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Fred Joshua Compton (1929)

COMPTON, CRAWFORD, ELLIS, GORDON, GRAY, TAYLOR, WITZEL

Posted By: Linda Brittain
Date: 1/30/2006 at 14:07:42

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, October 31, 1929
Page 1

Fred Compton Killed by Fall From Tower

Four Employees Are Killed When Ladder Falls From Top Of Water Tank

Fred Compton, of Winterset, was instantly killed last Thursday, October 24th, when he and three other employees of the Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel company were hurled 168 feet to the ground, from the top of a newly constructed water tower they were painting, at Winona, Minnesota. The four men were on a ladder or scaffold, on the roof of the tower, completing the painting, when the steel cables holding it broke, and the four bodies slid down the roof and down to the ground below, 50 feet away from the bottom of the huge tank. Willard Gordon, of Winterset, was one of two other employees, who were also on the top of the tank, at the time of the accident. Gordon was on the opposite side of the roof from the ladder, and was supported by ropes. He saw the steel ladder snap off and the man and the ladder start on their slide to the ground. The other man was just going down on the inside of the tank.

The ladder, a permanent part of the new tank, started at the base of the tank proper, ran up the side of the roof and then on the roof to the center, where it was fastened with a two inch strap-iron collar, to the call or center of the tank. It was at this point that the metal apparently was crystallized, although the ladder was new.

The three other employees who were killed at the same time, included: F. L. Taylor, of Grinnell; Wayne R. Witzel of Wayne, Oklahoma, and Emmet H. Ellis, of La Plata, Missouri. Eight men had been working on the tank since construction started, and the final coat of paint was being put on.

The body was shipped to Winterset, to the home of Mr. Compton's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Crawford, and funeral services were conducted at Tidrick's funeral home, Sunday afternoon, October 27th, at 2:30 o'clock, by Rev. Mr. Jones, of Knoxville; Rev. Mr. Thompson of Casey and Rev. L. H. Olmstead, of the Winterset Church of Christ. The American Legion also assisted with the services. Burial was made in the Winterset cemetery.

Mr. Compton was 38 years of age, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Granville Compton. His father died in 1916. He served in the World war and was a member of Co. I, 165th Infantry.

He is survived by his wife, Grace Compton, a daughter, Marjorie, his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Crawford, a sister, Mrs. Floyd Gray, and a brother, Clarence. More details of his life may be found in the mortuary on page two.
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The Brainerd Daily Dispatch
Brainerd, Minnesota
Thursday, October 24, 1929
Page 1, Column 2

4 STEPPLEJACK PAINTERS KILLED

FALL 168 FEET FROM TOP OF WINONA CITY WATER TANK AS LADDER BREAKS

Winona, Minn., Oct. 24. —(U.P.)—Four steeple-jack painters were instantly killed here today when they fell 168 feet from the top of the city water tanks as the steel ladder on which they were standing snapped and broke.

They were:
F. L. Taylor, Grinnell, Iowa
Wayne R. Witzel, 24, Wyneet, Okla.
Fred Compton, 28, Wintset, Iowa
Harry Ellis, 27, Laplata, Mo.

The men, employed by the Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Company of Des Moines, were to have finished their job tomorrow.

Three of the men were married and had their families here. Mrs. Ellis was reported in serious condition from shock.
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The St. Cloud Times
Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Thursday, October 24, 1929
Page 1, Column 5

STEEL WORKERS FALL TO DEATH

Four, Working on Winona Tank, Killed When Ladder Collapses.

Winona, Minn., Oct. 24. —(AP)—Four steel workers fell 160 feet to their death today when a ladder on which they were standing gave way, plunging them to the ground from the top of a steel tank on which they were working.

The dead are: Henry Ellis, Laplata, Mo.; Wayne R. Wetzel, Okla.; F. L. Taylor, Grinnell, Iowa and Fred Compton, Winterset, Iowa.

All were employed by the Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel company of Des Moines, Iowa, contractors who were building the new tank, work on which was to have been completed tomorrow.
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The Minneapolis Star
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Thursday, October 24, 1929
Page 1, Column 8

4 DIE IN 168-FOOT FALL AT WINONA

Winona, Oct. 24. – (U.P.) –Four workmen were killed here today in a 168-foot fall from the top of the city water tank.

The men were painters employed by the city to repaint the tank. All four were on a steel ladder which broke under their weight.

The four were Frank L. Taylor, 32, Grinnel, Iowa; Wayne R. Witzel, 24, Wyneet, Okla; Fred Compton, 28, Wintset, Iowa, and Harry Ellis, 27, of La Plata, Mo.
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Transcriber's note: Transcribed as published. The Minneapolis Star was clueless and made no effort to properly identify the names of the home towns of Grinnell, Wynette, and Winterset.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, October 31, 1929
Page 6, Column 2

Fred Compton

Fred Compton, son of Mr. and Mrs Granville Compton, was born at Glenwood, Iowa, January 8, 1891 and died at Winona, Minnesota, October 24, aged 38 years 10 months and 16 days. He was married to Grace Thornburgh and to this union were born two daughters, Marjorie at home and Madeline who died July 14, 1926. He served in the World war with Co. I 165 Infantry in the Rainbow division. His father died in Winterset June 25, 1916, and a brother Rolleigh was accidentally shot in 1903.

He is survived by his wife, daughter, Marjorie, his mother, Mrs. J. L. Crawford, a sister, Mrs. Floyd Gray, a brother, Clarence Compton and other relatives.

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon from Tidrick’s funeral home conducted by the Rev. Jones, of Knoxville, assisted by the Rev. Thompson, pastor of the Baptist church of Casey, and the Rev. H. L. Olmstead, pastor of the Winterset Church of Christ. Burial was in the Winterset cemetery.
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Transcriber's note: First name taken from 1910 Federal Census.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, October 31, 1929
Page 1, Column 3

TRAGIC DEATH OF WINTERSET MAN

Fred Compton falls 168 Feet From A Tower Funeral Sunday

Hurled 168 feet to the ground from the top of a new water tank at Winona, Minnesota, Fred Compton and three other men were instantly killed Thursday morning of last week when an iron ladder, on which the three men were standing, gave way. The accident occurred at 8:35. Compton, who was 38, the son of Mrs. J. L. Crawford, was employed by the Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel company.

Willard Gordon, son of Arthur Gordon, of Winterset, was one of the six men painting the roof of the tank when the accident happened. Gordon and a man named Dill had just stepped from the ladder when they heard the snap of the two-inch steel strap which held it in place, saw the men and the ladder slide, down the roof and shoot to the ground. The mangled bodies covered with paint, and with part of their clothing torn off, were found tangled in the twisted iron of the ladder, 50 feet from the base of the tank.

The Winona-Republican Herald, in a detailed account of the accident says that the strap which fastened the ladder in place, should hold two tons. The roof of the tank is 155 feet and 8 inches from the ground. Then it extends 1 foot upward over a dome roof to a point in the center. The ladder on the top of the roof was movable and could be swung to any part of it, revolving on the ball on which it was fastened.

Compton’s body was brought to Winterset and funeral services were held Sunday afternoon from the Tidrick funeral home, conducted by the Rev. Jones, of Knoxville, assisted by the Rev. Thompson, of the Baptist church at Casey, and the Rev. H. L. Olmstead, of the Winterset Church of Christ. Burial was in charge of the American Legion members of Green-Rogers Post escorting the body to the cemetery where burial was made with military rites.

Mr. Compton was born in Winterset and is survived in addition to his mother, by his wife, a daughter, a sister, Mrs. Floyd Gray, and brother, Clarence Compton.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, October 31, 1929
Page 6, Column 8

Clanton Valley

Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Wood and daughter, Hallie, attended the Fred Compton funeral at Winterset, Sunday.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, October 31, 1929
Page 1, Column 2

Mr. and Mrs. Ira Benge, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Benge and two children, Ila and Argel, of Pleasantville; Mr. and Mrs. George Ackelson and daughter, Ruby, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Ackelson, Mrs. and Mrs. Leo Ackelson, Mr. and Mrs. George Millican, Gladys Davis and daughter, Mrs. Jess Acklin, of Des Moines; Rev. George Jones, of Knoxville; Elder Young, of Indianola, Mrs. Wick and son, of Afton; Andrew Thompson and Mrs. Hill and daughter, of Casey; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hartman, of Creston; Nellie Weaver, of Ames, and Mr. and Mrs. Wood, Hallie Wood and Beulah Durham, of St. Charles were here Sunday, to attend the funeral services of Fred Compton, held at Tidrick’s funeral home.
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Coordinator's note: It appears that early in life he went by "Joshua Fred" but all records of 1910 and after say "Fred" or "Fred J.".

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