MORRISSEY, John (1880-1897)

MORRISSEY

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/24/2009 at 22:32:43

Winterset Madisonian – April 27, 1897

Drowning Near Bevington

Our Crawford township correspondent sends us an account of the drowning of a young man by the name of Morrissey, about seventeen years of age, about two miles east of Bevington last Sunday. Morrissey, along with some other boys, went in a boat into a slough that was filled with back water from Middle River. Some one rocked the boat in order to frighten one of the party, when Morrissey fell out and was drowned before help could reach him, though his companions are said to have made every effort in their power to save him.

Deceased was a son of Michael Morrissey. The funeral takes place today, the burial being in the Churchville cemetery.

An other account, purporting to come from one who assisted in recovering and caring for the body, says that the rocking of the boat was done to frighten a boy named Nugent, who was in the boat, making a feint of “ducking” him in the water. One Morrissey boy fell out, and his brother jumped in to try to save him. The first one to fall was rescued, but the brother who went to his relief was drowned.

Note: Burial was made in the Calvary cemetery near Churchville.