Individual Details
Alva "Monroe" Kirkpatrick
(21 Jul 1869 - 13 Feb 1910)
U. S. Army Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, at ancestry.com shows Alva M. Kirkpatrick, enlisted Sept. 30, 1890 at St. Louis, Missouri, he was 22 years and 5 months of age, born in Franklin Co., Illinois, he was a farmer, he had light blue eyes, flax colored hair, fair complexion and was 5' 10" in height.
His brother William also enlisted on the same date.
Centralia Evening Sentinel, Centralia, Illinois, Monday, February 14, 1910, Page 1, Col. 6: A Switchman Loses His Life in North Yards. Monroe Kirkpatrick, An Old-Time Switchman, Was Killed Sunday Evening At Work. Head was completely Severed From Body.
Monroe Kirkpatrick, a switchman in the Illinois Central yards, was killed shortly after 7o'clock in the north yards here. He has been in the employ of the company here for a long time and was regarded as a most excellent employe (sic).
The accident happened shortly after he had gone to work for the night shift., and he was killed on the second switch made. The crew was working in the north yards and was kicking in some cars for the Junction City mine when the accident happened Kirkpatrick ha a habit of always signalling (sic) with his lantern when things were ready and the engineer and fireman always looked for the lantern signal when Kirk was on the job. This time one of the switchman called "All right, go ahead." But Kirkpatrick, who was also on the line, had not yet shown his lantern and they waited. Some one went ahead to investigate and found the body and head separated where he had in some way fallen across the rails and had been crushed.
The body was taken to the Hausaler & Son undertaking rooms and the coroner called. Dr. Feltman arrived here this morning from Salem and proceeded to hold the inquest.
The deceased lived on North Poplar street and was a good citizen and leaves a family and many friends.
The witnesses were examined by coroner's jury at the city hall. John J. Bundy was present in behalf of Mrs. Kirkpatrick and the Illinois Central claim agent was present in the interest of the company, and both paid particular attention to the facts brought out.
No one seems to have seen Kirkpatrick fall under the wheels. The conclusions are that he was jerked off the front car of the bunch that was to have been kicked into a siding. It would seen that the engine got a bunch of cars in motion at about the proper speed and that Kirkpatrick was on the front car to ride them in and stop them at the proper place. Ed Radley was the other switchman and he was to pull the pin at the proper time and let them go of their own momentum. Radley gave the signal to the engineer just as he attempted to pull the pin, and the engine stopped suddenly to allow the loose cars to go on ahead, as the next cars were to go to another track, but it seems that there was something wrong with the coupling and the pin would not pull, hence the cars were not cut loose, and when the engine stopped suddenly it stopped the whole string with a jerk, and it is supposed that this is what threw Kirkpatrick under the wheels, as he was not expecting a jerk, but expected them to go rolling in of their own accord.
The jury was composed of W. E. C. Lyons, Thomas Meagher, John R. Duncan, George Hartley, Will Porter and J. M. Robnett.
The coroner's jury returned a verdict to the effect that he was killed by being thrown from a certain car while at work as a switchman in the Illinois Central yards.
The funeral arrangements have not yet been announced, waiting to hear from distant relatives.
His brother William also enlisted on the same date.
Centralia Evening Sentinel, Centralia, Illinois, Monday, February 14, 1910, Page 1, Col. 6: A Switchman Loses His Life in North Yards. Monroe Kirkpatrick, An Old-Time Switchman, Was Killed Sunday Evening At Work. Head was completely Severed From Body.
Monroe Kirkpatrick, a switchman in the Illinois Central yards, was killed shortly after 7o'clock in the north yards here. He has been in the employ of the company here for a long time and was regarded as a most excellent employe (sic).
The accident happened shortly after he had gone to work for the night shift., and he was killed on the second switch made. The crew was working in the north yards and was kicking in some cars for the Junction City mine when the accident happened Kirkpatrick ha a habit of always signalling (sic) with his lantern when things were ready and the engineer and fireman always looked for the lantern signal when Kirk was on the job. This time one of the switchman called "All right, go ahead." But Kirkpatrick, who was also on the line, had not yet shown his lantern and they waited. Some one went ahead to investigate and found the body and head separated where he had in some way fallen across the rails and had been crushed.
The body was taken to the Hausaler & Son undertaking rooms and the coroner called. Dr. Feltman arrived here this morning from Salem and proceeded to hold the inquest.
The deceased lived on North Poplar street and was a good citizen and leaves a family and many friends.
The witnesses were examined by coroner's jury at the city hall. John J. Bundy was present in behalf of Mrs. Kirkpatrick and the Illinois Central claim agent was present in the interest of the company, and both paid particular attention to the facts brought out.
No one seems to have seen Kirkpatrick fall under the wheels. The conclusions are that he was jerked off the front car of the bunch that was to have been kicked into a siding. It would seen that the engine got a bunch of cars in motion at about the proper speed and that Kirkpatrick was on the front car to ride them in and stop them at the proper place. Ed Radley was the other switchman and he was to pull the pin at the proper time and let them go of their own momentum. Radley gave the signal to the engineer just as he attempted to pull the pin, and the engine stopped suddenly to allow the loose cars to go on ahead, as the next cars were to go to another track, but it seems that there was something wrong with the coupling and the pin would not pull, hence the cars were not cut loose, and when the engine stopped suddenly it stopped the whole string with a jerk, and it is supposed that this is what threw Kirkpatrick under the wheels, as he was not expecting a jerk, but expected them to go rolling in of their own accord.
The jury was composed of W. E. C. Lyons, Thomas Meagher, John R. Duncan, George Hartley, Will Porter and J. M. Robnett.
The coroner's jury returned a verdict to the effect that he was killed by being thrown from a certain car while at work as a switchman in the Illinois Central yards.
The funeral arrangements have not yet been announced, waiting to hear from distant relatives.
Events
| Birth | 21 Jul 1869 | Illinois |  | ||
| Marriage | 11 Mar 1894 | Alvy M. Kirkpatrick to Rosa B. Johnson, Perry Co., Illinois - Rosa Belle Johnson | | ||
| Death | 13 Feb 1910 | Centralia, Marion Co., Illinois | | ||
| Burial | Horse Prairie Cemetery, Horse Prairie, Sesser, Franklin Co., Illinois | |
Families
| Spouse | Rosa Belle Johnson (1872 - 1949) |
| Child | Lorrando Monroe Kirkpatrick (1895 - 1928) |
| Child | Harold William Kirkpatrick (1896 - 1962) |
| Child | Everett Ross Kirkpatrick (1899 - 1979) |
| Child | Ormond Kirkpatrick (1903 - 1965) |
| Child | Myra Lee Kirkpatrick (1910 - 1999) |
| Father | Francis McDonald Kirkpatrick (1840 - 1919) |
| Mother | Lucy Jane Estes (1844 - 1930) |
| Sibling | Sarah Ann Kirkpatrick (1866 - 1948) |
| Sibling | William Singleton Kirkpatrick (1868 - 1930) |
| Sibling | Cora Ella Lee Kirkpatrick (1874 - 1950) |
| Sibling | Isaac Foster Kirkpatrick (1877 - 1953) |
| Sibling | Ira Albert Kirkpatrick (1877 - 1950) |
| Sibling | Ida Mae Kirkpatrick (1879 - 1905) |
| Sibling | Grover Cleveland Kirkpatrick (1884 - 1964) |