Osage County KS Archives Obituaries.....Cunningham, Margaret 1889 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 May 22, 2020, 4:05 am The Burlingame Democrat Fri Oct 18, 1889 pg 3 A HEART-RENDING ACCIDENT Last Wednesday about 1:30 p.m. our people were startled by the news of an accident at the Santa Fe tracks, which, for it horror, has not been equaled in these parts for many a day. As Mrs. Margaret Cunningham was passing from her home to that of her daughter, she stopped on the side track close by H. D. Shepard's corn crib to pick up a few ears of corn, as is suuposed, which were lying on the ground between the rails. A freight engine was switching at the time in the yard and was just coming back from the Black Diamond shaft with six cars of coal. No one saw the old lady as she stood in the path of death, but it is supposed she must have been stooping over with her back to the train, and, being quite deaf, was not warned of the approaching danger until the tender of the engine, which was foremost, caught her, dragging her under the cruel wheels. She was not noticed until it was too late to prevent the entire train of an engine and six cars from passing over her body, and when it had passed an awful sight met the eyes of those who hastened to the spot. The head was completely severed from the body, but not otherwise disfigured. The body was cut in in two at the waist, the limbs cut and bruised in a horrible manner, and fragments of flesh and clothing scattered along the track. A post mortem examination was held at the home of the deceased with Justice Chambers as coroner the jury passing the judgement that it was accidental killing by being run over by an engine moving back- ward on a side track. Mrs. Cunningham was 69 years old and the mother of several adult children who are living here. The grief of her daughter, Mrs. Connor, was pitiable in the extreme, and the sympathy of every person in Burlingame is with the family in their affliction. The funeral services will be held today in the Catholic church at Scranton, and the remains buried in the Catholic cemetery at that place. Rev. Fuller Cavanaugh, of Osage city, will conduct the services. Osage County Times Thur Oct 24, 1889 pg 1 On Wednesday afternoon, October 16, 1889, Mrs. Margaret Cunningham met her death at the Santa Fe yards in Burlingame by being run over by an engine and six coal cars. She was 67 years old. The deceased had been a resident of Bulingame since the fall of 1883; was a widow for twenty one years, her husband dying in Scotland in 1868; her birthplace, Donegal, Ireland. Of the sad accident it is impossible to state just how it occurred, but the supposition is that she was standing on the switch waiting for the passenger train to get by before proceeding to her home, and did not notice the coal cars coming down. The coroner's verdict attaches no blame on the railroad men. Those who are left to mourn her loss are the four sons, Edward, James, Dennis and Hugh, and the families of the two daughter, Mrs. Henry Connors, of this place, Mrs. Jas. Rooney, of Kansas City, and the family of Ed Lawn, who was a cousin to the deceased. She was a good hearted old lady, and had many friends. The funeral was conducted by Rev. Father Cavanaugh, at the Catholic churchh in Scranton, and the remains laid to rest in the societies' cemetery at that place on the following day. The Osage County Chronicle Thur Oct 17, 1889 pg 5 Mrs. Margaret Cunningham, an aged lady of this city, met with a tragic death in the Santa Fe yards yesterday afternoon at about two o'clock. She was ran over by an engine and tender and six freightt cars. The horrible accident occurred on a side track just east of H. D. Shepard's elevator. No one having been a witness to the accident it is not definately know how the unfortunate lady was caught by the train. It is supposed that she was gathering up a few ears of corn which had fallen from the wagons unloading at the elevator. The engine and cars which ran over her belonged to train No. 42, and when the accident occurred they were backing out on the switch which runs to the Black Diamond coal shaft. A coroner's jury was summoned and an inquest held by Justice Chambers, acting coroner. The train men, including the conductor, brakemen, engineer and fireman appeared as witnesses, and after hearing the testimony in the case the jury returned the following verdict: STATE OF KANSAS,} County of Osage,} An inquisition holden at Burlingame, Osage county, Kansas, on the 16th day of October, A. D., 1889, before J. M. Chambers, just of the peace and acting coroner, the said coroner of said county being absent, on the body of Margarett Cunningham, there lying dead, by the jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed, the said jurors, upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to her death by means of being run over by a freight train composed of six cars, engine and tender belonging to the A. T. & S F. railroad company while said train was switching on switch leading to Black Diamond coal shaft, and that said killing was accidental and not felonio In testimony whereof the said jurors have hereunto set their hands this day and year aforesaid H. C. FINCH, J. N. MCDONALD, M. B. RAYMOND, J. K. ROGERS, GEO. B. OLIVER, S. W. ROBERTS. The deceased had many friends in this city who are in great grief on account of her sad death. Six children living in Burlingame mourn the loss of their mother. Their names are Edward, James, Dennis, and Hugh Cunningham and Mrs. Henry Connors and Mrs. P. McFarlane. The sympathy of all our people will go out to these afflicted ones. [The above obituary lists Mrs. P. McFarlane {Jane Connors McFarlane}, as a daughter. She is in fact a grand daughter. The other daughter is Ann Cunningham Rooney] The Osage County Chronicle Thur Oct 24, 1889 pg 5 Mrs. Cunningham, the lady who was killed by the cars last week, was buried Friday in the Catholic cemetery at Scranton. Father Cavanaugh, of Osage City, officiated at the funeral services. A large concourse of sympathizing friends were in attendance. Additional Comments: 1895 kansas state census Scranton, Osage, Kansas, United State E M Cunningham 34 Ireland miner [Edward] Hugh Cunningham 38 Ireland miner The Osage County Chronicle Thu Mar 9, 1893 pg 5 James Cunningham went to Chicago this week, where he will be treated for a cancer which has impaired his health for about seven months. 1885 Kansas State Census Burlingame, Osage, KS Maggie Cunningham 60 Ire James Cunningham 28 Ire Edward Cunningham 24 Ire New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 Name: Margt Cunningham Arrival Date: 11 Jan 1883 Birth Date: abt 1833 Age: 50 Gender: Female Ethnicity/ Nationality: Scottish (Scotish) Place of Origin: Scotland Port of Departure: Glasgow, Scotland and Moville, Ireland Destination: USA Port of Arrival: New York, New York, USA Ship Name: Circassia Traveling with: Dennis age 30, Edward age 20 and M age 28 1881 Fauldhouse, Whitburn, West Lothian Margaret Connachan 49 Edward Connachan 22 son Dennis Connachan 30 Ireland Stepson 1880 St. Louis, Jackson, Missouri Ann Cunningham 26 Ire Ire Ire head Jas Cunningham 21 Ire Ire Ire Brother New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891 Name: Ann Cunningham Spinster Event Type: Immigration Event Date: 1871 Event Place: New York City, New York, United States Gender: Female Age: 20 Nationality: Ireland Birth Year (Estimated): 1851 Birthplace: Ireland Ship Name: England Traveling with James Cunningham age 21 laborer 1871 Fauldhouse, Whitburn, West LOthian, Scotland Margaret Connaghan 45 Ireland Dennis Connaghan 19 son Ireland 1852 Hugh Connaghan 17 son Ireland 1853 James Connaghan 13 son Ireland 1857 Margt Connaghan 11 daughter Ireland 1860 Edward Connaghan 9 son Ireland 1862 rootsireland.ie Church baptismal record Name: Margaret Sweeney Date of Baptism: 10 Oct 1825 Address: Rossmore, Drumhome, County Donegal Sex: Female Father: Edward Sweeney Mother: Mary Sponsor 1/Informant 1: Andrew Moorhead Sponsor 2/ Informant 2: Dennis Hilly submitter is not related and has no further information File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/osage/obits/c/cunningh2680gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 8.8 Kb