Bryan Co., OK; Obituary: Mrs. C. W. Conley, Winnifred and Hazel Conley - Keirsey

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Donated by Okbits
Charles Connelly 
cconnelly@ems.att.com 
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January 9, 1922 

Fire From Gasoline Explosion takes lives of Mother 
and Two Daughters at Keirsey

Fire, that awful agency of destruction, brought sadness 
and grief to the little town of Keirsey, five miles west 
of here and robbed the family of C.W. CONLEY of three of 
its loved ones yesterday morning.

While two older sisters were at Sunday School yesterday morning 
and the father attending to his duties at the little railroad 
station, the lives of Winnifred, aged five, Hazel aged seven and 
Mrs. CONLEY were blotted out by a fire which destroyed their home. 
The charred little body of Winnifred was found in the dying embers 
of the fire, which destroyed the home. Hazel, her body a human torch, 
escaped (continued on page 3) of flames, and in one of the rooms was 
Winnifred, trapped before the eyes of the frantic but helpless 
neighbors. When found her body was dismembered, her head in a wash 
pan, where it is believed she sought what little relief from the 
heat, the water in it afforded. Hazel, her mind as far from death, 
her body so near, asked and answered questions while she passed quietly 
away as in sleep. Her mind abnormally clear, she asked, "Is sister 
burned as badly as I?" and "How is mother?" She knew and recognized 
her playmates by their voices. She knew Dr. J. A. HAYNIE, the family 
Physician, when he came in to dress her burns and told him of how the 
fire started. Mrs. CONLEY was conscious only at times, and she too, 
passed away without pain, the physician who attended her, said. Mr. 
CONLEY, who is a merchant, postmaster and depot agent at Keirsey, was 
frantic with grief, and but for the friends, would have rushed into the 
fire to certain death with his little girl. 

Friends from the entire community and surrounding towns rushed to the 
aid of the stricken family. All that loving hands and hearts could do was 
administered to those in pain and sorrow and in the sorely stricken father 
and sisters, Beulah, aged 14, and Rosa, aged 11, who were at Sunday school. 
Mr. and Mrs. CONLEY and their daughters were known as among the finest
people of Bryan county. They numbered their friends by those who knew them 
and the loss of their loved ones was a sad blow in hundreds. 

The sympathies of many hearts go out to the bereaved ones. The funeral was 
to have been held at Highland Cemetery this afternoon at 3 o'clock. 

January 13, 1922 

page 1 CONLEY
Gasoline Explosion Kills Three Persons While the elder 
children were at Sunday School and the father at his store 
last Sunday morning at Kersey, four miles west of Durant, 
two small children and their mother were so badly burned 
that they died in a short time. The mother, Mrs. C.W. CONLEY, 
started to light a fire in the cook stove, throwing on 
gasoline thinking it was coal oil. The flames quickly spread 
to her clothing and that of her two children. Hazel, aged 9, 
was conscious for a time, and told how the fire happened; 
then quietly passed into the beyond. Winnifred, aged 7, never 
got out of the house, while the mother and eldest sister did. 
Her dismembered and burned body was found in the debris. The 
mother lived only a short time. The father is postmaster and 
railway agent, and two sisters survive age 11 and 14. Kind 
neighbors quickly gathered and administered to the sufferers 
and to the survivors, doing all that human hands could do to 
relieve the pain and distress so quickly thrust upon this 
excellent family. 

Submitted by Charles Connelly - cconnelly@ems.att.com