Dickerson - Otto
Source: Lebanon Pioneer, Thursday, September 2, 1897
On Tuesday afternoon of last week Otto Dickerson, the nineteen year old son of W.H. Dickerson, one and one half miles southeast of Mechanicsburg, left home on a hunting expedition. He had been working for his father, but when the rain came up after dinner he went to the house, and without his parents knowledge took his shotgun and left for the woods. Between two and three o'clock he stopped at Charles Moore's, asking one of Mr. Moore's boys to accompany him to the 'Burg to get the mail. The Moore boy did not go, and Dickerson left, although the storm was approaching. He had once or twice before gone away from home, staying a day or two, and his failure to return Tuesday night did not alarm the family. Some inquiry was made for him on Wednesday, and on Thursday his continued absence threw the neighborhood into a state of excitement, and a company of neighbors and friends joined the parents in a search for the missing boy, and kept it up until darkness prevented. At the Red Men's ice cream supper at Mechanicsburg, Thursday night, the disappearance of Dickerson was the principal topic of conversation. A large posse of men was organized to search for him, and two hundred people were on the place next morning. About eight o'clock they found the body on the Joe Witmer farm, lying face downward, with the gun, which was loaded, in his arms. A bolt of lightning had struck him directly on the crown of the head, and going downward, tore open his vest and shirt in the back and tore off the heels of his shoes. The cartridges in his pocket and in the gun were not discharged. A watch in his pocket had stopped at one o'clock, (probably Tuesday night). The remains were in a horrible condition, the face being swelled to twice the natural size and the body being badly decomposed. It was thought at first that the funeral could not be held at the house, but the body was prepared for burial by George Comley, of this city, and the funeral services were conducted by Rev. Kemp, of Kirklin circuit, Friday afternoon. The burial was at the Rodefer's cemetery, by Hauser & Hogshire. The parents and sister, Mrs. Orlie Stephenson are very much distressed by the untimely death and the circumstances attending it. In their bereavement they have the sympathy of all their neighbors and acquaintances. -- thanks to Kim H