Greer County, OK - Deaths: Violet and Zelda Griggs and Loucile Overall, 1918
21 Feb 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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GRIGGS, VIOLET
GRIGGS, ZELDA
OVERALL, LOUCILE
(2 Aug 1918, The Carter Express, Carter, Beckham Co, OK):
Mr. and Mrs. B. D. Griggs of Carter were severely shocked on Thursday
afternoon of last week when they received a phone message that two of
their granddaughters, Misses Violet and Zelda Griggs, aged 18 and 12, had
drowned at Mangum that evening, together with a girl chum of theirs named
Loucile Overall, age 18.  The Griggs are daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Jess
Griggs of Mangum, Mr. Jess Griggs being the son of Mr. B. D. Griggs here. 
The Overall girl that was drowned with the Griggs girls was a neighbor to
them and resided in Mangum.
The girls were bathing in a lake out north of Mangum near Elm river, they
in company with others being out there spending the day picnicing (sic). 
The girls had been in the water several times during the day and the last
time they went in where the water was deeper, and the Overall girl stepped
off into a deep hole it is said and strangled, and the two Griggs girls
went to her aid the result being all three went down together.  The
Overall girl's mother was present and went in to her aid and it is said
would have drowned herself had not Mr. Griggs arrived from the river where
he was fishing in time to pull her out.  The girls had all gone down when
Mr. Griggs rescued the older woman.  And by this time he was exhausted
himself and had to get help so it was some time before the girls' bodies
were found and gotten out.  Efforts were made to revive them but all to no
avail.
The shock was a terrible blow to the parents of the girls.  Mr. and Mrs.
Griggs lost a young son in a automobile accident only a few months ago and
now comes the tragic death of two daughters.  The shock is very hard on
them indeed.

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