GIFFORD, Levi, and Elizabeth (died 1936)

GIFFORD, KLECKNER, FAHEY, ATHERTON, PATTERSON

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 6/26/2009 at 14:42:43

Levi Gifford
Elizabeth Gifford
and Mary, or Patsy, Kleckner

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LEVI GIFFORDS AND
PATSIE KLECKNER
DIE IN ACCIDENT

Automobile and Bodies Are
Ground to Bits Along
Right-of-Way

Mr. and Mrs. Levi Gifford, both about 60, and Patricia Ann Kleckner, 2-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest J. Kleckner, were killed at about 12:45 Monday noon, when the Gifford car was struck by a south-bound freight on the Illinois Central track at the Mitchell main Street crossing. The Giffords had been to Osage and were returning home.

Mr. Gifford drove onto the crossing at a good rate of speed and the engine struck the car squarely, turning it around, tearing the body of the car from the chassis, and throwing Mr. and Mrs. Gifford under the wheels of the train. Their bodies were cut into bits, Mrs. Gifford's torso and head were found about fifteen rods from the crossing, showing that she had been dragged under the car; a rod back was one of her thighs and a leg; arms and hands were picked up along the track.

Mr. Gifford had a leg severed, and his head was torn from the body. He had been dragged for several rods, then his body was apparently loosened and thrown in a heap at the side of the track. His remains resembled nothing so much as a heap of old clothes. The expression of horror on Mrs. Gifford's face was a sight that those who saw it will no doubt never forget.

Little Patsy was thrown clear of the car, and was picked up alive close to the crossing. She was carried to the Dean Beckner home, where she died soon after being laid on a cot. There were bruises and marks on her arms and legs; a bruise on her head, which might have been the cause of her death.

GIFFORD DIDN'T HEAR WARNING WHISTLE

The accident is hard to understand. A number of persons who witnessed the accident say that the engineer of the train started whistling quite a distance from the crossing, and one of the witnessed wondered at the unusual commotion.

A party of three section men saw both the train and automobile approaching and realizing that Mr. Gifford was not going to stop, threw their arms in the air and tried their best to attract his attention. They failed, however, and Mr. Gifford's car was squarely on the track when the train, which could not be stopped, struck it. The train is a through-freight at that station, and usually is traveling around forty miles an hour.

As stated, the body of the car was thrown about two rods from the crossing, while the rest was scattered along the track for rods, the two rear wheels being some twenty or thirty rods down the track. Most of the wreckage was thrown to the east side of the track, under a car, when the train stopped.

The Giffords had been to the Intorf hatchery, Osage, and had purchased a large number of baby chicks. These were scattered along the track; many of them dead or injured, and about fifty to seventy five were picked up alive.

GIFFORD FARMED EAST OF ST. ANSGAR

Mr. and Mrs. Gifford are among the best-known citizens of the St. Ansgar community, Mrs. Gifford was before her marriage, Miss Lizzie Patterson, and for many years was employed in the postoffice at St. Ansgar. Following their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Gifford started farming, and lived two miles east of St. Ansgar on the corner commonly called the "Patterson corner."

A coroner's inquest was held Tuesday by Dr. John O. Eiel, county coroner.

CORONER'S INQUIRY EXONERATED ENGINEER

An inquiry opened Tuesday morning at the Champion Funeral home, conducted by Dr. J.O. Eiel, coroner, in an attempt to find an explanation of the crash, and after witnesses had testified, the jury, composed of R.C. Carr, G.O. Lashbrook and B.A. Chatman, brought in a verdict that it was purely accidental.

Those testifying were Doyle Johnson and Mrs. Den Beckner, who live close to the track and saw the accident; and the section workers, Herbert Young and his son, and Albert Heimer.

The engineer of the train, A.R. Troutman, of Waterloo, and several officials of the railroad were present, and the former testified.

"Uncertainty of Life"

A singular circumstance was recalled by Henry Intorf in connection with the accident. The Giffords had been to the Intorf hatchery, where they bought 225 little chicks at 12:15. Mr. Intorf said they had talked to George Wolff, of Little Cedar, who was in the hatchery at the same time and who lost his wife so suddenly the week before. One of the Giffords, according to Mr. Intorf, remarked to Mr. Wolff that "one never knows how soon he or she will be next." Just thirty minutes later both of them and the little girl were killed as they took their little chickens home by way of Mitchell. It is told in another story in this paper how a large portion of the little chicks were also killed in the serious accident. They were found dead and alive scattered all along the track and two of them were found cheeping feebly a few feet from the chassis of the Gifford Reo, which was more htan a block from the scene of the accident.

Mr. Intorf knew nothing of the tragedy until about 2:30 when a representative of the Press-News called him to find out if the chicks were purchased there and how many had been purchased. He said that he noticed that a number of men were observing the engine as it pulled into Osage after the accident and wondered what the interest was about.

Funeral Services for Patricia
Kleckner Wednesday

Funeral services for Patricia Ann Kleckner were held Wednesday morning at the Sacred Heart Church, Osage, conducted by Rev. Father Baxter. Burial was made in the New Haven cemetery beside a sister who passed away a number of years ago.

Surviving are her parents and the following sisters and brothers: Bernice and Mary; Adrian, Robert, Arnold, Morris, Raymond, Jimmie, Willian and Gerald.

"Patsy" was an unusually bright, attractive little girl, loved by all who knew her, and the Giffords, close neighbors, had been very fond of her since babyhood. They had no children of their own, and somehow Patsy and her sister, Mary, helped to fill the void. They kept the children at their home as much as the Kleckners would permit.

Giffords Buried at Osage

Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Gifford were held Wednesday afternoon in the Champion Funeral Home, conducted by Rev. Frank A. Court. They were buried in a single casket in the Osage Cemetery.

Elizabeth Patterson Gifford

Mrs. Gifford was born Elizabeth Ann Patterson, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Patterson, on December 26th, 1871, on the farm just a mile and a half east of St. Ansgar, which is now occupied by the Ernest J. Kleckners.

The Pattersons sold the farm when she was a young girl and moved to California. Later they returned to Iowa, living for some time at Garner; then they went to Colorado to homestead. A few years later the family returned to St. Ansgar to take up their residence.

Miss Patterson, known as "Lizzie," was employed in the St. Ansgar post office by her aunt, Mrs. Isaac Patterson, and a year after the death of the latter, Miss Patterson and her parents moved to the Isaac Patterson farm to care for Mr. Patterson. who had suffered a stroke of paralysis.

Her parents died on that place, and some years later Miss Patterson was married to Levi Gifford, and they continued to live on the Isaac Patterson farm, which the latter had willed to his niece.

She leaves to mourn her loss, two brothers, Isaac Patterson, of Rochester, Minn., and Thomas Patterson, of Burbank, Calif.;' one sister, Mrs. Mable L. Wing, Pontiac, Michigan; a niece, Thelma Kamrath, Porter, Minn.; a nephew, Galen Wing, Cleveland, Ohio; an uncle, Frank Atherton, Clear lake; and aunt, Mrs. Mary Long, Danville, Illinois; cousins, Mmes. Harold Levers and Ray Peterson, Osage.

Levi Gifford

Levi Gifford was born September 23, 1876, and died May 25, 1926. He had lived in this county almost all of his life, and farmed for many years.

As none of the immediate relatives live in this vicinity, it has been impossible to obtain a complete account of Mr. Gifford's life. The following brothers and sisters survive, although we are not sure of their places of residence: Frank and Waldo, in the Dakotas; Rose, living in the Red River Valley; Hattie, of near Stacyville; Bill, of Idaho; Effie and Maggie, somewhere in the west.

Two sisters have passed away, Mrs. Ernest Bascombe and Miss Mary Gifford.

[ MITCHELL COUNTY PRESS -- Thursday, 28 MAY 1936]

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NOTES:

1. Levi Gifford born September 24, 1876 (WWI draft registration) the son of John Ziba Gifford and Katherine (Fahey) Gifford.

2. Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Patterson) Gifford, the daughter of Nathan Patterson and Lillian A. (Atherton) Patterson.

Note: In the 1900 Census she is age 26, born December 1873; in 1910 she's 36; in 1925 she's 45; and in the 1936 obit she's 58, and the tombstone has 1871.

3. Mary Kleckner, age 3, St. Ansgar
(Note: This is actually believed to be Patricia Ann Kleckner, the daughter of Ernest Joseph Kleckner and Florence Fox Kleckner and not the daughter of Bernard Kleckner as the article says -- from family tombstone in St. Peter, New Haven, Cemetery -- Patricia 1934-1936 -- there is no Mary with those dates buried there.)

I found an entry for her in Ancestry.com: Patricia Ann Kleckner born March 18, 1934; died May 25, 1936 car/train accident in a tree with her parents as Ernest Joseph Kleckner and Florence Fox.

The only Bernard Kleckner I know of was born in 1923 Mitchell county.

[Notes from Diane Scott, 7/6/11]
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[Newspaper images, below, from Mason City Globe-Gazette, May 25 and 26, 1936]

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