Forrest Wilson Francis (1911)
FRANCIS, PALMER
Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 8/7/2007 at 08:10:38
Earlham Library Obituary Collection
Earlham, Iowa
March 1911Forrest Wilson Francis was born Aug. 10th, 1894. He entered the life beyond at 6:30 Sunday morning, March 12th, 1911. Age 16 years, 7 months and 2 days, leaving his father and mother Mr. and Mrs. Calvin L. Francis, and his sisters and brothers Mrs. Bertha Palmer, Edith Grace Francis, L. Ruth Francis, Worthy J. Francis, W. Russell Francis.
Forrest was one of those bright pleasant boys with a most affectionate nature always gentlemanly and kind to his sisters and mother and generally very obedient to his parents.
He was well along in the high school course when he became a delivery boy. He had no intentions of leaving off education and preparations for life. He was planning for night school work and had expressed to his best friends the ambitions he had to make of himself the very best man he could.
Early in life he leaned toward Christian life. He had many talks with his sister Ruth especially on religious lines, but had resisted coming to Christ. During the revival held in Asbury Methodist Church last year he stood for prayer but not until he became a member of the boys’ organization, the Knights of the Holy Grail did he more definitely commit himself. Last Christmas day he came forward with a friend and united with the Church, gave his heart to God and we believe that though this accident came so suddenly and tragically he had the consciousness so craved by his pastor and friends sufficiently for several days during the battle for life, to get right with God, which by his father’s help, he did.
No one will ever know just how the accidednt occurred. Forrest was in the best of spirits when he left the home at noon to go back to work. He had promised to bring to his mother, who was not well, a present. He had on that evening, while putting away his horse, shown the best of spirits. He had told a companion, who was out in front on another wagon, to wait a moment and he would be out and ride home with him. He rushed into the basement, straightened his tie and hair and in a careless way remarked about the nerve it took to handle a gun, picked up his gun, which just then exploded and Forrest fell. The two Mathews boys who were in the basement at the time could not tell just how it was done but it is probable that the wriggling of the dog in the arm had something to do with the unconsciously tightening grip of the fingers, of the other hand, that pressed the trigger.
He was once taken to the Methodist Hospital where as soon as possible the agonized family gathered to find that life had not gone. From 6:30 that evening, of March 1st to 6:30 the morning of March 12th he lingered between life and death only regaining consciousness for most of three days. How glad we are that prayers could thus far be answered--for those days when all could be made well and friends could somewhat commune with him. A memorial service was held in Asbury Methodist church, Monday afternoon, March 13th, directed by his pastor Rev. C. Fintel and assisted by Rev. W. H. Keats pastor of the parents who were members of the Friends church of Des Moines. The remains were then taken to the home and on the morning of the 14th wsere taken to Earlham where the final funeral service was held in the Friends Church. Rev. Edward C. Fintel directed the services and preached the sermon, assisted by Rev. Mills and Rev. Johnson.
The remains were interred in the Earlham Cemetery.
The bereaved ones were accompanied by Rev. and Mrs. Fintel, Miss Amsbury and five of his classmates, Albert Buchanan, Gilbert Finney, Mealin Spangler, Walter Parker and Lyonel Bently. Three of the above joined three young men here and acted as pall bearers. Albert Buchanan and Walter Parker managed the escort of flowers.
Forrest’s remains were met at the depot upon their arrival in Earlham by his former classmates now the Junior Class of Earlham Academy, who sadly accompanied their playmate of earlier days to the church and thence, to his final resting place.
The loved ones have the sympathy of many friends both in Des Moines and Earlham.
-----------------------Winterset Madisonian – March 16, 1911
Pg 1Bullet Wound is Fatal
Forrest Francis, the 17 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Francis died Monday at the Francis home in Des Moines, from a bullet wound inflicted by himself on March 1st. While preparing to leave the room of the department store where he worked, he put the revolver to his forehead with the remark that it must require nerve to end one’s life in such a manner. Whether the shooting was accidental or with suicidal intent, may never be known. The family is well known in this county. Mr. Francis lived for several years on what is not the Jas. McGlothlen farm on the Bluffs road. He then moved to Earlham, and a few years ago, moved to Des Moines.
Gravestone Photo
Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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