Robeson County NcArchives Obituaries.....Barker, John Alexander (Jack) And Ernest Knox November 28, 1945 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Steven Hinson http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00032.html#0007748 April 28, 2013, 6:37 pm THE ROBESONIAN, November 28, 1945 THE ROBESONIAN LUMBERTON, NORTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1945 ------------------------- Two Barker Brothers Killed in Wreck ----------------------- Jack & Ernest Barker Fatally Injured Car Overturns After Hitting Another Third Brother, Prentice Jr., Recovering At Baker Sanatorium, Accident on 7th Street and Summit Avenue. ---------------- Tragedy has come in double measure to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Prentiss R. Barker, two of whose sons, Jack, 17, and Ernest, 11, lie dead today and their youngest son, Prentiss Jr., is a patient at Baker sanatorium as the result of an accident which occurred yesterday afternoon about 4 at the intersection of 7th street and Summitt avenue on the eastern edge of Lumberton as the three boys were returning from school in their father’s 1941 Pontiac to their home on Route 5 some 4 miles east of the scene. TURNED OVER SEVERAL TIMES The Pontiac, headed east on 7th street and driven by Jack Barker, struck a 1936 Ford owned and operated by W. Othello Edmund of Lumberton which entered 7th street going north on Summitt avenue, the impact causing only slight damage to the left front fender of the Ford but throwing the Pontiac out of control and causing it to turn over several times, coming to rest with all four wheels in the air some 50 yards from the intersection. HURLED OUT OF CAR Persons in the neighborhood who rushed to the scene report that two of the boys were hurled out of the car for some distance. Jack and Ernest were carried by passersby to Thompson Memorial hospital, where Ernest died within the hour. Jack, the driver of the death car, suffered severe internal injuries, and never regained consciousness, passing away shortly after 12 midnight. YOUNGEST IS RECOVERING Prentiss, Jr., aged 10, was carried to Baker sanatorium, where attending physicians report today that he is recovering nicely and is not thought to be seriously injured. He suffered a slight concussion of the brain and chest injuries. The Pontiac is almost a total wreck. Its whole body was crushed, doors were twisted, windshield broken and top mashed in. Riding in the car with Mr. Edmund at the time of the accident were his wife and baby, W.O. Jr., his sister-in-law, Mrs. John Edmund, and little Kenneth Edmund, 7, none of whom were injured. School children by the scores join Mr. and Mrs. Barker in grief today, for Jack was a popular student of the 11th grade in Lumberton high school and both Ernest and Prentiss Jr. were in Miss Elizabeth Singletary’s section of the 5th grade. Jack observed his 17th birthday last Sunday, while Ernest was 11 on Fed. 13. Many children are telling of pleasant associations and incidents that occurred only yesterday in which Jack and Ernest took part, as they are sobered, along with their elders, in shock over one of the saddest tragedies this little city has experienced. Surviving the boys are their parents; two brothers, Pittman and Prentiss Jr. of the home; and two sisters, Miss Helen Reid and Kathleen Barker, both students at Coker college in Hartsville, S.C., who arrived home last night. There are also a number of aunts and uncles. DOUBLE FUNERAL THURSDAY Double funeral services will be held from the home, which is near Cedar Grove Baptist church Thursday at 3 p.m. Rev. Troy Jones of Red Springs, pastor of Cedar Grove church, of which Jack was a member, will be in charge, assisted by Dr. C.H. Durham. Interment will be in the family cemetery. Pallbearers for Jack Barker will be high school friends – Same Noble, J.W. Kinlaw, Copeland Skinner, Frank Hull, Meneuz Siblen, Horace Stacy, Jr. and Everett Hailey. Children from the 5th grade will serve as pallbearers for Ernest Barker, as follows: Edgar Fisher, Jr., recently of Wilmington, Bobby Braswell, Troy Shonley, Jr., Tommy Collins, J.R. Musselwhite, Jr. and Robert Smith. SCHOOL CLOSES AT 2: 30 Lumberton white schools will close at 2:30 p.m. Thursday for the funerals. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/robeson/obits/b/barker3269gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb