Park, Lewis A.

Passed: 1891-09-19

Age: 37

Source: Ravenswood News

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1891-09-23

Information: Awful to think about it Lew Parks and his lively sixteen year old daughter killed By Engine 18, pulling the Pay car on the O.R.R.R.Saturday evening near Sherman station.   Particulars of this said affair as gleaned by the “News” man who was at the scene shortly after they were killed.   Lewis A. Parks was a sawmill and lumber man, who resided on Pond Creek in Grant District of this county, and was a stirring, energetic gentleman, big hearted and jovial at all times and under all circumstances, and was probably better known in this section than most any other man with like opportunities for becoming acquainted with the people.  Saturday morning he came to town on business, and while there met his daughter Miss Ida, who was employed as a domestic in E. Wells family, and together they started homeward, little thinking they would never reach their destination.  They had been kindly loaned the use of Cap. Flinn’s team of horses and a buckboard to go home in, as Mr. Flinn had to go to Murrayville on business and would return to Sherman on the 5 o’clock train and meet them at that point.  The 5 o’ clock train passed down on time while Mr. Parks was nearing Sherman, and we presume he little thought of a “special” coming along.  John W. King of Toppins Grove, was also sett---(Part of article missing)----------   The cow catcher struck the vehicle, took it from the pole and double tree, and left them with the horses who had gotten across the track in time, and left them unscratched with their harness on, while it carried the vehicle, Mr. Parks and daughter a distance of 270  yards across the trestle and Mr.Parks was tumbled off and over the lower end of the Sandy bridge, while the buckboard was carried to the upper end of the bridge where the train was stopped, and fell over the trestle off the bridge, and Miss Parks was there extricated from the pilot of the engine where she was hanging.