Margaret (Smith) Stinson (1908)

CHILDERS, DEETER, SMITH, STEPHENSON, STEVENSON, STINSON

Posted By: Kent Transier
Date: 2/22/2014 at 10:54:06

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, February 20, 1908

BURNS TO DEATH

Mrs. Margaret Stevenson Meets Death in Flames. Other Members of Family Have Narrow Escape.

One of the saddest tragedies that has been enacted in this city for many years occurred Tuesday night. Mrs. Margaret Stevenson was burned to death and Mr. and Mrs. Rollin Deeter narrowly escaped the same fate. Mr. and Mrs. Deeter and Mrs. Deeter's aged mother, Mrs. Stevenson occupied a four room house in the southwest part of Winterset. In order to care for the mother the three occupied the same bedroom in the northwest corner of the house. The fire probably originated from a defective flue in another room but the exact origin of the fire is unknown. When Mr. and Mrs. Deeter were awakened about 10:30 the fire had reached their bedroom and the south rooms in the home were a mass of flames. Mr. Deeter sprang to the door and after attempting to unlock the door succeeded in breaking it open. Mrs. Deeter attempted to save her mother but failed in the attempt.

The two ran to the nearest neighbors clad only in their nightclothes and screaming from the awful burns both sustained. When neighbors reached the house the roof had fallen and Mrs. Stevenson's body was not recovered until the building had burned to the ground and the remainder of the fire was extinguished by the fire department.

Mr. Deeter sustained painful injuries about the head, his hair and beard being burned to the skin. Mrs. Deeter's injuries were more severe, being badly burned about the face and arms, she suffered intense pain and was unable to relate any of the circumstances until the following day. Mr. and Mrs. Deeter were cared for at the Cain Bishop home, their nearest neighbors, until Wednesday when they were removed to the S. D. Alexander home.

Some insurance was carried on the house but the entire contents including their wearing apparel is a total loss. While her financial loss will be felt keenly, it is trifling in comparison to the sad fate that befell the mother. The good people of Winterset promptly responded to their immediate needs and a purse of $188 was turned over to them on the day following the fire.

Mrs. Stephenson was one of the first settlers in the county having located here in 1848. She would have been 89 years of age on her next birthday. She is survived by four children, Mrs. Deeter, Mrs. Joseph Childers, and John Stinson of this place and Ed Stinson now living in Idaho. Funeral services were held from the Christian church at two o'clock this afternoon (Thursday), Rev. E E. Bennett conducting the service.
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Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer
Cresco, Iowa
February 28, 1908
Page 3, column 6

Fire Results in Two Deaths.

Mrs. Stimson, ninety-six years old, was burned to death in a fire which destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roe Deeter at Winterset. Mrs. Albert Mills, a neighbor, dropped dead in an excited crowd while watching the fire. Mrs. Deeter, daughter of Mrs. Stinson, was badly burned about the hands and face. Deeter slightly injured.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Monday, February 24, 1908
Page 1, Column 1

The following is the genealogically relevant information excerpted from a lengthy article about the house fire in which Mrs. Stinson perished:

Mrs. Stinson came to Winterset in 1852. her father and mother, as well as her brothers, Stephen and Asa Smith, had preceded her. After the death of her hsuband and during the war she lived in a log cabin on the exact spot where Judge Lewis now has his work shop.

She was 88 years old. Intensely patriotic, and believing that the war was futile, she sent her son, John Stinson, into the army. Edward Stinson, her other son, is a miner in Goldfield, Nevada. Mrs. Joel Childers and Mrs. Deeter are her daughters. The funeral was held at the Christian church Thursday afternoon.
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Transcriber's note: Transcribed as published. This family consistently used the surname "Stephenson" in the mid to late 1800s but started to transition to "Stinson" around 1900. Although this newspaper article used both "Stevenson" and "Stephenson", she is buried under the surname "Stinson".

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