Eva Davis (1889)

DAVIS, FORD, LOWE, WHITING

Posted By: Ida Morse
Date: 4/9/2006 at 12:28:23

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, , July 19, 1889
Page 4

A BAD DEATH

Miss Eva Davis Meets Death on a Wrecked Railway Train in Illinois

On Thursday last, Miss Eva Davis, one ot the most popular of the Winterset teachers, left for Carlinville, Ill., in order to be at the bedside of her brother, M. H. Davis, of that place, who was very sick, and as reported, not expected to recover. On Friday morning Mrs. Lowe, of this city, who was visiting at Monmouth, Ill., saw her on her way through that city on her mission of sisterly love. But, alas, how often do disasters come up to hinder the dearest object of the heart. About three o’clock that afternoon, when near Greenfield, and but a short distance, probably twenty miles, from her destination, one set of tracks of the engine drawing the train on which she was traveling, in some way became loosened, and threw the train from the track. In the wreck that resulted, Miss Davis was killed. No other lives were lost, but several passengers were badly injured.

The news caused a great shock to this community, in which Miss Davis was held in the highest esteem. She was known and loved by a large circle of acquaintances, and wherever she went her cheerful manner spread joy and gladness. Outside of her immediate family friends, the stroke seemed to fall heaviest on her fellow teachers in Winterset, and on her pupils, who were greatly attached to her.

The remains of Miss Davis were brought to Earlham on the 1:30 train Wednesday afternoon last. It was met at the depot by relatives and many friends of the deceased, and at four o’clock the funeral procession arrived at the Worthington M. E. Church where the funeral services were preached by the Rev. Vawter of the Disciple Church-Miss Davis being a member of that body. The church could not hold the large number of people that had come together from all parts of the county to show their sorrow and sympathy for one who was held in universal esteem; the carriages and vehicles on the ground numbering close to one hundred. The floral decorations in the church and on the casket were fitting and beautiful, while the grave itself was banked up with evergreens and flowers.

The manner in which the lady met her death was this: As the railroad carriage left the track and went down the embankment, Miss Davis in her fright rose to her feet. As she rose up the coach gave a lurch and hurled her with terrible force against the opposite side and partly out through a window, breaking her neck or spine, thus causing death instaneously. Her brother at the grave spoke feelingly of the way in which the railroad company on which the accident happened had taken charge of his sister’s remains that they had done for her all it was possible for them to do. That she had him for two days in the parlor of her brothers’ house in Carlinville, Illinois, and that the people there and on the journey home had been very generous and kind. He then spoke of his brother, Mike. He said that he was very low with but little hope of recovery. That he sent a message to his old friends and neighbors in Madison county-he wanted to be remembered by them all.

Miss Davis’ aged parents, Mr. And Mrs. G. A. Davis, live in Jackson township. Besides M. H. Davis, the brother she was going to see when she met with her untimely death, she had an other brother, Henry Davis, who lives in Adair county. She had also two sisters, Mrs. W. T. Ford, of Penn township, and Mrs. C. E. Whiting, who lives in Nebraska.

Gravesite
 

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