OBITUARY: Frank W. Lewis, 1858-c1886, Mitchell County, Iowa


Death of Conductor Lewis:

Again we are called upon to chronicle the sad and untimely end of one of
our citizens, Frank W. Lewis, who met his fate last Sunday morning.  Mr.
Lewis was a freight conductor on the Madison division of the C. & N. W.
railway and started on his way of duty at 1 o'clock a.m. last Sunday.  He
had reached Evansville in safety at 8 o'clock and was about to take several
cars into the coal shed there. While on top of the car to give signals to
the engineer, his back was turned to the shed, and upon reaching the same
he was struck by one of the timbers and hurled between the cars, the wheels
of which passed over his chest and caused instant death.  His body was
brought here on passenger No. 1, on Sunday.

Mr. Lewis had been engaged in railroading for the past seven years, during
which time he was faithful in the discharge of his duties and was held in
high esteem by his associates.  He was 29 years of age, having been born
in Cleveland Ohio, Sept. 6, 1858. Ten years ago he was married to Miss
Melissa Butterfield, with whom he lived in happy union until the ties were
severed by the cruel hand of death. Besides a loving wife and little
daughter, he leaves an aged father, his mother having died when he was
13 years of age, three brothers-one here, another in Mexico, and the
third in Iowa-and a sister living in Illinois.

The funeral took place from his home on the corner of Oak and Eighth
streets yesterday afternoon. The procession was headed by Gollman's brass,
and followed by the members of the Baraboo division No. 68, Order of
Railway Conductors, who appeared in their regalia and took charge of
the funeral.  Many other friends, also followed the remains to the M.E.
Church, which was thronged at the time, to take a last look and pay their
last tribute of respect to the deceased.

   [Baraboo, Wis. Democrat. Feb. 2nd]


ADDENDUM:
In another article in the same paper we learn that the shed which caused
the death of Lewis was a regular mantrap, and some of the citizens set
fire to it the night of his death; and together with a large quantity of
coal it was reduced to ashes.  Three other men had met their death from
the same cause.


    Copyright 2005 - Marilyn Oconnor