Decatur County Journal
Thursday, August l, l9l8

A terrible accident, one of the worst in the history of Decatur County, occurred Sunday afternoon about two miles southwest of Garden Grove, when an automobile occupied by MR. VERNELL and son, of New Virginia, and JOHN BICKNELL and son, of near Garden Grove, was struck by the northbound passenger train, due at Garden Grove at 3:05, at a crossing southwest of Garden Grove, killing MR. BICKNELL and son, also ROY VERNELL and badly injuring the elder MR. VERNELL. The car was completely wrecked.

MR. and MRS. VERNELL had driven that day from New Virginia to visit at the home of MR. and MRS. JOHN BICKNELL, MRS. BICKNELL being a sister of MRS. VERNELL. MR. and MRS. VERNELL were accompanied by their family. That afternoon the oldest BICKNELL son, VIRGIL, and his cousin, ROY VERNELL, decided they would drive to Garden Grove to attend the chautauqua. As they got ready to start the fathers of the young men decided that they would go. The four members of the party got into their car, an Overland, and started for Garden Grove. It was necessary for them to cross the Burlington tracks on the way to a point where, owing to the nature of the surroundings, they were unable to see the train until very near the track. It is also necessary to climb a steep grade on the road leading to the railroad crossing. When they came up to this crossing from the south they were struck by the train. The locomotive struck the car square, carrying it for a distance of about two hundred feet. It was completely wrecked and the cow catcher on the engine badly bent. The engineer stopped the train at once and backed up to a point where the victims of the accident were lying entangled in the wreckage of the car. They were taken on board the train. Two of them, MR. BICKNELL and son, VIRGIL, were instantly killed. MR. VERNELL and son, ROY, were both alive when taken on board the train but the son died before the train reached the depot at Garden Grove. Physicians who were immediately called, gave MR. VERNELL immediate attention and he was taken on to the hospital at Chariton. The bodies of the three men killed in the accident were turned over to the Garden Grove undertaker to be prepared for burial. The cow catcher on the engine pulling the train dropped off on the way to Chariton and came near causing another accident.

MR. BICKNELL bought a farm southwest of Garden Grove last spring. He was popular with all who knew him and he was a successful farmer. He leaves his wife, two little sons and two little daughters.

It is believed that MR. VERNELL, who is in the hospital at Chariton will recover.

JOHN BICKNELL was born in Jackson County, Kentucky, April lst, l875, and spent the early part of his life in that vicinity. On March 22, l897, he was united in marriage to MISS LUCY AZBILL, and for a number of years they made their home in Kentucky. About eight years ago, the family moved to Illinois where they spent the next six years of their life, and two years ago they moved to this community.

The short time that MR. BICKNELL spent here speaks of his character. He was a man of sterling worth, and always showed his interest in the welfare of the communities he cast his lot with. When he made his home near Weldon he established and superintended a Sabbath School there and when he moved to his home near Garden Grove, he did the same thing in Renold. The loss of such men is great to any community.

There were born to MR. and MRS. BICKNELL, seven children. Two of these, BESSIE and NELSON, preceded him, and one, VIRGIL, met his death in the same accident as his father. MR. BICKNELL leaves to mourn his death, his widow and four children, BERTHA, NANNA, EARL and ELBA.

VIRGIL BICKNELL, the son of the above, was born in Jackson County, Kentucky, February 28, l900. He lived the whole of his life in the home of his parents, and met his death at the same time as his father. He leaves to mourn his death, his mother, two sisters and two brothers.

ROY VERNELL was born in Madison County, Kentucky, November 2l, l90l. Thirteen years ago, he moved with his parents to Illinois, and two years ago, he moved again with his parents to their present home. He leaves to mourn his death, his father, his mother, two sisters and three brothers.

These three met their death Sunday, July 28th, l9l8, in an auto accident when a train crashed into their car on a railroad crossing about a mile west of Garden Grove. The sympathy of the entire community goes out to the bereaved relatives in their sad affliction.

The funeral took place on Tuesday, July 30th, in the Methodist Church, Garden Grove, and was conducted by the Rev. Grover C. Flannery, of the Leon Christian Church, assisted by Rev. Winslow of the M.E. Church, Garden Grove and Rev. Jones, of the Presbyterian Church, Garden Grove. It was one of the largest funerals ever witnessed in Garden Grove.

Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
April 9, 2002