Obit of Ratliff, W. H. and Son (r341) - Pittsburg County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Genea Bohanan 17 Jul 2002 Return to Pittsburg County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/pittsburg/pittsburg.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== The Hartshorne Sun, Thursday, January 30, 1908 “RATLIFF” It becomes the painful duty of the Sun this week to chronicle the most horrible catastrophe that has yet marked the pages of Hartshorne’s history-that of the destruction of the home of our honored citizens. W. H. Ratliff and the cremation of himself and his little four-year-old child, whom he was attempting to save from a horrible death. It will never be known how it occurred, but the charred remains of father and son are mute testimony of deaths unspeakable and full of horror. The alarm of fire was sounded at about 10:15, and by the time help reached the scene, the building was enveloped in flames and beyond human effort with the facilities at hand to render aid to the perishing ones. The fire started in the kitchen, and as soon as discovered, Mr. Ratliff awoke the four children who were sleeping in the adjoining room to his own, and told the eldest, a girl of 10 years, to get the children out, when he then directed his attention to the fire, in the hope of extingushing it. It is evident that he fought the fire until exhaustion from suffication drove him from the building. Reaching the outside, he learned from the children that the little boy who was sleeping with him was still in the house. He again entered the stifling smoke and flame in a desperate effort to rescue the little one, when he lost his way or was overcome from suffocation, and they both perished. Mrs. Ratliff was not at home at the time, she and the baby and eldest child being at the home of T. J. Ratliff, a brother of deceased, where she had gone to sit up with a sick child. All was lost including clothing, household effects and $196 in money, the four children escaping in their night clothes. There was no insurance on the property nor did the deceased himself carry any insurance on his life. A large crowd had gathered but was as helpless as a newborn babe to render assistance, yet knew that human lives were being consumed by the ruthless flames. The charred and irrecognizable remains were taken in charge by Craig, the undertaker, and prepared for burial. The father and child are survived by a widow and six children. W. H. Ratliff was a member of the order of Knights of Pythias Old Fellows and United Mine Worker’s Union, the remains being laid to rest in Hartshorne Cemetery Thursday afternoon with the honors of the orders. The sympathy of the community goes out to the bereaved family in a substantial way.