Los Angeles County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Gavitt, L. D. June 29 1891
**********************************************************
Copyright. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/obits/obitsca/obitsca.htm
**********************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Paula Hinkel phinkel@pacbell.net July 6, 2004, 1:52 am

Los Angeles Times, June 30, 1891 Page 3

BURNED TO DEATH
Sad Fate of A Well-Known Citizen
L. D. Gavitt of Los Angeles Burned to Death in his House on His Ranch Near 
Lancaster.

Early yesterday morning a telegram was received in this city, stated that L. D. 
Gavitt, an old citizen of Los Angeles had been burned to death on his ranch 
near Lancaster. No particulars were received. W. W. Paris, Mr. Gavitt's son-in-
law, had been up to see him, but returned yesterday morning.  He stated that he 
saw a fire while at the depot waiting for the train, but did not know the 
cause.  Coroner Weldon was notified, and with Mr. Parris, left for Lancaster on 
the first train.

During the afternoon there were a number of sensational rumors and reports on 
the street, to the effect that two bodies had been found, and that they were 
riddled with bullets, but the first authentic information was the following 
Associated Press dispatch received last  night:

LANCASTER, June 29 - L. D. Gavitt, constable of Antelope township, was burned 
to death on his ranch, nine miles northwest of here, at 4 o'clock this 
morning.  Gavitt has been confined to his bed during the past week.  He had 
sent his son-in-law to Los Angeles on the 3:37 train this morning to make 
arrangements for his being taken care of in the city. Judging from the position 
of the body, the constable, in trying to escape through the window, must have 
been overcome from weakness and suffocation, falling back into the seething 
mass of timbers.  Nothing but a few charred remains of the truck of the 
unfortunate man were left.  His arms, legs and upper portion of the skull were 
wholly destroyed.  Coroner Weldon of Los Angeles, was at once telegraphed for 
and came up on the afternoon train.  The cause of the fire is unknown, nobody 
being present when it occurred.

Coroner Weldon and Mr. Parris will return of the city this morning, bringing 
with them the remains.

The deceased was well known in this city, and was a California pioneer.  He was 
a native of Rhode Island, and came to the Coast in 1850 and located at San 
Jose.  About twenty years ago he moved to Los Angeles county and had resided 
here ever since.  Four daughters survive, him, Mrs.Willis Parris, Mrs. F. T. 
Howland, Mrs. M. A. Thompson and Miss Alice Gavitt. Deceased was a member of 
Olive Lodge, K of P.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/losangeles/obits/gob541gavitt.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/caobfiles/

File size: 2.9 Kb