Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Leigh, Vernon 1916
************************************************
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 August 15, 2011, 11:03 am

Portland Observer, 31 Aug 1916

Auto’s Plunge Causes Death of Danby Lad.

Vernon Leigh, 12, Has Neck Fractured in Accident West of Compton Church.

Driver, In Dodging a Dog, Loses Control.

New 1916 Overland Owned by Frank Ferris Goes Over an Embankment with Fatal
Consequences.

Vernon Leigh, a 12-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Leigh, of Danby township,
was instantly killed, Friday evening, in an automobile accident about three
quarters of a mile east of the Compton church, in Danby.  The sad fatality has
brought deep grief to the entire neighborhood.

The accident happened just east of the residence of C.E. Sprague at about 7:30,
when a new 1916 Overland, driven by Frank Ferris, one of Danby’s well known
farmers, plunged over an eight-foot embankment and turned over on its side.  The
Leigh boy had his neck and several ribs broken and was badly jammed in the
chest.  His death was undoubtedly instantaneous.

While the car was built originally to accommodate but five passengers, there
were eight people riding in the ill-fated machine at the time of the accident. 
The occupants were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ferris, with their two daughters, Ella and
Floretta, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Leigh and their two sons, Bernard and Vernon.  The
two men, with the two boys on their laps, occupied the front seat.  Mr. Ferris
was driving.  The tourists were bound for the M.E. campmeeting at Mulliken and
were going due west in the direction of the Compton church.  At the point where
the accident happened there is a slight grade, with a small thicket of bushes on
the left hand side of the road and an eight-foot embankment on the right.  Mr.
Ferris was speeding his engine to make the grade.  Just at the base of the hill
a dog owned by Shirley Stadle bobbed into the road and in an attempt to avoid
hitting the animal Mr. Ferris jogged his machine out to the left.  The car
grazed a small sapling.  At this both the driver and the younger of the Leigh
boys, who sat upon his lap, ducked their heads to escape being hit by the
branches.  Mr. Ferris, for an instant, lost control of his car.  Having the boy
on his lap he was unable to see the road.  The machine darted for the
embankment.  Fully realizing what was about to happen, Mr. Ferris grabbed for
his emergency brake.  He got hold of one of the boy’s legs instead.  By that
time the machine had leaped over the embankment.  The car turned over on its
side, laying up against a wire fence.

Mr. Ferris, with his two daughters and the younger of the Leigh boys got out
without assistance.  Mr. and Mrs. Leigh and Mrs. Ferris, with the boy who was
killed, were pinned under the side of the machine.  C.E. Sprague, Shirley Stadle
and Frank Smock, who live near the scent of the accident, assisted in the rescue
of the helpless passengers.  The elder of the Leigh boys was dead when taken
from under the car.  Dr. H.W. Kenfield, of Mulliken, who examined the body,
found that the lad had suffered a fracture of the neck and a number of broken
ribs.  His chest had also been crushed in.  In the opinion of the physician
death had been instantaneous.  Mr. Ferris had three ribs fractured and was badly
bruised about the left shoulder.  A piece of the broken windshield cut a deep
wound in Mr. Leigh’s thigh and the man also got a bad bruise on the right ankle.
 The injury to his thigh necessitated three stitches.  Mrs. Ferris was bruised
somewhat over the eye.  The rest of the occupants escaped uninjured.

The body of the automobile was hardly scratched.  The radiator was stove in
somewhat, one of the front fenders badly bent, and the front axle slightly
sprung.  The top, windshield and steering wheel, however, were completely
demolished.

The body of the dead boy was first taken into the home of C.E. Sprague and,
after the autopsy, was removed to the home of the parents, who live on what is
known as the Fred Bump farm, about four miles east of the Compton church. 
Funeral services were held Monday.  A short prayer was given at the house at
1:00 o’clock and an hour later the obsequies were continued at the church.  Rev.
Schleuter, of Mulliken, officiated.  The remains were buried in the Mulliken
cemetery.

Besides his parents, young Leigh is survived by two brothers, Bernard, who
escaped from the wreck uninjured, and Galon.  The family have been residents of
Danby township for about five years.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/l/leigh16353nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 4.9 Kb