 2, Column 4

INQUEST CONTINUED UNTIL THURSDAY

The inquest into the death of Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD was adjourned yesterday afternoon in order to hear the testimony of Thomas Hannah, who took the injured woman to the hospital. Mr. Hannah was out of the city yesterday afternoon.

The testimony brought out the fact that Clyde Dove drives to and from school in a two-wheeled cart, and for a month or so has been using the Coppock horse which is considered gentle and family broke. ell (sic) Brown, Jr., rode out with Dove in order to look at some traps they had set, and was returning with Dove between six and seven o'clock in the evening. Dove was driving. Young Brown was not thrown out when the horse first shied, but when the collision occurred. He states that the horse was running away before the accident occurred.

Dr. J. F. Clarke testified that he had been called to the scene and stated that Mrs. GRINSTEAD died from a fracture to the base of the skull and probably hemmohrage (sic) in the brain. There were no other broken bones. Her death resulted from the accident.

Clyde Dove testified that while the horse had been going at a good gait he had held it in going down the hill, after which it was again on the trot. He was in no particular hurry and the boys were not fooling. At a culvert the horse became frightened and began galloping. He pulled the horse out to the right side. He was trying to stop the horse but was not sure on which side of the road they were on when the accident occurred. Dove is 14 years old.

The inquest is adjourned until 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. It is probable that the jury's verdict will be returned some time during the afternoon.

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"The Fairfield Daily Journal"
Wednesday, November 7, 1917
Page 3, Columns 1 and 2

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS

... --Mrs. Nellie Carris and Mrs. C. Carnehan of Mt. Pleasant, are in the city to attend the funeral of Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD. ...

... Ed. Burden, of Mt. Pleasant, came today noon to attend the funeral of Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD. ...

... Mrs. Chester Russell, of Mt. Pleasant, came to day noon to attend the funeral of her friend, Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD. ...

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"The Fairfield Daily Journal"
Thursday, November 8, 1917
Page 2, Column 2

CORONER'S JURY RETURNS ITS VERDICT

We do find that Effie M. GRINSTEAD came to her death from injuries received in an accident caused by a runaway horse driven by Merrill Dove colliding with a carriage in which she was riding. The said accident occurring at a point on the Fairfield and Glasgow road a quarter of a mile east of Fairfield, Iowa, at about 6:20 p.m., on Monday, November 5, 1917.

J. A. Crawford.
Wm. L. Long.
I. T. Wisecarver.
Jury.

The above verdict was arrived at by the coroner's jury at noon today in Dr. L. D. James' office, after hearing the last testimony in the inquest into the death of Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD.

Thomas Hannah was the last witness heard and he detailed his experience after coming along the Fairfild-Glasgow (sic) road a short time after the collision had occurred. He gave his attention to Mrs. GRINSTEAD, doing all that could be done for her and eventually taking her to the hospital. Mr. Hannah was intent upon aiding Mrs. GRINSTEAD and could give very little of the location of the rigs or of the statements made at that time by the parties who were in the accident.

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"The Fairfield Daily Journal"
Friday, November 9, 1917
Page 3, Column 1

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS.

... --Amos Porter and his mother, Mrs. Tull, of New London, are in the city called here by the death of Mrs. G. S. GRINSTEAD. ...

(same publication and page, but Column 3 -- )

CARD OF THANKS.

We wish to thank the many friends for their kindness and sympathy shown at the time of the death of our wife and mother. Also for the many beautiful floral offerings sent.

G. S. GRINSTEAD.
Mrs. Leland HOLGATE.
Borea and Irma GRINSTEAD.

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

Note: Buried in Lot 2nd.008. Husband Gideon Sheridan GRINSTEAD died in 1945 and was buried with her.