HENRY, Bessie L. 1888 - 1905

HENRY, ROLAND

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 6/23/2024 at 19:58:03

"Jefferson County Republican"
Friday, December 1, 1905
Front Page, Column 3

A Sad Accident.

Yesterday morning Miss Bessie HENRY through mistakə (sic) picked up the gasoline can to pour some oil on a fire she had just started. The can exploded and she was burned to death before anyone could reach her. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George HENRY and lived on North B street.

She was one of the night operators in the telephone office and had made arrangements to go to Ottumwa to spend the day with friends. She was thrown some distance by the explosion and completely enveloped in flames. Her parents have the sympathy of all. The funeral will be held this afternoon at 2 o'clock conducted by Rev. Condit.

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"The Fairfield Journal"
Wednesday, December 6, 1905
Page 2, Column 4

THE NEWS IN IOWA.

... Bessie HENRY, aged 20, was burned to death while starting a fire at the home of her father, George HENRY in Fairfield. She picked up what she supposed to be a can of kerosene, but what proved to be gasoline and emptied part of the contents on the fire. In the explosion that followed Miss HENRY is believed to have inhaled the flame, for her death was almost instantaneous. The fire did no damage to the house. Miss HENRY had been in the employ of the Jefferson County Telephone company for some time and was one of the best operators.

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"The Fairfield Journal"
Wednesday, December 6, 1905
Page 5, Column 3

BESSIE HENRY BURNED TO DEATH

Explosion of Gasoline Thanksgiving Morning Makes a Sad Fairfield Home.

WAS TERRIBLE SHOCK TO ALL

Bessie HENRY Was Held in the Highest Esteem and Respect by Everyone Who Knew Her.

Thanksgiving day, a day to which our citizens had looked forward to with glad anticipation, dawned clear and bright yesterday, but in a few brief moments it was turned into a day of general mourning. Only a few seconds sufficed to cast a gloom over our city, which only time can clear away. Fairfield was called upon to part with one of her fairest daughters on Thanksgiving morning.

A few minutes before seven o'clock, our citizens were called from their homes by the alarm of fire. The alarm was generally responded to and all hastened as quickly as possible to the home of George HENRY on North B. street. Those, who first reached the home were appalled and sickened as word was passed that Miss Bessie, the twenty-year-old daughter of the family, had been taken to the other world. The father, who is employed at the tile factory and works from midnight until noon, was the last person to hear his daughter's voice. He awakened the family by telephone and Miss Bessie answered him, after saying "good bye," she stepped into the kitchen to light the fire for her mother. Picking up what she supposed to be the kerosene can, she poured a small quantity on some kindling and touched a match, the whole room was instantly ablaze and an explosion told the story of gasoline. One smothered scream was all the sound that was heard. The terrified screams of the mother and two little sisters brought the neighbors and William Kearns, who was passing, dashed into the blazing room and carried the victim out into the yard where she was seen to gasp weakly, but twice, then was still. She was carried to a neighbor's and physician was summoned, but was beyond earthly help long before they arrived. The neighbors had the fire put out by the time the hose companies arrived.

Word was quickly spread over town that Bessie HENRY had met her death. People could scarcely believe their ears as they listened and many were the anxious inquiries made. Our citizens gathered in little groups on the streets and talked in subdued tones of the terrible tragedy that had cast its gloom over us.

The fatal accident is one of the saddest we have ever been called upon to chronicle. Miss Bessie had arisen happy in the thought that she was to spend the day with some dear friends and relatives in Ottumwa. Truly "we know not the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh."

Miss Bessie HENRY was one of the most popular of the Jefferson County Telephone Company's operators. Her duties called her to be at the switchboard while the city was slumbering. Upon this one faithful girl depended the safety of the city at night. From nine o'clock p.m. until six o'clock a.m., this faithful employe guarded us at the switch board, that no harm might come to our people. Because of her responsibility people had grown to know and love this young girl. Always polite obliging, her untimely death is mourned by every patron of the line.

The parents are well nigh crazed with grief and the heart felt sympathies of the entire city and surrounding community are with them in this great trial.

The funeral occurred this afternoon at two o'clock from the home, conducted by Rev. Condit, of the Presbyterian church. The employees of Jefferson County Telephone company attended the last services in a body. The telephone office was closed and the wires silent from 1:30 until 3:30 o'clock as a last tribute to his faithful girl.

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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, December 6, 1905
Page 14, Column 4

Lost Life in Gasoline Fire.

Miss Bessie HENRY was burned to death in this city Thursday morning about 7 o'clock. The accident occurred at her home on North B street. She had risen earlier than the other members of the family and was about to start a fire in the kitchen stove. It is supposed that she intended using kerosene to make it burn more quickly, but, through a mistake, used gasoline. A terrific explosion followed, the room was filled with flame, and the poor girl's clothing became a mass of fire. The noise and the girl's screams for help aroused other members of the family and neighbors. William Keirns, an employe of The Ledger office, was the first man at the scene of the accident. He found the girl lying on the kitchen floor, extinguished the fire then in her clothing and carried her from the house. Dr. Fordyce was summoned immediately, but the young woman died a few moments after his arrival. The flames had consumed almost all her clothing and left her body a solid blister. Her wounds were sufficient to cause death in a few moments, even if she had not been injured by the explosion of gasoline.

Miss HENRY was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George HENRY, the father being an employe of the Fairfield Drain Tile works. She was born in Wapello county and was in the eighteenth year of her age. The family has lived in this city six or seven years. For some time past Miss HENRY had been employed by the Jefferson County Telephone company. She was a bright and intelligent girl and popular with all who knew her. Funeral services were conducted Friday afternoon by Rev. J. G. Condit. The telphone company closed its offices during the hours of the funeral.

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"The Fairfield Tribune"
Wednesday, December 6, 1905
Page 8, Columns 4 and 5

Bessie HENRY Dead.

Last Thursday morning the home of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. HENRY, in our city, was turned, in the twinkling of an eye, from a sunny, cheerful Thanksgiving spirit into one of sorrow and gloom by the horrible death which came to the elder daughter of the house, Miss Bessie, who has arisen early with the expectation of taking "Q" No. 3 for Ottumwa and there spend the day with relatives and friends. In her hurry she started to hasten the fire with some oil and by mistake picked up the gasoline can instead of the kerosene, as she thought. Just how the accident occurred will never be definitely known. An explosion, a smothered scream, brought the other members of the family hurriedly to the scene, as it did also the passers-by, who hastened to the aid of the unfortunate young girl and to put out the fire which had started in the room. This was soon extinguished but no human skill could bring back to life the poor girl whose death came like the snuffing out of a candle.

Miss Bessie HENRY had been night operator for the Jefferson County Telephone Co. for some time and was a trusted and faithful employe, and a favorite of all the patrons.

Funeral services were conducted from the home Friday afternoon, in charge of Rev. Condit. The employes of the Telephone company attended in a body and the office was closed out of respect to the memory of her who had lately been one of them. Interment was made in Evergreen cemetery. The sympathy of the entire community is given the bereaved family.

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"The Fairfield Tribune"
Wednesday, December 6, 1905
Page 9, Column 1

Personals.

... Mrs. Rhoda ROLAND, of Ottumwa, returned to her home Saturday, having been called here by the death of her niece, the late Bessie HENRY. ...

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

Note: Buried in Lot 1st.070.