HERSHBERGER, Myrtle Chesum - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

By the explosion of a coal oil stove can in the kitchen of her newly erected home at 713 E. Market Street, shortly after 11 o'clock this morning, Mrs. Mark Hershberger, aged 40, was burned to death and two of her four children sustained very painful if not serious injuries in their efforts to extinguish the flames, that enveloped their mother and saver her life.

Mrs. Hershberger's clothing was burned nearly off her body and there was no part of her flesh that was not burned to a crisp. Immediately after the explosion she ran out of the back door into the yard where she fell

to the ground, a mass of flames. Her 17-year-old daughter, Mabel and her 14-year-old son, Glen were both in the house at the time and both sustained bad burns about their hands and face when they tried to save

the life of their unfortunate mother. The mother died shortly after the charred body was removed from the ground to the rear porch. She never spoke to inform anyone how the explosion occurred. She was preparing dinner at the time. The fire caused in the kitchen by the explosion was extinguished by the use of chemicals and little damage resulted.

Both the children, suffering from their burns, were taken to the home of neighbors where physicians were hastily summoned and their injuries dressed.  At first it was thought the burns of the boy would prove

serious but it developed later that they were not as serious as thought.  The third child, Lewis, aged four was in the house at the time of the explosion and was being given a bath up stairs by his sister. She left

him to run to her mother's assistance, and he was not injured.  The fourth child, Bernice, aged 8, was on a visit at the home of Mrs. Hershberger's mother, Mrs. Chesterson of Veedersburg. They both came here on the one o'clock Big Four train.

Glen, the injured boy, was taken to the home of Walter Wisehart, several doors east on Market Street.  His face and hands were badly burned, Dr. H.W. Sigmond, who together with Dr. Fred A. Dennis, the regular family physician, and Dr. Faye O. Schenck, was called to attend the injuries, says that he will recover although scars may be left on both is face and hands.  Mabel, the sister, was taken to the home of Mrs. Minnie Young, the first door west of the Hershberger home.  Her injuries are not as serious as her brother.  She was burned about the hands and face and suffers considerably from the inhalation of the flames. She will recover.

That Mrs. Hershberger died a terrible death is evidenced by the charred and burned condition of her body. The flames from the exploding coal oil, must have enveloped her completely immediately after the

explosion.  Her hair was nearly all burned from her head; her ears were burned nearly off, while her nose and lips were so terribly burned that the features of her face were unrecognizable.

Mrs. Minnie Young, next door, saw Mrs. Hershberger rush out of the back door, a mass of flames and then fell unconscious. Shew as one of the first to reach her. The daughter, Mabel, had rushed down stairs upon

hearing her mother's screams and had tried to smother the flames with a comforter. Glen was in the front of the house and he, too, made frantic efforts to save his mother, reaching her side before his sister did.

Mr. Hershberger was at the shale pit of the Poston Brick Company at the time and it was half an hour before he reached home to find his wife a corpse and his children burned.

The fire alarm was telephoned in by Lablanche Burk and about the same time, Will Scott turned in the alarm from box No. 34 at the corner of Morgan & Market St.  The fire department was on the scene quickly and easily extinguished the flames with the use of chemicals.

Just how the explosion was caused will never be known.  Mrs. Hershberger did not live long enough to speak a word to any one. The inhaling of the flames must have accelerated her death, which came within a very few moments after the explosion.  It is thought that, possibly, she was attempting to quicken the fire in the kitchen stove by the use of coal oil when the can exploded.  The rear lid of the stove was off, showing that she might have poured the oil in there.  On the stove was the half cooked dinner she was preparing.  A pot of beans was on top, while in the oven were three pies and a big cake of corn pone.  Mrs. Hershberger had intended to do some ironing while the dinner cooked and her ironing board had been arranged in the kitchen.  The coal oil can was found in a basket by the firemen when they arrived. The can was blown open by the force of the explosion.  It had been Mrs. Hershberger's custom to keep the can behind the door near the stove.

The fire that broke out in the kitchen following the explosion did comparatively little damage.  The force of the explosion broke the glass in the window and the rear door, and blew the door off the oven of the

stove.  The woodwork in the window was all charred and burned, while the linoleum on the floor was completely destroyed. The kitchen table, the chairs and ironing board were burned. The fire did not communicate to any other part of the house.

Innumerably sad features are connected with the death of Mrs. Hershberger. She leaves a heart broken husband and four motherless children.  The home in which she was burned had just been completed and

was occupied by the family just about  month ago. Mr. Hershberger ,who is a hard-working, industrious and honest man, had been employed in this city for a dozen years or more as foreman at the shale pit for the

Poston Brick Company of this city.  He removed here from Veedersburg where he formerly worked for the brick company.  Until this fall he has lived near the shale pit.  By careful saving and hard work, he had

accumulated sufficient money with which to erect him a handsome home.  The home was well furnished and finished and with their family, Mr. and Mrs. Hershberger were just ready to enjoy the home that had thus been built by them.  Now the home is without a wife and mother, and sorrow indescribable hovers over it.  Mr. Hershberger had worked night and day this fall to get his home ready for occupancy before the winter set in.

Mr. and Mrs. Hershberger were married at Veedersburg almost a score of years ago.  She was formerly Miss Myrtle Chesum of that place.  Her widowed mother resides at Veedersburg.   -- transcribed by kbz

The funeral of Mrs. Mark Hershberger who was burned to death Tuesday in a coal oil explosion at her home on East Market Street, was held this afternoon at Veedersburg on the one o'clock Big Four train this afternoon. All of the family accompanied the body with the exception of 14-year-old son, Glenn, who is still at Culver Union Hospital. His condition is reported to be very materially improved and he will recover speedily. Mabel, aged 16, who was also burned, was sufficiently recovered to go to the funeral. Although Mr. Hershberger is still suffering from the shock caused by the terrible fate which his wife met is feeling much better than he did Wednesday. His wife's body was laid at rest at the cemetery in Veedersburg near the church where the funeral services were conducted. Mrs. Rebecca Chizum of Veedersburg, Mrs. Hershberger's mother, and Mr. and Mrs. Allen of Attica, her brother-in-law and sister were also with the funeral party that accompanied the body to Veedersburg.

An immense crowd of former friends and neighbors congregated at the United Brethren Church at Veedersburg Thursday afternoon to attend the funeral and pay their last respects to the memory of Mrs. Mark Hershberger who was burned to death at her home here last Tuesday in a coal oil explosion.  Mrs. Hershberger's funeral was conducted by Revs. Cooper and Smith.  The funeral party was met at the railroad station by an immense gathering of friends. Many were the high tributes paid to the splendid character and noble womanhood of Mrs. Hershberger who grew to womanhood in Veedersburg. Her body was laid at rest in the cemetery three miles from Veedersburg.