Ruth (Williams) BROWN

WILLIAMS, BROWN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/13/2015 at 14:53:48

August 2, 1906 --- December 10, 1968

Rural Couple Killed in Auto-train Crash

Mr. and Mrs. Milford E. Brown, rural Estherville, were killed last night in a car-train collision at the railroad crossing just west of Gruver.

According to authorities, Mrs. Brown [Ruth Williams Brown], 62, was dead on arrival at Holy Family Hospital. Mr. Brown, 65, died at 7:30 p.m., about an hour after arrival at the hospital. Both received extensive chest and head injuries after being thrown forward into the dash and windshield when the northbound 1969-model car smashed into the 42nd and 44th cars of the 58-car train. The front of the car was pushed back more than a foot from the hood down, the left side of the car was partially crumpled and the rear of the car was disabled enough to force the tow truck to use a flatbed truck to take the car to Estherville.

It was believed that the car hit the train about 5:50 p.m. as the couple was headed north on the west Gruver blacktop six miles east and one-half mile south of Estherville. They lived 5 ½ miles east and 4 south of Estherville. The couple reportedly was headed to Armstrong, where Mrs. Brown was to have her hair styled by a relative.

K.E. Rockne, train engineer, and Lloyd Andrews, conductor, said they did not see the automobile when it struck the train. The vehicle came to rest on the east side of the road south of the railroad track, a few feet from the scene of the collision. The tragedy raised the traffic death toll in Emmet County this year to five.

Mr. Brown was born and raised in Emmet County and had been farming about 220 acres of land when the tragedy struck. His wife was a native of Thor, but has lived in Emmet County most of her life. Mr. Brown is survived by two children, two sisters and three brothers. Mrs. Brown is survived by two sisters and three brothers. They have six grandchildren. Funeral services are pending at Reese-Henry Funeral Home.

Estherville Daily News -- Estherville, Iowa
December 11, 1968

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[Ruth Williams was born in Thor, Iowa to Lewis B. and Martha Williams]