Campbellsport News, July 17, 1919

JAMES SMITH IS KILLED THURSDAY
MEETS DEATH IN RUNAWAY ACCIDENT WHILE AT WORK ON FARM NEAR EDEN

   James Smith, one of the most highly respected and honorable citizens of this community, met a sudden death while at work on his farm about three-fourths of a mile north of Eden last Thursday afternoon, at about 1:30 o'clock. Mr. Smith was driving a team attached to a hayrake and had gotten down from the machine to remove some obstruction, when the team became frightened and ran away. He was thrown under the rake and dragged about eighty rods. His head and face were badly disfigured and bruised. His son, Gordon, saw the accident but when he reached his father, the latter was dead.
   Mr. Smith was 60 years old and leaves a wife, a son Gordon, and a daughter, Mrs. R. H. Briggs, all of Eden. He also leaves three sisters, Mrs. Mary Dillon of Fond du Lac, Mrs. William Gibbons of Eden and Mrs. Jennie Rossner of Cedar Rapids, Ia.; and five brothers, Thomas, Michael, John and George of Eden and Edward of Chicago.
   The funeral was held Saturday forenoon at ten o'clock from St. Mary's Catholic church in Eden, Rev. Father McFarland officiating at the Requeim Mass and conducting services at St. Mary's cemetery where the deceased was buried.
   Mr. Smith was a man of high moral character, a true citizen and a faithful member of his church. The large attendance and the funeral and the many beautiful floral offerings attested to the high esteem in which he was held. The Catholic Order of Foresters, of which organization the deceased faithfully served for the past sixteen years as its financial secretary, attended the funeral in a body. During his term of office he had not missed a meeting of the local court.
   John Mead, Thomas O'Brien, John Killilia, M. F. O'Brien, Ed Kelly and Matt McCarthy acted as honorary bearers and George Flood, E. J. Hayes, H. F. Martin, Peter Flood, E. H. Lyons and P. J. Rohan as the active bearers. Peter Braun and Val Hillebrand were the flower bearers.
   Out of town people who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. John Gallagher and Miles Gallagher and Miss Katherine Shea of Greenbush; Ed Smith of Markesan, H. M. Hardgrove of Madison, J. G. Hardgrove of Milwaukee; Mrs. F. Johnson, John McEnroe, John Flaherty and sister Mary of this village, the four latter being relatives of the deceased. Many other friends from the surrounding country were also present at the last rites.