1925 obit-Frank Lee- Brattleboro, Windham Co., VT Date: 4/27/98 9:37:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time tess@sover.net (Terry Perham) from the Brattleboro Reformer Brattleboro, Windham County, VT 1925 BURNS RESULT IN DEATH OF SMOKER Clothing of Frank Lee, Sr., Ignited as He Falls Asleep ROLLS IN WATER OF WHETSTONE BROOK Taken to Memorial Hospital and Condition Thought to Be Favorable Until Heart Attack Develops--Holden & Martin Mill Foreman Frank Lee, sr, 46, of 88 Brirge street, mill foreman at the Holden & Martin Lumber Co's plant, died at Memorial hospital shortly after 11 this morning from a heart attack, brought on by burns sustained last evening. He fell asleep in a chair in the cellar and a lighted pipe dropped from his mouth and ignited his clothing. Before the flames were extinguished his chest, abdomen, neck and both hands were badly burned. Dr. Chester S. Leach was notified and he had the patient taken to the hospital. His condition was favorable this morning up to the hour when he suffered a heart attack. When Mr. Lee was awakened by his flaming clothes he attempted to beat out the flames with his hands, but his efforts were unavailing because of the pitch stains on the overalls he wore. He then had the presence of mind to rush from the cellar to Whetstone brook, which flows at the rear of his house, and by rolling in the water he succeeded in extinguishing the flames. He returned to the house, and despite the painful burns on his hands succeeded in telephoning Mrs. Lee, who was at the Princess theatre. When she arrived home she called Dr. Leach. Mrs. Lee, who is the father of four children, was the only one in the house at the time of the accident, with the exception of the baby, who was asleep upstairs. He is accustomed to smoking in a favorite chair in the cellar, and he repaired there last evening after the other members of his family went out for the evening. He soon was overcome by drowsiness, his pipe slipped into his lap and presently his clothing was ablaze. His overalls and an outing shirt were burned completely off. Fortunately he succeeded in keeping his face away from the flames. The fire lighted some wood in the cellar and the house soon became filled with smoke. The wood fire burned itself out. Mr. Lee was born in Marlow, N.H., March 14, 1880. In the early part of his life he worked on various farms and later worked at logging operations, coming to Brattleboro in 1903. In that year he became employed by the Holden & Martin Lumber Co. On Nov. 28, 1905, he married Miss Hattie Irene Howe of Jamaica, the ceremony being performed in that town. He was a member of Quonekticut tribe of Red Men and the Modern Woodmen of America. He was a member of the Centre Congregational parish. Besided his wife, he leaves one son, Frank, jr. and three daughters, Mrs. Edith Davies and Josephine and Helen Lee, all at home. He also leaves three brothers by adoption, Charles and Herbert Steele, both of Pawtucket, R.I., and Henry Steele of North Attleboro, Mass. He also leaves one grandson Charles Davies, jr. of Brattleboro. The funeral arrangements have not been made. ************************************************************************ Terry Perham Hinsdale, NH tess@sover.net (c)1998, Terry Perham Courtesy of Terry Perham Hinsdale, NH tess@sover.net ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.