Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Armstrong, John D & Walter D August 8, 1904 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Donna Bluemink http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008395 May 18, 2016, 3:00 pm Virginian-Pilot, August 9, 1904 TRIO DROWNED IN LITTLE BAY The drowning of Mr. John D. Armstrong, the well known oyster packer, and his married son, Walter D. Armstrong, 21 years of age, and Mr. Clay D. Pulliam, an aged gentleman, employed in the Armstrong packing house, in Little Bay, near Willoughby Beach, at 9:30 o'clock yesterday morning, was received in Norfolk with expressions of deep sorrow by the entire community. The heart-rending accident occurred (line of type indecipherable) at Little Bay, while the three who lost their lives and a colored man named John Gale were out in a sailboat engaged in planting seed oysters. The body of Mr. J. D. Armstrong was recovered and brought ashore at 10:30 o'clock, one hour after the drowning, and the body of his son, Walter, was brought ashore at 2:40 p.m., and an hour later the remains of the third party drowned were recovered. The boom of the vessel jibed in a slight gust of wind while Mr. Armstrong was leaning over the side of the boat, and being struck by the boom, he was knocked overboard. Pulliam jumped in to rescue Mr. Armstrong and the two had nearly reached the boat when Pulliam was seized with cramps and called for help. It was then that young Armstrong plunged into the water and endeavored to save his father and companion. In the struggle to save life that followed, all three went down together and found a watery grave. The first informant of the dreadful (two or three lines indecipherable) came ashore and reported at the Armstrong cottage that Mr. J. D. Armstrong had been drowned. Such was the frightened condition of the negro that he said nothing about the fate of the other two men, and some time had elapsed before the negro made it known to the Armstrong family that young Armstrong and Pulliam had met with the same sad end. Mrs. Walter D. Armstrong reported at once the drowning of her father-in-law at the cottage of Mr. James A. Ridgewell, nearby. Silas Christian and Niemeyer Washington, colored employees of Mr. Ridgewell, went out in a boat to the scene and with the use of oyster tongs recovered the body of Mr. Armstrong at the hour stated above. They brought it to shore and returned and worked until 2:40 p.m. before the body of the deceased oyster packer's son was brought to the surface. They then continued to drag for Mr. Pulliam's remains, recovering them at 3:45 p.m., who was overseer of Mr. Armstrong's farm at Little Bay. The first physician to reach the scene after the recovery of Mr. Armstrong's body was Dr. Spillman, of Ocean View. Soon after Drs. Sturgess and Allard arrived. The three physicians used all human skill to resuscitate the body, working continuously for three hours to bring back life, but with no avail. Those who were at the scene at the time state that Mr. Armstrong was past restoring to life when his body came from the bay. The entire Armstrong family were at the bay cottage yesterday morning with the exception of the deceased's youngest son, J. D. Armstrong, Jr., who was in Atlantic City when the awful calamity occurred. As soon as the sad news reached him, he hastened to the scene. Mr. J. D. Armstrong was about 45 years of age and had lived in what is known as the Sixth ward for nearly thirty years, and at the time of his untimely death was chairman of the Sixth ward improvement board. He was one of the most prominent and popular citizens in that part of the city. He was a man of pleasant and genial manners and fine social qualities that made him friends with all with whom he was thrown in contact. Mr. Armstrong was a native of Baltimore, but came to Norfolk when a mere youth. For a number of years prior to his embarking in the oyster business he was keeper of the Atlantic City bridge when that section was connected with Norfolk County. His son, Mr. Walter D. Armstrong, was married on the 23rd of last September to Miss Elnora Watson, who is just the age of her deceased husband, 21 years. Young Armstrong was general manager of his father's oyster packing establishment in Berkley. Mr. Armstrong is survived by a widow, who was Miss Thornton, and seven children, four daughters and three sons. Mr. Armstrong was a member of the Board of Trade and Business Men's association, the Red Men, Odd Fellows and Masons, Elks, Royal Arcanum and Modern Puritans. The Norfolk County coroner held an inquest over the remains of the three at the cottage of Mr. J. D. Armstrong yesterday afternoon and rendered a verdict of death by accidental drowning. The remains of Mr. Armstrong, his son and Mr. Pulliam were taken charge of by the funeral director, H. C. Smith, and were removed to his undertaking establishment on Bank Street, where they were prepared for burial. The funeral of Mr. Armstrong, his son Walter and Mr. Pulliam, his overseer, will be solemnized from LeKies Memorial Methodist Church at 5 o'clock this afternoon and will be attended by Elizabeth Lodge, No. 34, A. F. and A. Mason, Massasoit tribe, No. 77, Improved Order of Red Men, and Atlantic Lodge, No. 51, I. O. O. F., of which organizations Mr. Armstrong was a member. The service will be conducted by the pastor of the church, Rev. George W. Wray. Additional Comments: Armstrong: Burials in Cedar Grove Cemetery Pulliam: Burial in Elmwood Cemetery File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/norfolkcity/obits/a/armstron11585gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/vafiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb