Arthur Lyle CONKINGS

CONKINGS, FRANCE, WILDE, WRIGHT, PORTER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/23/2012 at 17:00:58

July 31, 1891 --- July 14, 1907

July 18, 1907
Eagle Grove Eagle - Iowa

DROWNED IN THE BOONE RIVER

Arthur Lyle Conkings Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Conkings Loses his Life in the Angry Waters of the Boone Sunday.

The sad word was hurried over this community Sunday evening that Lyle Conkings had just lost his life in the swollen flood of the Boone river. He went in bathing with three companions and had scarcely entered the water before he stepped into water about 12 feet deep and not being able to swim was immediately drowned before his companions could give any aid. The entire community was soon ablaze with sympathy for the stricken parents, brothers and sisters and effort was immediately organized to recover the body.

A boat was secured and with ropes, hooks, and various appliances the river bed was explored as best it could be at such great depth and swift current. The search was continued until night and after the resultless discharge of dynamite was abandoned until Monday morning when it was resumed and has been continued to the present time without result. Wednesday afternoon the vigor of the search is somewhat relaxed and systematic watch is being maintained along the river that should the body float it will be discovered.

Arthur Lyle Conkings was the youngest of the three sons of this estimable family. He would have been 16 years of age the 31 of this month. In this great affliction the family has the deep sympathy of the entire community. None without like experience can realize the awful suspense afflicting this before happy home, and many earnest prayers are ascending that they be given strength to endure this inscrutable dispensation of Providence.

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July 19, 1907
Eagle Grove Times-Gazette --- Iowa

DEATH BY DROWNING

Lyle Conkings Meets death in the Boone River Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon the quiet repose of the city was broken by the report coming by telephone from the river that Lyle Conkings has been drowned. Lyle, in company with some of his playmates, had gone to the river west of town presumably to view the high water. Upon arrival at the banks they found several in bathing and the boys decided to join them and enjoy the sport.

Being unacquainted with the depth of the water at this place Lyle jumped in at a place where the water was at least ten feet deep, and being unable to swim at once became strangled and went down. The very swift current at this place took him down the stream full forty feet from where he first went into where he was last seen.

The alarm was at once sent in and in a very few minutes a large number of men from the city were upon the scene and at once began doing everything possible to recover the body. All day they worked but with no success. Monday morning bright and early nearly two hundred people gathered on the banks and half as many were searching the river bottom. Every day since tireless workers have spent the day at the river with hopes of finding the body, but at the time of going to press their efforts have been of no avail. The exceedingly high water and swiftness of the current makes systematic search impossible, and little hopes are entertained of finding the body until the waters have gone down to normal depth.

Lyle Conkings was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Conkings, living east of town where they have resided for many years. He was sixteen years old and a bright and manly little fellow; a favorite among his playmates and beloved by all who knew him. The broken-hearted parent and brothers and sister of the unfortunate boy have the deepest sympathy of the entire community in their hour of despair and every effort in being made by our citizens and friends of the family to comfort them in their hour of sorrow.

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July 25, 1907
Eagle Grove Eagle - Iowa

BODY FOUND MONDAY EVE

Ceaseless vigils Rewarded after eight days of tireless search. Funeral Tuesday afternoon.

Lyle Conkings was drowned July 14, at 4 o'clock p.m. and his body was recovered July 22nd at 7 o'clock p.m. A vigorous, persistent, and systematic search was continued until the efforts were rewarded Monday evening by the appearance of the body floating in the water about 100 rods below the point where he was seen to sink from the sight of his companies on the fateful Sunday eight days before. The body is supposed to have lodged beneath a tree which had fallen into the stream which held much drift material. The place had been searched with as much thoroughness as the deep water would permit but never quite satisfactorily. Monday afternoon Mr. France had four horses hitched to the tree in an effort to pull it out and although it was moved considerably and the agitation and loosening of the collected drift doubtless released the body as it was found floating in the water a few rods below by Clarence Wilde and Jay Wright who were coming up the river in a boat. The body was not discolored, nor mutilated and was easily identified. J. W. Porter was present with Mr. France and immediately took charge of the remains to prepare them for burial.

The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at the Methodist church at 2 o'clock p.m. following a prayer service at the home of the sister of the deceased, Mrs. Clarence Wilde, on East Broadway. The burial was in Rose Hill cemetery.

This affliction with the long hours and days of cruel suspense has filled this before happy home with inexpressible grief and a bereavement doubly severe by the tragic circumstances in which it came. Through it all they have had the active, heart felt sympathy of the entire community. In the search much generous aid has been given by individuals and by societies of which members of the family are members. The W. R.C., the Rebekahs, the Yeomen, have each served meals to the workers and in many ways has true sympathy gone out to the bereaved family. The funeral was largely attended by the neighbors of the bereaved family and friends in the city.

The eighth grade classmates of Lyle were seated in a body nest the mourners, and the six pall bearers were also from his classes. There was a procession of beautiful tributes of societies and friends. Rev. C. E. Chapler preached the sermon on the Mysteries of Providence.

Source: Paul Wilde
findagrave.com