Abney - John - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Funeral services Tues and Wed wll mark final honors for the four victims of Sat. night's traffic accident southwest of the city, believed to be the worst single accident in Montgomery County history. The four fatalities brought the county's total for 1958 to 16, also believed to be an all-time high. Sheriff Merle Remley said he knows of several crashes which have claimed as many as 3 lives but none as serious as that which occurred early Sat. eve. on Indiana 47 about 5 1/2 mi. SW of the city.

Dead are: Paul R. Baldwin, 51, 604 S. Washington St, operator of the Baldwin/Ferguson Service Station, 601 S. Washington. Nondis M. Baldwin, 50, his wife.

Mrs. Bessie Mae Swank, 64, 115 1/2 S. Washington St, John Abney, 37, 912 E. College St.

The sheriff's department said three appeared to have died almost instantly and that Baldwin lived only a few minutes after the crash. He died before an ambulance arrived. All had skull fractures, chest injuries and lacerations. The accident occurred as Mrs. Swank, accompanied by Abney and believed to be headed for Waveland was driving South and Baldwin was coming toward Crawfordsville. According to the sheriff's office Mrs. Swank had rounded the first curve of a long S-curve, driven along a straight stretch of several hundred yards and apparently kept going straight when she arrived at the other curve. Baldwin, rounding the gradual curve, lacked some 50 yards of being into the straight stretch of road. Skid marks from his car were measured at approx 46 feet. Deputy Sheriff Clarence Demoret said indicating he knew of the car entering his lane of traffic seconds before impact.

The cars crashed together in Baldwin's lane, hitting probably 6" in the right of center with the front of each vehicle. None of the occupants were thrown out. The autos were completely wrecked, their front ends telescoped to the back seats. The clock on the Baldwin car had stopped at 6:12. Demoret said there was no known witness to the accident. Two passerbys, both unidentified, nearly crashed into the wreckage and both called authorities. The first man drove on past the scene and called the sheriff's office from William Cuppy's service station and grocery store at Old Harmony, a short distance away. The second man stopped at the Donald Ball residence and called State Trooper Glenn Sillery at his home in New Market. The first man returned to the wreck site and helped direct traffic until officers arrived.

Paul R. Baldwin was b. near Shannondale Nov 17, 1907 a son of Thomas and Addie McCarthy Baldwin. He was married to Nondis Marie Ferguson at Russellville. He was a member of the E. Side Baptist Church here and was a painter and decorator for a number of years before engaging in the service station business. Survivors include a son, Paul, Jr. Crawfordsville; a daughter, Virginia Marie, at home; two grandchildren; a brother, William of New Richmond and two sisters, Mrs. Marshall Butcher and Mrs. OJ Wagner of Bloomington. His parents and two brothers preceded Mr. Baldwin in death.

Nondis Marie Baldwin was a daughter of of Guy and Kizzie Dage Ferguson and was b. March 9, 1903 at Newman, Ill. She married Mr. Baldwin Oct 12, 1929. She was a member of the E. Side Bapt. Church.Surviving besides the children and grandchildren are her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ferguson of Russellville and 3 brothers, Roy of Fowler, Lloyd of Russellville and Woodrow of Hillsboro.

Double services for the Baldwins are set for 1:30 p.m. Tues at the Noble Reeves Fun. Home in New Market.Rev. LeRoy Russell will officiate and interment will be in Masonic Cem. Crawfordsville. Friends may call at the funeral home.

Bessie Mae Swank was b. Aug 30, 1894 in Pulaski Co Ky a daughter of Richard and Maralda Bell Bastion Todd.  She had lived in Crawfordsville since the age of 7.  She married James Swank Dec 27, 1911 in Mont County.  Survivors are the husband; a son, William Lloyd Swank of Waveland; a daughter Mrs. Nina Vavas of Crawfordsville; two brothers, William and Walter Todd of Crawfordsville; a sister, Mrs. Joseph Smith of Crawfordsville; 7 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by 2 brothers. Funeral rites will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Bright Funeral Home with Gene Strouss, pastor of the Church of Christ offic and bur. in Masonic Cem. here. Friends may call at the funeral home after 4 p.m. Mon. John Francis Abney was b. in Crawfordsville Oct 12, 1921, son of Dewey & Goldie Dolph Abney. He was marr. to Edith Perkins Feb 29, 1939. He attended CHS and lived all of his life here. He was a member of the Milligan Mmeorial Presby. Church.  Mr. Abney was employed by the JC LaRue Co. here. Surviving besides the widow, are 5 sons, Carl Michael 17; Dewey Dewayne 15; Lee 13; Terry 11; and Garry 8; a daughter, Pamela 4 a brother, Lawrence of Crawfordsville; his father; his stepfather and mother Mr. and Mrs. Raymond L. Mast of Crawfordsville; two aunts, Mrs. Hazel Nichols of Lafayette and Mrs. Eunice Nichols of Crawfordsville and several cousins. Two brothers preceded him in death. Serices. will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Bright Funeral Home with Rev. J. Gordon Smith pastor of the Milligan Memorial Church officiated with burial in Jamestown Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. Monday.