Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Helmer, F. W. 1905 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net November 20, 2009, 1:39 am Lake Odessa Times, 14 Sep 1905 Railroad Accident F.W. Helmer Killed By Train. Was Going Down Railroad Track With Dog and Gun on Hunting Expedition – Death was Instantaneous – Was Deaf and Knew Not of Approaching Danger – Brief Sketch of Life. Last Friday noon the community was greatly shocked by the untimely death of F. W. Helmer, who was killed by an extra train just below Heaton’s flouring mills, the accident being witnessed only by the train crew, who did their best to attract the attention of the doomed man as he walked leisurely along ahead of the train, bound on a hunting expedition to the woods surrounding Tupper and Jordan lakes. Mr. Helmer, however, who was totally deaf, evidently knew nothing of the approach of the train and his body was thrown from the track, nearly every bone being broken by the shock. Mr. Helmer had but a few moments before been over near the new elevator and bargained for the old plank of the walk which was recently torn up to be replaced by cement, and had gone from there to his home on Third avenue, secured his gun and dog and started down the track for a little recreation. The train which struck him was an extra and was going down grade at a high rate of speed. The engineer saw the man on the track and blew the whistle violently but without avail and it was impossible to stop the train until the heavy engine had done its deadly work. Workmen at the depot heard the warning whistle as did many others and they were sure that an accident had occurred. Physicians and a large crowd of people were soon at the scene and it took no time to find that Mr. Helmer’s death was instantaneous, he probably never even realizing his danger. Undertaker Wood was summoned and the body was taken to the undertaking rooms where it was prepared for its last resting place. It was at the undertaking rooms that it was ascertained that beside the large scalp wound and another wound on the head that his arms, legs, and shoulders broken and it is thought that his spine was also broken. Deceased was born in Green Co., Ohio, 49 years ago, going from there to Indiana and afterward to Sebewa. He went to Oklahoma about twelve years ago with two brothers and a sister, the latter dying in that state. Here they suffered intensely for the first four years from the terrible drought that invested that region in the ‘90’s and to the exposure he endured there was partially due his deafness. He came back to Michigan and lived on a farm across Tupper lake, which he sold about two years ago. He then purchased an 80 acre farm in Berlin which is occupied by Allman Kent. He also purchased the little home on Third avenue and has lived there since. These properties are together worth a good round sum and are the accumulations of many hard years’ work and will probably be divided among the surviving members of the family, there being two sisters, Mrs. H. A. Andrews of this place, and Mrs. Eulalie Stanton, of Lakeview and four brothers, Lincoln Helmer of Hart, Allen, Cassius and Justus, of Nashville, Oklahoma, although present indications are that there will be considerable litigation before the estate is settled. The latter three brothers were not present at the funeral. The funeral was held from the Congregational church Sunday afternoon, Rev. Trevor Jones officiating. interment was made in Lakeside cemetery. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/h/helmer1438nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb