BOWSHER, Lemuel - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

The writer attended the funeral at Sylvania, last Sunday of Lemuel Bowsher, who was killed at Hagerstown, Ill, a small station on the Vandalia Railroad. It appears that a week ago Saturday night, without the knowledge of his parents, he left home in company with a cousin from Terre Haute who was visiting in the neighborhood, intending to go to some part of the West. On Tuesday night they were found dead on the railroad track, having been passed over by a freight train. The real cause of their death is a matter of conjecture, as the evidence is not sufficient to establish any of the theories which have been advances. Lemuel was the oldest son of Sylvester Bowsher, a farmer living about a mile south of Kingman, Fountain County and was only about 16 years old. As soon as the news of his death reached his parents, they went immediately and brought his body home. On account of the sad circumstance of his death and the great sympathy felt for his parents in their affliction an unusually large concourse of people attended the funeral Sunday morning - thought by some to be the largest funeral ever held in that part of the country: 700 people would be a lot estimate. The funeral sermon, which was preached by Rev. E.C. Siler, was very impressive and received the closest attention of the vast audience. He made the occasion a warning to young men, and emphasized the necessity of obedience to parents and of always being prepared for death, which is liable to come at any time, for "there is a Divinity .... rough hew them as we will." It is a general expression that Lemuel was in the main an obedient son, but was led astray in this instance by his associates, and his tragic death has made a profound impression upon the whole community.