Thompson - Margaret Dixon
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Thursday, 1 June 1893
Mrs. Margaret Thompson, a relict of Amos Thompson, met with a horrible death last evening at her home nine miles northwest of the city on the Attica Road. Mrs. Thompson, although advanced in years, took an active interest in the workings of the large farm and visited all parts of the place at will. She not infrequently went to the stables and was familiar with the horses, all of which knew her well and allowed her to enter their stalls at pleasure. One large farm horse, while not a vicious animal in any sense, always takes offense at any stranger entering his stall and frightens at any unfamiliar object in the stable. Last evening between 6 and 7 o’clock, Mrs. Thompson went to the stable for some purpose and as it was drizzling, threw a large cape over her head. Why she went into the stall of the horse mentioned and just what occurred there will never be known. It is reasonable to suppose, however, that when she went into the stall, the animal failed to recognize her because of the cape on her head and crowded her against the partition knocking the breath out of her and preventing her calling for assistance. She must have fallen unconscious under the horse’s feet and then the sickening tragedy was enacted. The maddened animal proceeded to paw her head and breast into a shapeless mass. He was till pawing in a frantic manner when Alex Stroud, a hired man, came into the building. He noticed nothing unusual beyond the pawing until he heard a slight moan from the bottom of the stall. He sprang forward and was horrified to behold the body of Mrs. Thompson beneath the animal’s fore feet. He attempted to enter the stall to remove her, but the horse, as though jealous of its victim, gave him a vicious kick which sent him reeling back against the side of the barn. He was afraid to approach the now thoroughly aroused animal which with head erect and nostrils spread viewed him with dilated eyes.
Mrs. Margaret Thompson, a relict of Amos Thompson, met with a horrible death last evening at her home nine miles northwest of the city on the Attica Road. Mrs. Thompson, although advanced in years, took an active interest in the workings of the large farm and visited all parts of the place at will. She not infrequently went to the stables and was familiar with the horses, all of which knew her well and allowed her to enter their stalls at pleasure. One large farm horse, while not a vicious animal in any sense, always takes offense at any stranger entering his stall and frightens at any unfamiliar object in the stable. Last evening between 6 and 7 o’clock, Mrs. Thompson went to the stable for some purpose and as it was drizzling, threw a large cape over her head. Why she went into the stall of the horse mentioned and just what occurred there will never be known. It is reasonable to suppose, however, that when she went into the stall, the animal failed to recognize her because of the cape on her head and crowded her against the partition knocking the breath out of her and preventing her calling for assistance. She must have fallen unconscious under the horse’s feet and then the sickening tragedy was enacted. The maddened animal proceeded to paw her head and breast into a shapeless mass. He was till pawing in a frantic manner when Alex Stroud, a hired man, came into the building. He noticed nothing unusual beyond the pawing until he heard a slight moan from the bottom of the stall. He sprang forward and was horrified to behold the body of Mrs. Thompson beneath the animal’s fore feet. He attempted to enter the stall to remove her, but the horse, as though jealous of its victim, gave him a vicious kick which sent him reeling back against the side of the barn. He was afraid to approach the now thoroughly aroused animal which with head erect and nostrils spread viewed him with dilated eyes.
Faint from the kick he hastened to a neighboring barn where Mrs. Thompson’s son, Cyrus, was at work and summoned him to the scene. Cyrus rushed to the place and knowing the horse perfectly removed the body of his mother after some difficulty in subduing the animal. The aged lady never regained consciousness and breathed but a few times after being taken from the stall. The space of time which elapsed between the entrance of Mrs. Thompson and that of Alex Stroud to the stable could not have been over ten minutes, so she was discovered immediately after being hurt, and had probably not been beaten down over three minutes until her dying moans were heard by the man.
The sad calamity is a shock not only to the neighborhood where she lived so long, but to the whole county throughout which Mrs. Thompson was so well and favorably known.
She was an estimable old lady and her death is as deplorable as it was horrible. Her maiden name was Margaret Dixon and she was a native of Philadelphia. For the past fifty years she has resided in this county, her husband Amos Thompson, dying several years ago. She leaves five children: Cyrus and Walter Thompson and Mrs. I. W. Jones, of this county, Walter Thompson, of Paxton, Ill., and Samuel Thompson, of West Plains, Mo. -s
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Friday, 2 June 1893
The funeral services of Mrs. Amos Thompson will be held tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock at her late residence, five miles northeast of the city. Services to be conducted by Rev. G. P. Fuson and Rev. G. W. Stafford. Interment will be at the Thompson burying ground west of here.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, June 3, 1893
Mrs. Margaret Thompson, relic of Amos Thompson met with a horrible death Wednesday at her home nine miles northwest of this city on the Attica road. Mrs. Thompson, although advanced in years, took an active interest in the workings of the large farm and visited all parts of the place at will. She not infrequently went to the stables and was familiar with the horses, all of which knew her will and allowed her to enter their stalls at pleasure. One large farm horse, while not a vicious animal in any sense, always takes offence at any stranger entering his stall and frightens at any unfamiliar object in the stable. Wednesday evening between 6 and 7 o'clock Mrs. Thompson went to the stable for some purpose and as it was drizzling threw a large cape over her head. Why she went into the stall of the horse mentioned and just what occurred there will never be known. It is reasonable to suppose, however, that when she went into the stall the animal failed to recognize her because of the cape on her head and crowded her against the partition knocking the breath out of her and preventing her calling for assistance. She must have fallen unconscious under the horse's feet and then the sickening tragedy was enacted. The madden animal proceeded to paw her head and breast into a shapeless mass. He was still pawing in a frantic manner when Alex Stroud, a hired man, came into the building. He noticed nothing unusual beyond the pawing until he heard a slight moan from the bottom of the stall. He sprang forward and was horrified to behold the body of Mrs. Thompson beneath the animal's fore feet. He attempted to enter the stall to remove her, but the horse, as though jealous of its victim, gave him a vicious kick which sent him reeling back against the side of the barn. He was afraid to approach the now thoroughly aroused animal which with head erect and nostrils spread viewed him with dilated eyes. Faint from the kick he hastened to a neighboring barn where Mrs. Thompson's son Cyrus was at work and summoned him to the scene. Cyrus rushed to the place and knowing the horse perfectly removed the body of his mother after some difficulty in subduing the animal. The aged lady never regained consciousness and breathed but a few times after being taken from the stall. The space of time which elapsed between the entrances of Mrs. Thompson and that of Alex Stroud to the stable could not have been over ten minutes, so she was discovered immediately after being hurt, and had probably not been beaten down over three minutes until her dying moans were heard by the man. The sad calamity is a shock not only to the neighborhood where she lived so long, but to the whole county throughout which Mrs. Thompson was so well and favorably known. She was an estimable old lady and her death is as deplorable as it was horrible. Her maiden name was Margaret Dixon and she was a native of Philadelphia. For the past fifty years she has resided in this county, her husband, Amos Thompson, dying several years ago. She leaves five children, Cyrus and Walter Thompson and Mrs. I.W. Jones, of this county, Walter Thompson, of Paxton, Ill., and Samuel Thompson, of West Plains, Mo. -
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Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, June 10, 1893
Our quiet vicinity was shocked beyond description last week by the sad fate of one of our oldest and best respected citizens, Mrs. Margaret Thompson, who without warning was killed by a horse in a most horrible manner and now his victim sleeps the sleep that knows no walking. She was respected, loved and honored by all with whom she came in contact. We can hardly realize that one so true and kind and been taken from our midst in such a terrible way. Such was the will of God and whatever is His will let it be our also. The bereaved relatives have our warmest sympathy during their great grief. Funeral services were conducted by Revs Stafford and Fuson at the house, at 10 o'clock Saturday morning after which interment took place in the Thompson cemetery near Yountsville. – thanks so much to Kim H – you rock, girly - such a sad death though :(