Ervin, Darwin "Bunny" - 1926-1936

ERVIN

Posted By: Linda Vander Linden-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/28/2011 at 11:35:00

Hawarden Independent, March 12, 1936

A tragic accident occurred late Saturday afternoon on the old Covvey farm, three miles west of Hawarden, when "Bunny" Ervin, 9 year old son of Mr. & Mrs. John Ervin, was accidentally shot in the forehead with a .22 caliber rifle and died a couple of hours later in the office of Dr. T. J. Glasscock in Hawarden.

The Ervin family was preparing to move onto the old Covvey place, just vacated by Mr. & Mrs. Paul Schiefen, from the farm farther west which they have occupied the past year. Darwin accompanied his father and older brother, Orlyn, aged 12 to the Covvey place with a load of hay Saturday afternoon. Mr. Ervin pitched the load into the hay mow from the rack and the boys mowed it away. The task had just been completed and Mr. Ervin had driven the wagon away from in front of the hay mow door and the boys were getting ready to come down when in some unknown way a rifle which had been left in the barn fell from its fastening and was discharged, fatally wounding the boy. He was crouched down in the hay mow door when the gun was discharged and the bullet struck him squarely in the forehead and fell to the ground. Mr. Erwin heard the sound of the rifle and saw his son fall. The two sons of Mr. & Mrs. J. B. Schiefen, who lived nearby, had gone over to the Covvey place when they saw the Ervins unloading hay and had been there about five minutes and also witnessed the accident although they had not been in the hay mow. The boy was unconscious when his father reached him. There was a telephone in the house and Dr. Glasscock was summoned to the farm. He brought the boy to his office but the lad expired there about 6:30 that evening.

Darwin Lansdowne Ervin, second child of Mr. & Mrs. John Ervin, was born in Union County, SD, a few miles north of Hawarden, Nov. 24, 1926, and all of his brief life was spent in this community. The family lived in town for a year but moved again onto a place west of Hawarden a year ago. Darwin attended school when he lived here and is remembered by many of his young friends here. During the past year he has been in the fourth grade of the Ring school in Union county. He was a bright and lovable little fellow and will be greatly missed by his schoolmates and little friends while his tragic death is a severe shock to the members of his family, who have the deepest sympathy of all in their bereavement.

He leaves to mourn his loss, his father and mother; one brother, Orlyn, aged 12, and two sisters, Nona Ruth, 8; and Neva, 3. His grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. John Ervin now reside at Humboldt, SD and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. O. S. Lansdowne, lives in Hawarden. His death is also mourned by many other relatives.

Funeral services were held at the Ross Funeral Home at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon with Ref. J. G. Waterman pastor of the Methodist church, in charge. Interment was made in Grace Hill cemetery.

His grandfather, John W. Ervin, and his aunt, Mrs. D. M. Royalty and husband of Humboldt, SD and another aunt, Mrs. L. L. Peak and husband and daughter of Ames, Iowa were the only relatives from a distance who were able to get here to attend the funeral on account of road conditions.