Alice Beckwith (-1878)

BECKWITH

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 10/10/2009 at 19:25:08

The Nevada Representative, Nevada, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, July 24, 1878. Courtesy of Arlen Twedt.

Accident.-- On Tuesday evening of last week an unfortunate and fatal accident happened to the oldest daughter, Alice, of Mr. S. H. Beckwith, living in Grant township a few miles west of this place. As she took a partly filled kerosene lamp from the dinning room to the kitchen to look after some household duties- the lamp exploded, just as she passed into the kitchen, enveloping her in flames. She immediately ran out of the house where her father tried to take the clothes from her person to relieve her, but not until she was wrapped in a blanket were the flames estinguished. By that time, her injuries were so severe, that she only lived about 36 hours. She was aged seventeen years, a bright and active young lady, and the main housekeeper of the family, her mother being an invalid. Such accidents are always sad and serious to contemplate, and it is with feelings of sorrow for the stricken family that we note this painful and sad misfortune.