Theodore Watters’ Death
Contributed by Judy
The Evening Review, East Liverpool Monday Oct. 2, 1911 front page
BOY’S SKULL IS FRACTURED IN FALL FROM TREE
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Theodore Watters, Hunting Chestnuts With Cousin, Is Fatally Hurt
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Branch Gave Way, Precipitating Him to Ground, a Distance of About 25 Feet
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Was Son of Blind Musician and Had Been Employed at Plant in Newell
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As a result of a limb breaking beneath his weight, Theodore Watters, aged 14, a mouldrunner at the Homer Laughlin China Company’s Pottery, Newell and a son of William J. Watters of Grandview Street, Pleasant Heights, was precipitated from a chestnut tree to the ground, a distance of about 25 feet, on the Gaston farm near the Gaston sub station on the Y & O railroad, at 11 o’clock Sunday morning. The lad sustained a fractured skull, from the effects if which he succumbed within 45 minutes following the accident. Eager to secure a supply of chestnuts, young Watters and Winfield Haley, a son of A. J. Haley, of Wellsville, a cousin, started for the country early Sunday morning, On the Gaston farm, young Watters removed his shoes and ascended a bog chestnut tree, He was resting on a limb of it when it suddenly crashed to the ground, carrying the youth with it.
FATHER A BLIND MUSICIAN
Following the accident young Haley summoned assistance from the home of Homer Chamberlain, who resides on the Gaston farm. The injured lad was taken there, while Dr. J. W. Fitzsimmons, of Calcutta, was called. The boy survived but a few minutes after the arrival of the physician, In the meantime the boy’s sorrowing parents had been notified of the accident and had reached the son’s bedside. The father is a blind musician.
The Sturgis ambulance removed the body to the late home, where the funeral services will be held at 4 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. Rev. E. P. Wise, pastor of the First Christian Church, will officiate. Interment will be made in Spring Grove cemetery.
Besides the parents, two younger sisters and two brothers survive him.
Obituary – Theodore Watters
East Liverpool Tribune
SON OF BLIND MUSICIAN MEETS DEATH IN THIRTY
FOOT PLUNGE FROM TREE
Theodore Watters, Thirteen Year-Old Lad Fatally Injured
DEAD LIMB BREAKS
Accident Occurred On Farm Near the Gaston Sub-Station
SEEKING CHESTNUTS
Skull Is Fractured and Youngster Lives But Half an Hour.
Falling a distance of thirty feet, from out of a chestnut tree on the Gaston dairy farm, near Gaston sub-station on the Y. & O., at 11:30 o’clock yesterday morning (October 1, 1911), Theodore Watters, aged 13 years, of Pleasant Heights, son of a well known blind musician, this city, sustained injuries which resulted in his death a half hour after being removed to the house of Homer Chamberlin, who resides near where the accident occurred.
Immediately following the accident the parents, J. W. Watters and his wife, were summoned and arrived in time to be at the bedside of their son when death occurred.
The death is a sad one, taking from a blind father and a loving mother, a son in whom fond hopes had long been cherished.
The Watters lad, in company with Winfield Haley, son of Mailcarrier A. J. Haley of Wellsville, a boy of about the same age, had gone out early yesterday morning in search of chestnuts. Locating a large tree on the Gaston dairy farm, Watters removed his shoes in order to enable him to climb the tree more easily.
Having climbed a distance of about thirty feet from the ground, he crawled out on a dead limb of the tree. Much to the horror of the Haley lad, he saw the rotten limb with its human burden suddenly snap and drop to the ground.
Seeing that the Watters boy did not move, Haley ran for the nearest farmhouse, the home of Homer Chamberlain. The injured lad was removed to that place and the parents and a physician summoned. Dr. J. W. Fitzsimmons of Calcutta, arrived and upon examination found that Watters had suffered concussion of the brain. Death came at 12 o’clock.
The body was removed to the Watters home in Pleasant Heights, in the Sturgis ambulance later in the day.
The lad was an only son, and his sudden death brings sadness to his wide circle of young school friends and associates, and casts a shadow of gloom over a home where his sunny disposition has ever been its brightest ray of sunlight.
Funeral announcement will be made later.