OBIT: Ira BIGLEY, 1899, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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IRA BIGLEY.

  Ira Bigley, aged 3 years and 4 months, died at 3.20 p.m. yesterday, 
at the home of his foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Bigley, of 105 
East Second avenue.  On Saturday he came down stairs at 6.50 a.m.  The 
rest of the family were in the kitchen or dining room at the time, and 
the little fellow took a match from the dining room table and, going 
out on the porch, he struck a light and set fire to his clothing.  In a 
short time he began to scream.  Miss Margaret Bigley, who was in the 
dining room, ran to the child's assistance and found him enveloped in 
flames.  She enveloped him in the skirt of her dress and burned her 
hands severely in attempting to put out the fire.  --- had presence of 
mind enough --- that the folds of her dress were insufficient to 
smother the flames, and --- the boy on a piece of carpet that was on 
the porch, she wrapped him up in it.  This put out the fire, but before 
the child had called the blaze had gained such a start that he was 
badly burned before the arrival of Miss Bigley.  If he had only called 
out when his dress first caught she would no doubt have saved his life.
  The boy's night dress was almost burned off, only a part of the yoke 
remaining.  The right side of his body was burned over.  He was carried 
to the office of Dr. C. C. Dick, a short distance away, and everything 
possible was done for him.  It was not thought that he inhaled any of 
the flames, but as a result --- shock a congestion of the internal 
organs set in, causing his death yesterday afternoon.
  The unfortunate little fellow was an unusually bright boy for his 
age.  Yesterday morning he said to Mr. Bigley, "I am going to die, 
papa.  In a while I'll be an angel."  He was the son of James and Ellen 
Bigley, of Spruce Creek.  His mother died in 1898, and their son Ira 
was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. William Bigley.  The fellow was so 
precocious and alto-- --- in his conduct that all who came in contact 
with him were impressed by the fact he had knowledge beyond his years.  
His father was notified of the --- at Spruce Creek and arrived in --- 
last night.  He did not learn of the death of his son until he came to 
Altoona.
  The remains will be taken to Mount Union this afternoon and will be 
buried beside his mother in the Odd Fellows' cemetery.

Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Monday, August 14, 1899