Crawford Hotel - King passes - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Source: Obituary from a collection of Fauniel Hershbarger, a life-long Fountain County Indiana resident

A Crawfordsville Fire Department captain died while directing the fighting of a fire at the Crawford Hotel late Friday night, Firemen said the blaze was "arson caused." The dead firefighter was William Henry King, 46, of 1122 S. Mill St., a member of the fire department since Aug. 26, 1952. He collapsed on Green Street at the side of the hotel and was pronounced dead on arrival at Culver Hospital. Coroner Russell Powers said he would not know the exact cause of death until receiving a report on an autopsy conducted at the hospital. The blaze gutted Room 426 at the northwest corner of the hotel's fourth floor. Fire Inspector Frank Gardner said hotel officials reported the room was not rented. He declared the fire was " no accident" and "had been set right in the middle of the room, on the bed or under it." The Fire Department estimated $700 damage to the building and $300 damage to the contents of the room. The blaze was contained to the one room. Forty persons were registered at the hotel and they were evacuated along with New Year’s Eve celebrants in the Crawford Lounge on the hotel’s ground floor. Mrs. Mary Tague, the desk clerk on duty, said someone outside the hotel spotted the blaze and notified her. She in turn summoned the fire department. The alarm was turned in at 10:36 p.m. and firemen were at the scene until 12:45 a.m. While the Crawford fire was in progress a blaze broke out in some cardboard boxes and trash in the alley back of Dellekamp’s Department Store located diagonally across the street from the hotel. Firemen said it had been deliberately set and was quickly extinguished. The hotel is leased by Dan Hughes, William Rusk and Frank Switzer and managed by Richard Armstrong. King had been a fireman for 19 years and had held the rank of captain since May of 1970. He al so operated the WHK Motor Repair Service at his residence. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and served in the U. S. Army in World War II. He held membership in Masonic Lodge No. 50 and was assistant scoutmaster of Troop 361. He was born Jan. 23, 1925, in Montgomery County, and was married in 1952 to Joan Jenkins. Surviving, in addition to the widow, are his mother, Mrs. Ruth Monroe of Rt. 4 Crawfordsville; two sons, David W. and John A. both at home; three brothers, Richard King of Crawfordsville, Vern Monroe of Ladoga; three sisters, Mrs. Fred Zachary of Crawfordsville, Mrs. Don Weliver of Crawfordsville and Mrs. Jerry Townsley of Frank fort, and a grandfather, William Hinkle of St. Cloud, Fla. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Hunt & Son Funeral Home with Rev. Paul Jump and Rev. Samuel Dale Peck officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home. Masonic memorial services will be conducted at the funeral home at 7 o’clock to night. - jlr

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Source: Death Record Local Bk 52 p5

William Henry King born 1-23-1925 in Crawfordsville.  Died Culver Hospital (DOA) 12-31-1971.  City Fireman

Lived 1122 S. Mills St.

Father: Herbert King