Swank - Bessie Todd
Tri-County News, Nov 27, 1958
A head on collision of two automobiles Saturday evening, Nov 22, shortly after 6 o'clock killed four residents of Crawfordsville, Mrs. Bessie Swank, mother of Bill Swank of Waveland; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Baldwin and John Abney. Mrs. Baldwin was the former Nondis Marie Ferguson of Russellville, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ferguson. The accident occurred on the corner near the Ronald Ball farm on Ind 47, five and a half miles SW of Crawfordsville. Three appeared to have died almost instantly and Mr. Baldwin lived only a few minutes. He died before an ambulance arrived. Double services were held for Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin at Reeves Funeral Home, New Market on Tuesday. Interment in Masonic Cemetery, Crawfordsville. Funeral rites for Mrs. Swank were held Tuesday at the Bright Funeral Home, Crawfordsville with burial at Masonic Cemetery. Services for Mr. Abney were Wednesday at Bright Funeral Home and burial in Jamestown Cemetery.
A head on collision of two automobiles Saturday evening, Nov 22, shortly after 6 o'clock killed four residents of Crawfordsville, Mrs. Bessie Swank, mother of Bill Swank of Waveland; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Baldwin and John Abney. Mrs. Baldwin was the former Nondis Marie Ferguson of Russellville, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ferguson. The accident occurred on the corner near the Ronald Ball farm on Ind 47, five and a half miles SW of Crawfordsville. Three appeared to have died almost instantly and Mr. Baldwin lived only a few minutes. He died before an ambulance arrived. Double services were held for Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin at Reeves Funeral Home, New Market on Tuesday. Interment in Masonic Cemetery, Crawfordsville. Funeral rites for Mrs. Swank were held Tuesday at the Bright Funeral Home, Crawfordsville with burial at Masonic Cemetery. Services for Mr. Abney were Wednesday at Bright Funeral Home and burial in Jamestown Cemetery.
Crawfordsville Journal-Review Nov 24, 1958
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 So. 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 marr. James Swank Dec
27, 1911 in Mont Co. 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 gr. grandchildren. She was preceded in
death by 2 brothers. Fun. rites will be held at 2 p.m. Tues at
the Bright Fun. Home with Gene Strouss, pastor of the Church of
Christ offic and bur. in Masonic Cem. here. Friends may call at
the fun. 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
bros. preceded him in death. Serv. will be held at 2 p.m. Wed at
the Bright Fun Home with Rev. J. Gordon Smith pastor of the
Milligan Memorial Church officiated with burial in Jamestown Cem.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. Monday.