Happy Father's Day

 Remembering my Dad on Father's Day. 

Feriby (Ferbia) Files Skelton Frazier Obit

27 July 1916

Carmi Tribune Times 

The friends of Mrs. Ferbia Skelton Frazier were grieved to hear of her death, which occurred at Anna, Ill Monday at the sanitarium, where she had been for a short time. She had been in poor health for some time and her condition affected her mind and she grew worse as her disease developed.  Mrs. Frazier was born and raised in this vicinity was a  daughter of James Files, an old citizen who has been gone some years ago. She was married to Charles Skelton of which marriage three children were born, Chloe of Graysville, Eunice of East St. Louis and one son, Archie.  Later she was married to George Frazier.  Three children of this union were left to mourn her death. She leaves four sisters, Mrs Sarah Dunn, Mrs Jane Roy, Mrs Nancy Morse and Mrs Sadie Ray.  Funeral was held Wednesday at the G B Church Antioch at 2 p.m. by Rev. Brown of Mill Shoals.  Deceased was a member of the M.E. church at Mt. Vernon, Ill where she formerly resided.

Update on previous post

 Today was a great genealogy day. 

 Remember that I said there was no record of Feriby Files first husband,  Charles Skelton's burial?  It turns out that I was WRONG. 

I had Michelle Odum, who found me on Find-a-grave, email me. She turned out to be a trustee for three cemeteries that we have family in.  I asked her if she had records of Charles Skelton's burial.  She said yes,  he has a gravestone and his youngest daughter has one as well.  Sylvia Jane Skelton died under a year old. She went there and sent pictures.  I can't tell you how happy I was.

Feriby Files

 My previous blog was about the tragic death of Gladys Frazier, daughter of Feriby Files.   Feriby Files was the daughter of James Files and Eliza Jane Fraser-Files.  She married Charles Marion Skelton, they had 3 daughters,  Chloe, Eunice and Sylvia, one son, Archie.   Eunice was my great-grandmother, Sylvia died young.

After Charles death, Feriby married George Frazier.  They had 3 children, sons Cecil and Ordie and their daughter Gladys.   

Feriby died in the State Sanitarium in 1916. We do not know the details.  Her death certificate said mentally insane according to the court records of Jefferson County, Illinois.  I have tried to find the records from both Jefferson County and the Sanitarium, with no success.  With today's medical knowledge, could it have been hormonal with menopause?  Could it have been dementia or alzheimers? We will probably never know.

George Frazier died in 1916 as well.  That left Cecil, Ordie and Gladys as orphans.  We know that Gladys lived with George's sister, Inez.  I don't know where Cecil and Ordie lived.  They were about 12 and 11 years old.  Possibly with their older half-siblings?  Hopefully, I will have an update on them.

Interesting, George and Gladys are buried in Liberty Cemetery in Burnt Prairie, IL.  Feriby is buried in West Antioch Cemetery in Mill Shoals, IL.  According to a Files Family book, Feriby's first husband, Charles Skelton is also buried there.  There is no stone and I have found no cemetery records to confirm this.

Here is a photo of Lucinda (Syendy) Files-Simpson, Ellen Files-Ray, this may be Eliza Jane Files-Roy, I am unfamiliar with Merty Epearson, she may be family or a friend, and Feriby Files-Skelton.

 

 

 

 

A Sad Story

This is a transcription from a newspaper.  The article has an error, it states that Gladys was survived by 2 stepsisters and a stepbrother.  These were actual half-siblings of Gladys.  One of the sisters was my great-grandmother, Eunice Skelton-Morlan.

September 4, 1919   Carmi, Illiniois-White County Democrat

Gladys Frasier Killed.  Wanda Gooch Badly Hurt and Edna Gooch Injured While Walking on Track.

An appalling accident occurred in the railroad yards of Carmi Friday afternoon where the Duds, L & N accommodation bound for Evansville struck the three girls.  The accident occurred at the Fourth street crossing, near the Pollack lumber yard.

Edna Gooch, age 14, her sister, Wanda Gooch, age 11, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gooch, and Gladys Frasier, at nine (actually 11), had walked up the railroad to the Campbell Mill to make a purchase and were returning home when the accident occurred.  The testimony of Omer Ward, a local railroad man, eyewitness of the accident before the Coroner's Jury was that he was walking east along the L & N right of way between Fourth and Fifth streets just east of the Fifth street crossing and on the north side of the track.  He did not hear the Duds whistle for the Fifth street crossing and when he saw the girls they were fully a hundred yards in front of the engine.  At that time a south bound Big Four freight train was passing them and their attention was evidently drawn towards it.  The eldest Gooch girl was just outside the north rail, the other two girls being in the center of the track.  Owing to the noise made by the Big Four freight, they were unaware of the approach of the Duds, which failed to whistle.  He said that the left hand of the cylinder of the engine struck the right shoulder of Edna Gooch and that the pilot struck the other two girls, all being thrown to the north side of the track.  He immediately ran to the area of the accident and picked up the Frasier girl, who was unconscious and bleeding profusely.

The testimony of Priace Tuggle, another eyewitness corroborated with that of Ward.  Both stated that there was no obstruction whatever to prevent the engineer seeing the girls in time to sound a warning, but that he was evidently watching the signal block in front of the station and did not notice them on the track.  The fireman was not on his side of the cab or probably would have seen the girls in time to notify the engineer.  The train crew did not learn of the accident until sometime afterwards.  The engineer has had charge of a train for the past sixteen years without a black mark against him.

The injured children were picked up and brought in an auto truck to the office of Dr. J T Legier.  The injuries of Gladys Frasier were found to be the most serious. She never regained consciousness and died before medical attention could be given her.  She was terribly crushed about her head and body.  Her skull was fractured, face mutilated, one leg broke in several places and her collarbone broken.  Wanda Gooch was badly cut and bruised about the head, her body terribly bruised and her right foot crushed.  For a time it was feared that she was internally injured and her life was despaired of, but at last report she had passed the crisis and unless unforeseen complications set in, she will recover.  Edna Gooch had her right arm badly strained at the elbow but was not seriously hurt.

Gladys Frasier was the eleven year old daughter of George and Feriby Frasier. Since the death of her parents four years ago, she had made her home with her aunt, Mrs. John (Inez) King in this city, except a year and a half spent in a hospital in St. Louis, where she was treated for ruberralar? bone trouble?  She was a pleasant, loveable child and her untimely demise caused extreme sorrow to all.  She is survived by two brothers, two step-sisters, and one step brother.  Funeral services were held at the King home Saturday afternoon at two o'clock, after which the body was taken to Burnt Prairie for internment.

The verdict of the Coroner's Jury at the inquest held Friday afternoon on the death of Gladys Frasier was in accordance with the evidence of the principal witnesses above quoted.

 

 

 

(Fairview p6c 1,2) Page 467 White County Democrat, Sep 4 1919

    Gladys Frazier, killed in railroad yard accident in Carmi Friday afternoon by L & N train.  Daughter of George and Freby Frashier.  Burial:

Burnt Prairie Cemetery.  (p1c2) [09/4 Carmi Tribune Times.] Age 11y 6m 20d.

5 Generations

 While it is unusual for families to have 5 generations living at the same time, we have been fortunate to have several of these events.

Memories of our Ancestors

 I have been into genealogy for many years now.  The bug started in my junior year of high school when my history teacher assigned us to do our family tree.  Fortunately, I had some relatives who were into family history. I have been researching ever since.

This blog will highlight some of my ancestors, some not too far back, others quite a few generations ago. I hope that someday my children and grandchildren will take up the torch of remembering those who came before us.

How appropriate, today is my grandma's birthday.  She would be 102 if she were still living.