Kern Addison Sturdivant 1887-1898

STURDIVANT, WATTS, COX

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 10/2/2001 at 21:17:42

SAD ACCIDENT.

Bright Bonaparte Boy Meets
Untimely Death By
Drowning.

One of the most deplorable accidents that ever happened in our little city shocked the residents last Thursday morning. While skating on Honey Creek, Kern, the eleven-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Sturdivant, unfortunately broke through the ice. The little boys who were with him ran for help and soon a large number of citizens were at the scene. Milt Cox jumped into the icy water and brought out the poor boy, and energetic efforts were made by Dr's. Bogle and Blackmer, assisted by other people, but all efforts were in vain. He was dead. The body was taken to the home of his great grandmother, Mrs. Isaac Watts, and later to the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Sturdivant.

It must have been a terrible shock to the mother and to the absent father, who was at once telegraphed, to learn thus of the sudden taking away of their older child. All Bonaparte's people were deeply moved by the sad occurrence and sympathize most earnestly with them.

[Kern Addison Sturdivant was born in Bonaparte, Iowa, Sept. 4, 1887, and died there Dec. 29, 1898, aged 11 years, 3 months and 25 days.]

Such is the brief story of that little life that went out on that fateful morning. We all know that he was a model little boy, and whom we could ill afford to spare; But Providence so decreed.

The funeral occurred from the Presbyterian church Sunday at 10 o'clock, a. m., conducted by Rev. Scofield, and the remains were tenderly laid to rest in the White cemetery.

Source: Entler Scrapbooks, vol. 4, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA