Swank - Mary - 1874
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Saturday, 27 June 1874
Mrs. Mary Swank, who lived near Attica, and mother of John F. Wilhite, of this city, was thrown from a buggy last Saturday while on her way home from that place and received injuries so severe in their character from which she died the same evening. She was in the 71st year of her age. -s
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Saturday, 4 July 1874
The Attica Ledger furnishes the following particulars on the death of Mrs. Mary Swank, mother of Mrs. John Wilhite of this city, noticed in our local columns last week: “On Saturday last as Mrs. Mary Swank, widow of the late Wm Swank, was on her way to church, the end of a plank was somehow thrown into the spokes of the hind wheel of the buggy, causing the horse to run away. The animal only ran about sixty yards before he wrecked the buggy and pitched the old lady out, near the residence of Aaron Gross. She was immediately carried in the house, and a messenger dispatched for Dr. Cole, who found her hurts serious. She was internally injured, bruised about the head, and had several ribs broken, the points of which, it is thought, penetrated her lungs. The accident occurred about 4 p.m. and she died about 11 the same evening. Clark Donovan, her son-in-law, hastened to town and telegraphed to a daughter (Mrs. Wilhite) but death occurred before any distant friends could reach her. Mrs. Swank was one of the worthiest women of Fountain County and very highly esteemed by a large circle of friends. She came here from Ohio in 1828. She had been a member of the Baptist Church for nearly half a century, and though in her 71st year, was on her way to divine worship at the time of her death. She had on several occasions expressed a wish that when her time should come she might die on a church day, and strangely enough, the wish was fulfilled, and the worthy servant of God, though so suddenly called, was found ready for the summons. -s