Burnight, George, 1887-1923

BURNIGHT, BOCKELMAN, GOOD

Posted By: Lydia Lucas-Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/22/2011 at 19:54:01

GEO. BURNIGHT DIES SUDDENLY
DRANK STOCK REMEDY WHICH CONTAINED SANTONIN
Poison Permeated His System and He Was Unable to Throw It Off.--Funeral Held Today

George Burnight died at his home in this city about 5 o'clock Tuesday afternoon [Sept. 4] after an illness of just a few days. Death was attributed to santonin poisoning [santonin is a poisonous extract from plants of the wormwood family, used to get rid of intestinal worms]. It is said that he drank a quantity of stock remedy about a week ago which contained santonin. It made him very sick at first but he was somewhat better Sunday and was able to be around. He was again taken sick Sunday evening, however, and a physician was called and the following day a nurse was secured to care for him. The poison had so permeated his system, however, that he was unable to throw it off and death came late Tuesday afternoon. A post mortem examination was made Tuesday evening by Dr. J. C. Kelly, Dr. A. J. Meyer and Dr. C. L. Roland of Chatsworth but this disclosed nothing which would indicate any other cause of death aside from the santonin poisoning.

Funeral services were held at 9 o'clock this morning at the Catholic church in this city and the remains were then taken to Akron for interment in the Catholic cemetery there.

George Burnight was born in Plymouth county, Iowa, March 24, 1887, so was 36 years, 5 months and 10 days old at the time of his death. He grew to manhood in the vicinity of Chatsworth and Akron and on May 22, 1911, was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Bockelman of Chatsworth. She died during the flu epidemic on Nov. 22, 1918. Two sons and one daughter were born to them, Francis aged 10, Clayton, aged 7, and Evelyn, aged 5. Since the death of her mother the little daughter has made her home with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bockelman of Chatsworth.

He was united in marriage secondly with Mrs. Sorelda Good at Elk Point, S.D., in January, 1922. They have made their home in Hawarden during the past year. Mrs. Burnight was on a visit at Wayne, Neb. when her husband passed away but arrived home Wednesday.

Besides his wife and children he is survived by four brothers and one sister, Will, Joel and Henry of Chatsworth, Charles of Akron, and Mrs. Lawrence Gibbons of Akron, and also three half brothers and one half sister, J. F. of Westfield, John C. of Akron and Pat of Hawarden, and Mrs. George Schafer of Chatsworth.

Source: Hawarden Independent, Sept. 6, 1923.