Edwin (1868-1907), Mabel (Smith) (1872-1907)& Neva Atkinson

ATKINSON, SMITH

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/24/2015 at 13:54:56

From Nevada Representative July 24, 1907

A TRIPLE FUNERAL

A remarkable funeral was held at St. Anthony yesterday. It was that of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Atkinson, and their ten-year-old daughter Neva, all of whom were killed last Saturday evening in the storm at Woonsocket, South Dakota. The family were former residents of St. Anthony, which town is still home of Mr. Atkinson's aged parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Atkinson, and other relatives. The ill-fated family were building a new home in the edge of the village of Woonsocket, had the two-story frame for their house up and partially enclosed, and meantime were living in a small barn near by, when about three o'clock Saturday afternoon a storm came up. It was hard straight blow accompanied by heavy rain. The barn began to sway, and they all ran for safety to the cellar of the new house, Mr. Atkinson carrying the little daughter, and Mrs. Atkinson leading her seven-year-old brother, Raymond Smith, who lived with them. Just as the four reached the southeast corner of the house down came what there was of the structure covering them with timbers. Friends from the town an hour and a half afterward found the little lad unhurt, the other three dead. The child, found pinioned and clinging to the arm of his lifeless brother-in-law, was the only one who could tell the story of the tragedy. The church at St. Anthony could not contain the crowd which gathered at the funeral. Services were conducted by Rev. E. C. Luck of Clemons, and the burial was in the Clemons cemetery, the procession thither being headed by two black hearses and one white one.