Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1909 — WIDOW PENWRIGHT BURNED TO DEATH. [ARTICLE]

WIDOW PENWRIGHT BURNED TO DEATH.

Elderly Woman Was Fighting Prairie Fire Lone Handed When Clothing Ignited With Fatal Result.

Mrs. Lois Penwright, an aged widow living on a farm she owned in the extreme southeast end of Marion township, died at about 10 o’clock Monday night as a result of injuries sustained by her clothing catching fire shortly after noon of that day. Mrs. Penwright lived alone on her farm, and about 1 o’clock Monday she set fire to stubble in a field. The fire soon got beyond control and fearing that it would get to her stacks of hay, she undertook to put the.fire out As she was alone it is uncertain just how long shejbad been working when aid reached her. Roland Gates, a farmer living near by and a boy who Ivies with him, saw the fire and hastened in a buggy to the Penwright home, and saw Mrs. Penwright still fighting the flames, although they had enveloped her and

the burning clothing sent the flames up over her head. Mr. Gates grabbed a blanket from the buggy and ran to her, wrapping the blanket about her form and putting out the flames. Her clothing was almost all burned from the body and she sank unconscious to the ground. She was at once removed to the home of Mrs. Chilcote, near the Penwright farm, and Dr. Besser, of Remington, was summoned. There was no help for her, hpwever, and she never regained consciousness, dying at about ten o’clock that night. The fire continued to spread and burned up three stacks of hay that belonged to Mrs. Penwright, about 15 tons, and also 14 tonß belonging to Arnold and Joseph Luers. Mrs. Penwright has children living in Oklahoma and also a son at Mt. Ayr. Her age was past 70 years.