Seymour Schoonover (1893)

SCHOONOVER

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 1/27/2008 at 09:02:56

The Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, July 21, 1893
Page 3

From Hanley

On Tuesday last the 18th, Mr. L. H. Schoonover’s family were nearly crazed by the sad intelligence that their second son, Seymour, who has been employed as brakeman for several months on the railroad, had been killed in the south part of the state. The accident as near as can be learned occurred as follows: He was head brakeman on a heavy freight train and in going down a grade the train broke in two, and in performance of his duty he started back over the train to flag the first part of the train back to the other some distance behind, and in some unknown manner he fell from the top of the car, striking fairly on his head, causing instant death.

The body was brought to Des Moines and prepared for burial and forwarded to the grief stricken family on Tuesday’s midnight passenger train, where it was met by a large body of his horrified friends. Great fears were entertained for his poor mother, who is in feeble health, as to whether she would be able to stand the shock or not, as on receiving the sad news she was completely prostrated and the constant attendance of sympathizing friends was required to even keep life in the frail body. A physician was called at once who administered some quieting medicine, which in a great measure assisted her in recovering in part. The grief of the stricken family was pitiful to see in extreme, when their favorite, who had passed through within a few feet of the home only a few hours before in good health was brought back a corpse.

He was a kind brother, a dutiful son and affectionate friend, and his friends are legion. The sympathy of the entire community is with the family, but beyond that no one can go. His brother Willie was summoned by telegraph from Des Moines, and an aunt from Osceola, who arrived Tuesday evening. Another aunt was prevented from coming by sickness.

Gravesite
 

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