Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Denzel Amno Harrison, 1914 
12 Mar 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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HARRISON, DENZEL AMNO
(22 Jan 1914, Sayre Standard, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
The sad accident which occurred at the home of Mrs. Verdie Harrison on
Fifth street last Monday morning, in which her little nine-year-old
daughter, Denzel, was burned to death, has cast a gloom of sadness over
this entire community that will remain so long as those who knew the
little child remember the details of the incident and the heroism she
displayed from the moment the accident occurred until death came to end
her suffering at 4 o'clock Tuesday morning.
Denzel had not been feeling well on Sunday, the day before the accident
and Mrs. Harrison, who is a teacher in the primary department of the
public schools, believed it to be advisable for her to remain at home with
her grandmother, Mrs. F. M. Hendrix, who is making her home with her
daughter in this city.  The child was playing with her toy cooking
utensils by the heating stove when she suddenly ran to her grandmother,
crying that her clothes were on fire.  Mrs. Hendrix is quite feeble,
seventy-four years of age, and almost an invalid.  In her excitement and
haste to pass into another room to get water with which to extinguish the
flames, she fell to the floor and was unable to arise.  She realized,
however, the danger of the child and called to her to run to the home of
Mrs. Charles Seeber, a neighbor, for assistance.  It was then that the
heroism, the unselfish and generous nature of the child was shown.  After
an unsuccessful attempt to assist her grandmother to her feet, she ran to
the home of Mrs. Seeber calling for assistance.  Frank Cain ran to her
assistance and as he attempted to extinguish the flames that had been
fanned by the wind until they enveloped her entire body, she cried to him
not to touch her, but to go to the assistance of her grandmother.  The
flames were finally extinguished, but not until her body and face were
burned almost to a crisp.
The funeral services were held Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock at the
Baptist church, Rev. W. L. Anderson, pastor of the Methodist church,
officiating, assisted by Rev. J. E. Gwatkin and Rev. Thurston B. Price,
and the remains were laid at rest in the Doxey cemetery.
The pall bearers were:  Ora Hill, Virgie Anderson, Lea Hill, Pearl Poarch,
Bonnie Lesher, Francis Harris.
Among the relatives who came in response to messages sent out from here
immediately following the sad accident, were:  Alt Harrison, Guymon,
Okla.; Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Hendrix, of Tulia, Tex.; Mrs. Mattie Sams, of
Canyon City, Tex.; Mrs. Lou Bennett of Erick, and F. M. Hendrix,
grandfather of the deceased, who was visiting at Canyon City, Tex.

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