Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1920 — KILLED AT GRADE CROSSING [ARTICLE]

KILLED AT GRADE CROSSING

Body of Everell Smith Brought Here From New York State. Mrs. Everell Smith and four daughters and her father, H. M. Shipman, arrived in Rensselaer .Sunday evening with the body of the former’s husband, who was killed In New York state last Thursday when the automobile in which he and two other men were driving was struck by a train at Cooperstown Junction, Otsego county. The funeral was held from tjie Methodist church at 1 o’clock Monday and burial made in Weston cemetery. Mr. Smith had sold the farm which he bought and moved upon near Sidney, Delaware county, N. Y., two years ago, and was out with a lawyer land agent and another man from Oneonta looking at a farm which he thought of buying near Cooperstown, not far from Ot-< sego lake. ' It Seems at this railroad crossing they were held up by a freight train, and as it pulled off the crossing they started to drive over and were struck by a passenger train which they did not see approaching. One of the other men in the car, whose name was McDonald, was instantly

killed while Mr. Smith suffered a broken leg, a broken arm, and four broken ribs and was badly cut up. He was rushed to a hospital at Oneonta, but died four hours after the accident. The third man escaped, it was thought, with minor bruises, but Mr. Shipman says that they were told shortly before they left Sidney Saturday forenoon that the doctors had said that he could not live, he having received internal injuries that would result fatally. Mr. Shipman and Mrs. Smith expect to go back to Sidney in a couple of weeks to close up Mr. Smith’s business affairs there and then come to Rensselaer to make their home. Mr. Smith had bought a place in Sidney and they were living there at the time of his death. He had made some $5,000 or $6,000 on the farm he bought there two years ago and, as they liked the country, it was the Intention to relocate some place in that vicinity. The family bad made many friends during their residence there and Mr. Smith was held in high esteem. The following obituary was read at the funeral, which was attended by many old neighbors and friends from Newton township: Everal J. Smith, son of William J and Catherine E. Smith, was born Nov. 30, 1878, on the Smith homestead in Jasper county. He was united in marriage with Agnes Shipman June 20, 1900. To this union four daughters were born, viz: Helen, aged 18; Edna M., 16; Nina M., 12, and Evelyn Blanche Smith, 4. Mr. Smith passed to his eternal reward at Oneonta, N. Y., Meh. 25, 1920, at the age of 41 years, 4 months and 26 days. The deceased united with the Methodist Episcopal church at Mt. Ayr 21 years ago. He leaves to mourn their loss, his beloved wife, the four daughters, his father and mother and one brother, Hamlin H. Smith, one brother and one sfster having preceded him to the world beyond.