Dunbar - John M. "Babe"
J.M. DUNBAR
Source: Thorntown Times Friday, April 18, 1952
The funeral of John M. (Babe) Dunbar, 51, west of Thorntown was held in the Williams Funeral Home, Colfax last Saturday.
Burial was in Plainview Cemetery at Colfax. The Rev. R.T. Ludden, pastor of the Colfax Methodist Church was in charge of the rites.
Mr. Dunbar died early Thursday morning in the Witham Hospital, Lebanon, after wounding himself in the head with a rifle Wednesday evening.
Dr. Clancy Bassett, county corner, said Mr. Dunbar was found by a neighbor who heard the report of a gun. He had been in poor health several years since he was in an automobile accident that took his wife's life.
Born at Colfax, he was the son of John W. and Ida (Blacker) Dunbar. He was a mechanic. His father died a few months ago.
Survivors include a son, Jack and a half brother, Richard, living in the Thorntown home, and three half sisters, Misses Judy, Mary Jo and Regina Dunbar all of Ft. Wayne.
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Thanks so Mary Jo and the Dunbar Family Facebook page
Also -- Source: Thorntown Times April 26, 1930
An automobile accident which occurred early last Saturday morning on U.S. Road 52, cost the lives of three Thorntown citizens and a fourth is at the Home Hospital at Lafayette making a brave fight for recovery, what at first seemed to be losing odds.
The dead are: William Clark Larsh, 34
Mrs. Beatrice Dunbar, 28
Mrs. Lela Morrison, 26
J.W. "Babe" Dunbar (note from Mary Jo Barton, Dunbar researcher - this is John Marion so JM not JW), husband of one of the victims, is making a successful bid for recovery at the Lafayette hospital. The four riding in Dunbar's Ford Tudor, had been in Lafayette and were enroute home at the time of the accident. A stock truck, owned by Bert Lynn of Freeland Park, was parked partly on and partly off the highway while Lyon and his companion, Myron Patton, were repairing a tire. Another car was approaching from the south as Dunbar neared the scene from the north and in an endeavor to swerve around the truck before the north-bound machine reached the place, he speeded up his machine. But as it drew close to the truck, Dunbar realized that he could not make it but before he could stop, the Ford crashed into the standing truck. The collision was of such force that the front end of the lighter car was telescoped beneath the rear of the truck, the motor being driven back under the cowl, the windshield shattered and the hood crumpled up like a washboard.
Larsh, who was familiarly known to every one in Thorntown as "High" was killed instantly. He was badly crushed about the chest, head and legs. The two women and Mr. Dunbar were rushed to the Home hospital at Lafayette where every medical aid was rendered, but within a few hours death came to relieve the suffering of the former.
Mrs. Dunbar passed away at 11:30 o'clock Saturday morning and Mrs. Morrison died shortly after 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The bodies of all three of the victims were removed to the LaFollette and Johnson funeral parlor here Saturday afternoon and were prepared for burial.
Dunbar was kept in ignorance of the fates of his wife and friends until Wednesday morning when the facts were given him by the attending physician. The funeral of Mr. Larsh was held from the Christian Church Monday afternoon. Rev. Leland Plew officiating. Interment was in the Maple Lawn cemetery.
Funeral services for Mrs. Dunbar were held Tuesday morning and for Mrs. Morrison Tuesday afternoon. Private services were held for Mrs. Dunbar at the Dunbar home west of Thorntown. Rev. Leland Plew being in charge. Interment was at Plain View cemetery at Colfax.
Rites for the latter were held from the Methodist church, Rev. E. E. Heimburger officiating. Interment was in the Mt. Zion cemetery near Advance. "High" Larsh was the son of Joseph and Ella Larsh and was born August 18, 1896 at Beardsdale, Ill. At the age of five, he moved to Thorntown with his parents and has since resided in this community. He attended the Thorntown schools and in 1915 was one of the important cogs in the Thorntown high school basketball championship team at Bloomington. He graduated in 1917 and later attended Earlham College. He has been employed for several years by the Big Four railroad. He was popular with all who knew him, his acquaintance was legion. Surviving besides the parents are a sister, Mrs. Roy Walker of Thorntown, a half sister, Mrs. Minnie Ferguson of Indianapolis, and a half brother, Homer Larsh.
Lela Morrison was the daughter of Stephen and Jennie Emmert and was born near Advance. She was united in marriage to Elmer Morrison ten years ago and to this union, one daughter, June was born. She was a member of the Eastern Star and the Legion Auxilary and gave of her time and talents to both of these organizations. She was a talented musician and reader and had appeared in entertainments. She is survived by the mother and daughter, two brothers, Jesse Emmert of Thorntown and B. C. Emmert of of Kokomo and a sister, Mrs. Clyde Simons of Baltimore, Md.
Mrs. Dunbar was formerly Miss Beatrice Stultz of near Clarks Hill. Her parents passed away when she was a young girl and she was reared in the home of relatives. Following her marriage to J. W. Dunbar she removed to Thorntown and has since resided there. Surviving besides the husband, is a son, Jackie, who was at the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Dunbar at the time of the accident, one sister, Mrs. Cecil Smith of Culver and a brother who resides at Indianapolis. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary here. One peculiar incident concerning this tragic accident is that the car driven and owned by Mr. Dunbar was the car formerly owned by John Worth and figured in the accident a number of months ago in witch (sic) Mr. Worth was injured.
Thanks so very much to my dear Gen. buddy, MJB :)