LAGRANGE, INDIANA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1913 ALEXANDER CARNAHAN KILLED BY AUTOMOBILE

[Alexander was Nancy (Carnahan) Boyd's younger brother]

Original spelling

Clay Township Pioneer Meets Death This -Friday- Afternoon, Near Howe- Was Driving A New Ford Car, His Own, Home From Sturgis-Machine Ran Into Ditch Alexander Carnahan of Clay township was accidently killed this Friday afternoon, on the Vistula road, west of Howe, not far from where the Foremans live. Mr. Carnahan was driving home from Sturgis in a new Ford automobile, accompanied by a young man named Long. In turning the corner on the west Sturgis road, going west on the Vistual road,and running about thirty miles an hour, according to the Long boy, Mr. Carnahan lost control of his machine and the automobile slid into the ditch made by a fill-in. Dr. Stewart H. Shrock, deputy coroner, who held an inquest shortly after the accident occured, is of opinion that the death of Mr. Carnahan was caused by shock. No bruise or contusion could be found upon the body, nor was the body crushed or any bone broken.

Mr. Long, who was in the car with Mr. Carnahan, was not injured, being thrown clear of the machine. He righted the automobile and called to Mr. Carnahan to "get up". No response coming, he examined the body and found that the aged man was dead.

Mr. Carnahan was born in Ohio, seventy-three years ago, the son of Samuel and Mary Carnahan. He came with his parents to LaGrange county and Bethel street in Clay township at three or four years of age, his home thereafter.

Mr. Carnahan leaves a widow, two daughters, Mrs. David M. Ream of Sturgis and Mrs. Julian Doriot of Kansas City, Missouri, a son, Albert, living in Clay township, a brother, Samuel Carnahan, of Sherman, Michigan, and two sisters, Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Naomi Taylor of Clay township.

Alexander Carnahan was one of the strong and sturdy men of the county, of rugged honesty, bluff in his manner, but considerate and tender at heart. His accidental death has come as a saddening shock, more especially to his old friends and neighbors of seventy years in Clay township, and the sympathy of all our people is with the aged widow and the other members of the stricken family.

LAGRANGE STANDARD, DECEMBER 4, 1913
HIS LAST DAY
Alexander Carnahan Was Driving the Frank W. Wait Car With reference to the death of Alexander Carnahan, which occured last Friday afternoon, near Ilowe, the result of an automobile accident, the Sturgis Journal of last week said:

"In company with his wife, Mr. Carnahan came to this city to spend Thanksgiving with his daughter, Mrs. David M. Ream, at 204 North Jefferson street, as had been the custom for a number of years.

"During his visit Mr. Carnahan expressed the wish to his son-in-law that he would like to have him purchase a good driving horse, which Mr. Ream agreed to do. After circulating around town for a few hours, he entered the Parker & Kenyon livery stable, where Mr. Ream is foreman, and imparted the information that he was considering the purchase of an automobile. Nothing more was said until he requested Mr. Ream to go to the Ford garage on North Nottawa street and look at the Frank W. Wait car, which Mr. Wright was trying to dispose of. Mr. Ream pronounced the car in good condition, and the deal was made a little later.

"In the meantime, Mrs. Carnahan becoming worried about the son they had left at home, decided to take the one o'clock train for home, leaving her husband to follow, as she supposed, on the later train. "At the dinner table Mr. Carnahan told his daughter that he had purchased the car, and that he intended to drive home in it, telling Mr. Ream that a Mr. Long was going along to drive the car. Mr. Ream supposed at the time that it was Long of the firm of Curtis & Long. Instead it was Ray Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. W D. Long, who was to accompany him. Had Mr. Ream known the true state of affairs he would have gone along, being an experienced and licensed chauffer himself.

Contrary to the statement appearing in several papers, Mr. Carnahan died from shock, and not from an injury, according to Dr. Stewart H. Schrock, deputy coroner, who held the inquest and examined the body. No bones were broken and there was no abrasion of the skin.

LAGRANGE STANDARD, DECEMBER 4, 1913

IN MEMORIAM

Be ye also ready, for in an hour that ye know not the Son of Man cometh.

Death rides aloft on every breeze and lurks in every flower. It comes with the lightning flash, from the blast of a tornado, and on sea and land we see its relentless hand. The rich, the poor, the old, the young must pass under its rod.

To our brother the blow was quick and relentless and his spirit was wafted away in a moment to that land whence no traveler ever returns.

Alexander, son of Samuel and Mary Carnahan, was born in Marion county, Ohio, March 2, 1841, and departed this life November 28, 1913, aged seventy-two years, eight months and twenty-six days. He came with his parents to Clay when two years of age and the father settled on land in Section 11 and from the dense forest burned coal, lumbered, split rails and plowed among stumps until a good farm and comfortable home was obtained.

Those pioneer days were trying and the hardships many. It was a common thing to see the boys out at four o'clock with their ox teams, drawing logs to the mill until school hours, and this in zero weather. Alexander, Hiram and Samuel lived to see a good farm and plenty for their parents in their declining years as a reward for their toil.

The deceased was united in marriage to Sarah Fought, October 12, 1866, and five children blessed this home. Two died in youth, while Mrs. Lorana Ream of Sturgis, Albert of Clay and Mrs. Nellie Doriot of Kansas City, Missouri, with their mother, are left to mourn the loss of a kind husband and father. He was one of a family of nine children. Six have passed the river of life, Mrs. Robert Allen and Mrs. Oregon Taylor of Clay township survive him.

The deceased was a hard working industrious man and by industry and economy has left a good farm and comfortable home for his family.

In early life he was converted and he united with the United Brethren church at the Saylor schoolhouse on Bethel street. The class became disorganized and the members drifted away and he never united with any other faith, was a firm believer of the bible and believed a rest remains on the other shore for the children of God.

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