Beckham County, OK - Deaths: John Paul Russell, 1920
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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RUSSELL, JOHN PAUL
(1 Apr 1920, Thursday, Sayre Democrat, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
One of the saddest incidents that has ever happened in this county was the
burning to death Tuesday of John Paul Russell, two year old son of Mr. and
Mrs. S. A. Russell of near Sayre.
Little John Paul, together with two of the older children was playing on a
straw stack near the house when the stack caught fire.  The flames rapidly
spread and Paul fell between two of the stacks.  The other children rushed
to the house and informed the mother but she was unable to get to the
scene of the tragedy in time to save the child.
The remains were brought to Sayre for preparation for burial in the
Sayre-Doxey cemetery.
The bereaved ones have the sympathy of the entire city in their loss.
(1 Apr 1920, Sayre Headlight, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
One of the most horrible accidents which we have been called upon to
record in years took place about noon Tuesday at the farm home of Mr. and
Mrs. Arthur Russell, four miles northeast of this city.
It seems that the little children of Mr. and Mrs. Russell were playing
around a straw stack, and one of them had a match with a piece of string
tied around it.  In hauling the match around it was lighted, and caught in
the straw.  A stiff breeze was blowing at the time and the stack was soon
in flames.
Little John, two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell was on top of the
stack, and was almost instantly completely surrounded by the flames.  The
children's screams attracted the attention of Mrs. Russell, Mr. Russell
being in Sayre at the time, while neighbors quickly responded, but their
efforts were unavailing and the little boy perished in the flames.
A telephone message called help from the city, and the body was soon
recovered from the flames, while neighbors and friends did everything
possible to lighten the grief of the parents.
Funeral services were held yesterday forenoon from the family residence,
with interment in the Sayre-Doxey cemetery.

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