Obituary

A sad accident occurred on Thursday last [April 8, 1880], a short distance west of town. A little boy 12 years old, named Frank Jones, was run over and killed by a freight train.

The little fellow in the absence of his father, had been sitting up a greater portion of the night, with his sick mother, and while herding cattle the next day, grew sleepy and thoughtlessly sat down on the track, and fell asleep.

When seen by the engineer, he was lying inside of the rail, and appeared to him to be an old coat, nor until the engine was within ten feet of the boy did he discover the truth. No blame can be attached to the engineer, for there were section hands at work a short distance beyond, and he supposed the object was one of their coats, until it was too late to stop the train and save the boy. The engine and two cars passed over him before the train could be stopped. The body was terribly crushed and mangled.

(The Burrton Telephone, Saturday, April 10, 1880. Page 3).