SOWERS, Thomas
Source: Waveland Independent Aug 14, 1908
Thomas Sowers, aged 18, was killed last Tuesday near Hillsboro by a lightning flash from clear sky. He and another man were loading wheat on a wagon. The other man was knocked down and one of the horses killed.
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 8-6-1908
Thomas Sowers, 18-years old and well known about Hillsboro, a son of George Sowers, who lived for several years south of Wallace, was instantly killed Tuesday shortly before noon in a most unusual manner by a bolt of lightening from a cloudless sky. The natural phenomenon is regarded as a freak by those who heard the deafening crash and saw the victim struck dead in his tracks. There was no cloud in sight, nor was there a storm approaching. There was not an indication of a storm at that time or at any other in the day. The fatality is considered the most unusual which ever took place in that section and is so strange that the people speak of it with bated breath so dazed are they over the casualty. What is still more perplexing is the fact that the deadly bolt and reverberating peal of thunder were the only ones which occurred during the day. There was absolutely no indication of a rain or electrical storm during the remainder of the day. The incident is causing almost as much talk as the tragedy wherein Clara Shanks lost her life in the famous Wolf creek pool. Sowers and Thomas Cyte, a neighbor were hauling wheat to a threshing machine on the farm of Squire Cates, 3 miles north of Coal Creek when Sowers was killed. Cyte was pitching the sheaves of wheat up on the load while Sowers placed them in position. A number of other persons were at work in the field. There was a blinding flash and in the next instant an almost deafening peal of thunder. Cyte was knocked down and a few minutes later when he regained consciousness he found one of the horses lying dead. Sowers was nowhere to be seen and getting no response when he called his name, Cyte climbed upon the load of what and there, lying on the sheaves of wheat, he discovered the lifeless body of his neighbor and fellow workman. Sowers' body was removed to the Cates home after which Coroner Parnham was notified. The inquest was arranged for that evening.
Source: Kingman Star Friday, August 7 1908
THOMAS SOWERS, 18 years old, son of George Sowers, an old resident of the Coal Creek locality was instantly killed Tuesday at 11 o’clock by a bolt of lightning which descended from an almost clear sky. It is said that there was no storm nor any indication of any at the time, and the fatality is regarded as one of the strangest people of this part of the country have ever met with. Sowers and Thomas Cyte, a neighbor, were hauling wheat to a threshing machine on the farm of Squire Cates, three miles north of Coal Creek, when Sowers was killed. Cyte was pitching the sheaves of wheat up on the load while Sowers placed them in position. As the two men and a number of other persons were at work in the field, there was a blinding flash and the next instant an almost deafening peal of thunder. Cyte was knocked down and a few moments later when he regained consciousness he found one of the horses lying dead. Sowers was nowhere to be seen, and getting no response when he called his name, Cyte climbed upon the load of wheat, and there, lying on the sheaves, he discovered the lifeless body of his neighbor and fellow workman. Sowers’ body was removed to the Cates home, after which Coroner Parham was notified. It is said that the bolt of lightning struck Sowers right square in the top of the head, went through his body, down the left arm and descended from the tip of the fingers to the load of wheat. The palm on the left hand was torn and badly burned. The load of wheat and wagon were destroyed by fire, thus adding much more to the great loss. There was no rain or any indication of a storm anywhere in the Coal Creek neighborhood today, and the killing of young Sowers by lightning is a fatality so strange that the people are dazed over it. And what is still more strange is the fact that there was but one flash of lightning and one peal of thunder during the whole day—absolutely no indication of either a rain or an electric storm.