KSGenWeb - The Primary Source for Kansas Genealogy

Chase County Kansas Obituaries


1863 - 2008



Curnutt, Elizabeth May

ELIZABETH MAY CURNUTT DIES FROM BURNS

A five-year old boy of this city played the act of a real hero last Saturday afternoon in a vain effort to save the life of his little three-year old sister. The boy is Junior Curnutt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Curnutt, who live in the southeast part of this city, bis sister, whose death occurred Sunday is Elizabeth May.

The children were playing with matches at the Curnutt home while their mother had stepped across the street to the home of a neighbor for a few moments. It is believed the dress of the little girl was ignited by a match. She was severely burned and died at the Newman Memorial hospital in Emporia early Sunday morning.

About six o'clock Saturday afternoon, Mrs. Curnutt left her home to borrow a cake pan from Mrs. Harry Loney, who live on the block east. She left the little boy and girl and the baby a little boy ten months old. While she was at the Loney home Junior and Elizabeth obtained some matches and were lighting them. Junior told his mother after the tragedy that they were playing with the fire. Mrs. Curnutt thinks the children lighted the matches by sticking them in the draft door of the heating stove.

The dress of the little girl was ignited and Junior told his mother that he took her dress off. She took all of her other clothing off and he put her in bed and covered her up with the covers. Then he ran to get his mother but met her coming from the Loney home. Mrs. Curnutt found the little girl in bed, screaming and crying in agony. Junior had even taken her shoes and stockings off before he put her in the bed. Her body was burned severely from her knees to her arms. One side of her face and head also was burned. The dress, which Junior had taken off, was almost consumed as was some of her underclothing.

The little ten-months-old baby who was playing on the floor was uninjured and Junior, who had so heroically tried to save his sister's life, was burned only slightly. Dr. A. E. Titus was called and after giving first aid treatment rushed the little girl to the Newman Memorial hosiptal in Emporia. She died about I:30 o'clock Sunday morning.

The remains were brought to this city any funeral services were held from the Methodist church at. 2:30 o'clock, Tuesday afternoon. Pallbearers were fpir girl friends; Juanita Hulett, Ruby Frisbie, Thelma Herr, and Velma Herr.

Interment was in the Prairie Grove cemetery, west of the city. Elizabeth May is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Art Curnutt, her brother, Junior, who is five, and their baby brother, Charles Davis, who in ten months of age. Her grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Davis Johnson, of Emporia, who formerly lived in this city.

Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Feb 17 1932.



Chase County Death Notices and Obituaries,
compiled and abstracted from the Chase County Courant and Chase County Leader Newspapers
by your Chase County Host, Lorna Marvin.
Please submit your obituaries and death notices.



Return to Chase County Obituary Index


Background and KSGenWeb logo were designed and are copyrighted by
Tom & Carolyn Ward
for the limited use of the KSGenWeb Project.
Permission is granted for use only on an official KSGenWeb page.
The USGenWeb Logo was designed by Linda Cole.

 
 
Check out these links!