Obituaries:  Eloise Albritton, Sabine, Natchitoches Parish       A-416
Source:  Sabine Index, Many, La., Jun 27, 1952
Submitted by: Tammy Larche-Smith
              tammy@cp-tel.net


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The Sabine Index - Eloise Albritton

  27 Jun 1952 - Two teen-age girls and their 60-year-old father
drowned at 8:30 Saturday morning in Kisatchie creek while
picnicking.

  The girls' mother, who could not swim, watched the tragedy.

  The dead were identified as Willie Albritton, Eloise
Albritton, 13, and Louise Tibbett, a stepdaughter, 16, Mr.
Albritton operated a farm near Robeline on the Sabine parish
line.

  Natchitoches parish Sheriff Earl Morris said the trio had
gone to the remote picnic grounds near Bellwood - about 33 miles
from Natchitoches - for an outing early Saturday morning. The
younger girl, Eloise, was wading when she suddenly slipped into a
deep pool.

  Her stepsister, Louise, dived into the creek in an
attempt to save her, authorities said, Mr. Albritton, seeing the
girls in need of help, plunged into the stream in an unsuccessful
effort to save them.

  A post-mortem of Mr. Albritton's body revealed that no water
had entered his lungs, and authorities believed that he was
stricken with a heart attack after jumping into the water.

  The Natchitoches parish fire department rescue squad rushed to
the creek, and recovered Mr. Albritton's body. The bodies of the
two girls were recovered from the creek by friends before the
rescue squad reached the scene.

  Natives of Bellwood said the creek is shallow in most parts,
but shelves off into deep pools. The bodies were recovered from
about 20 feet deep.

  Funeral arrangements have not been completed at the time
the Index went to press awaiting the arrival of Albritton's son,
who is with the U. S. army in Japan. The services will be held in
the Central Baptist church near Robeline, with burial in the
church cemetery under the direction of the First national funeral
home of Natchitoches.

  Mr. Albritton's survivors include his widow, the former
Irene Mitchell; five sons, O. D. Albritton and Johnny Albritton,
both of Houston, Texas, T/Sgt Otto Albritton, W. H. Albritton, of
Dallas, Texas, and George Albritton, of Robeline; three
daughters, Mrs. Dorothy Wheeler, of Wichita Falls, Kan,. Rose
Marie and Alice Albritton, both of Robeline; two brothers, Ed and
Elam Albritton, both of Tullos; two sisters, Mrs. Lula Cotton of
Lagan, Mo., and Mrs. Maggie Kemp of Olla.

  Eloise is survived by her mother, three sisters, five
brothers, and her grandmother, Mrs. J. W. Mitchell, of Robeline.

  Louise is survived by her mother, three sisters, five
brothers, her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Jordan, of
Robeline, and her grandmother, Mrs. J. W. Mitchell, of Robeline.