ALAMANCE, NC Obituaries - SMALL, James A. File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by MS LOUISE T OVERTON COPIED FROM MICROFILM OF BURLINGTON, N.C. DAILY NEWSPAPER July 5, 1927 PASSENGER TRAIN KILLS OLD MAN AT HAW RIVER James Alvis Small, 77, was instantly Killed Sunday Morning Near Haw River Underpass As He Walked Upon Tracts --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Funeral Services Held From His Home --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Service Held In Haw River Monday Afternoon By Rev. Cook Of The Baptist Church, And Robert Councilman Of Burlington. Funeral service for James Alvis Small, 77, who was instantly killed Sunday morning by a Southern passenger train west of the Haw River underpass, was held yesterday afternoon from the home in Haw River, by Rev. Cook, of the Baptist Church, and Robert Councilman, ministerial student. The aged man is said to have walked toward the tract from his home and to have continued directly in front of the locomotive. Someone is said to have called a warning to him, but is not believed that he heard this. He looked up about this time, however and threw up his hands. It is thought he did this when he saw the engine upon him, or suddenly heard the noise. The scene of the fatal accident is at a point between a cut and a fill, where in years gone by a grade crossing was. Since the road changed, people have used the place for a pathway across. Almost opposite is a filling station to which some believe the deceased had started. For a mile or two west of Haw River the railroad is down grade. Trains roll out of the curve cut without the noise they make when pulling and glide out upon the fill. Johnny Newlin, one of the witnesses, stated he did not see the train actually strike the body, but saw it hurled up 10 feet in the air. It fell back upon the pilot and then rolled off upon the track and under the wheels. It was badly mangled. L.P. Kimrey was another witness who saw the accident practically as Mr Newlin did. There was a third witness whose name could not be learned. These witnesses say that the train did not blow its emergency warning as it usually does when something is sighted on the rail close to the approach. None have stated the train blew nearer the scene than back above the cut where the mile station post is, where it regularly blows. Happening on the side of the fireman, probably out of his seat for a moment. It is believed that neither he or the engineer observed at any time what had happened. The train rolled on to the Haw River station, 500 yards east, made its accustomed short stop, and pulled out. There is said not to be a record of a train doing this having actually observed an accident, especially when it involved a person. Mr Small even at 77, was an active man, and those who knew him declare that it is a certain thing that he did not see or hear the approach of the train until it was too late to avoid being struck. The body was taken to the undertaking parlor of Green and McClure in Graham, and for burial. Besides his wife, the former Mattie Andrews, the following children survive; Grover of Roanoke, Va; Mrs Della Daniels, Graham; Mrs O.C. Cole, Mebane; Miss Gena, Dillard, Otha, and Miss Dora, of Haw River; also two brothers, Thomas, of Graham, and John William, of Burlington, and one sister Mrs Dora Teague. The pallbearers were, Marshal Blackmon, Ed Minnis, Bill Terrell, John Ray, W.E. McCracken, and Mr Woods. There was a large crowd at the service, showing the esteem in which the deceased and members of his family are held, and a profuse floral offering. *************************************************************************** My Mother, "Miss Dora" was 13 years old when her father was killed, she is the only surviving member in this family. I would have LOVED to have known this man, he ran a General Store on the west bank of the Haw River. Born in Rockingham County, NC, came to Alamance County in the 1880's, married first, Bettie Bryant of Virginia in 1883, and second Mrs Mattie C. Andrews Cates of Orange County, NC in 1903. James Alvis Small was the father of ten children, two sons predeceased him. ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation.