Individual Details
Oliver Martin Spracklin
(9 Feb 1903 - 21 Jul 1934)
The Jordan Times, 21Mar1930, p1
SPRACKLIN-WILLIAMS
Oliver Spracklin, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Spracklin and Miss Edna Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Williams were united in marriage by Justice of the Peace Chas. C. Kite in Jordan Friday, March 14th. Both the contracting parties are residents of the Butte Creek community, where they will make their home.
Witnesses to the ceremony were Mrs. Carrie Williams, mother of the bride, and Mrs. R. E. Spracklin. Best wishes are extended to the happy couple, by a host of friends in the Garfield community.
The Jordan Tribune, 26Jul1934, p1
Oliver Spracklin, age 31, met a horrible death at 2 o'clock last Saturday afternoon, a short time after he had started on a new job at Fort Peck Dam. While attending to his duties as oiler of a long conveyor belt connected with one of the tunnels his hand or clothing was caught in the coupling and his body dragged about 50 feet on the belt until it became wedged under a roller. No one else was present when the accident happened, and until the body became clogged in such a manner as to stop the machinery, workers in the vicinity were not aware of what had happened. Harley Spracklin, a brother of the deceased, happened to be in the vicinity of the dam shortly after the accident, but exact details could not immediately be ascertained. In fact, Harley had started on his return to Jordan and did not know that it was his brother who was the accident victom until he reached Haxby. The body was then being brought to Jordan. The supposition is that Oliver's hand or the bib overalls he wore at the time caught on one of the belt hooks which dragged him across the 32-inch belt and to his death. Funeral services attended by a large number of people were held at the Presbyterian church, the Rev. W.W. Landis officiating.
Oliver Spracklin was born in Calhoun county, Iowa, Feb. 9, 1903. In 1914 he came to Garfield county where he has since resided. He is survived by his wife and one son, Chester, his father and mother and five brothers and one sister.
The sympathy of the community is extended to the bereaved wife and relatives.
The Glasgow Courier, 30 Jul 1934.
MAN KILLED WHEN CAUGHT IN CONVEYOR
Oliver Spracklin, Resident of Jordan, Found Jammed in Belt
Oliver Spracklin, 31, oiler, employed by the Mason & Walsh company, tunnel contractor at Fort Peck, was killed early Saturday afternoon when he was caught in a section of a conveyor belt near the downstream portal.
There was no eyewitness to the accident, according to reports made to officers here. The body was discovered by C. L. Powers, electrician for the company, after he had heard an unusual noise coming from the direction of the belt. He then observed the body.
Mr. Powers summoned help at once. The body was so tightly jammed between the return belt and the last idler that it was necessary to cut the belt. This freed the right arm and shoulder which had been pulled over the drum. No other part of the body was caught as the head had jammed between the drum and a timber supporting the belt rollers above the drum.
The body was placed on the ground as soon as it was freed. There was no pulse then, it was reported. As there were no witnesses to the accident, no reason for its cause could be advanced. The conveyor is one being used to transport dirt from the portal.
The body was later brought to Glasgow and from here was taken to Jordan, where funeral services were held. Burial was in the Jordan cemetery. Mr. Spracklin was a native of Iowa. He was married and had one daughter [it should be one son, Chester].
Mrs. Spracklin was living near Fort Peck at the time of the accident. A brother who lived in Jordan had visited Mr. Spracklin a short time before the accident.
SPRACKLIN-WILLIAMS
Oliver Spracklin, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Spracklin and Miss Edna Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Williams were united in marriage by Justice of the Peace Chas. C. Kite in Jordan Friday, March 14th. Both the contracting parties are residents of the Butte Creek community, where they will make their home.
Witnesses to the ceremony were Mrs. Carrie Williams, mother of the bride, and Mrs. R. E. Spracklin. Best wishes are extended to the happy couple, by a host of friends in the Garfield community.
The Jordan Tribune, 26Jul1934, p1
Oliver Spracklin, age 31, met a horrible death at 2 o'clock last Saturday afternoon, a short time after he had started on a new job at Fort Peck Dam. While attending to his duties as oiler of a long conveyor belt connected with one of the tunnels his hand or clothing was caught in the coupling and his body dragged about 50 feet on the belt until it became wedged under a roller. No one else was present when the accident happened, and until the body became clogged in such a manner as to stop the machinery, workers in the vicinity were not aware of what had happened. Harley Spracklin, a brother of the deceased, happened to be in the vicinity of the dam shortly after the accident, but exact details could not immediately be ascertained. In fact, Harley had started on his return to Jordan and did not know that it was his brother who was the accident victom until he reached Haxby. The body was then being brought to Jordan. The supposition is that Oliver's hand or the bib overalls he wore at the time caught on one of the belt hooks which dragged him across the 32-inch belt and to his death. Funeral services attended by a large number of people were held at the Presbyterian church, the Rev. W.W. Landis officiating.
Oliver Spracklin was born in Calhoun county, Iowa, Feb. 9, 1903. In 1914 he came to Garfield county where he has since resided. He is survived by his wife and one son, Chester, his father and mother and five brothers and one sister.
The sympathy of the community is extended to the bereaved wife and relatives.
The Glasgow Courier, 30 Jul 1934.
MAN KILLED WHEN CAUGHT IN CONVEYOR
Oliver Spracklin, Resident of Jordan, Found Jammed in Belt
Oliver Spracklin, 31, oiler, employed by the Mason & Walsh company, tunnel contractor at Fort Peck, was killed early Saturday afternoon when he was caught in a section of a conveyor belt near the downstream portal.
There was no eyewitness to the accident, according to reports made to officers here. The body was discovered by C. L. Powers, electrician for the company, after he had heard an unusual noise coming from the direction of the belt. He then observed the body.
Mr. Powers summoned help at once. The body was so tightly jammed between the return belt and the last idler that it was necessary to cut the belt. This freed the right arm and shoulder which had been pulled over the drum. No other part of the body was caught as the head had jammed between the drum and a timber supporting the belt rollers above the drum.
The body was placed on the ground as soon as it was freed. There was no pulse then, it was reported. As there were no witnesses to the accident, no reason for its cause could be advanced. The conveyor is one being used to transport dirt from the portal.
The body was later brought to Glasgow and from here was taken to Jordan, where funeral services were held. Burial was in the Jordan cemetery. Mr. Spracklin was a native of Iowa. He was married and had one daughter [it should be one son, Chester].
Mrs. Spracklin was living near Fort Peck at the time of the accident. A brother who lived in Jordan had visited Mr. Spracklin a short time before the accident.
Events
| Birth | 9 Feb 1903 | Deep River, Iowa County, IA | |||
| Marriage | 14 Mar 1930 | Jordan, Garfield, Montana - Edna Louise Hollenbeck |  | ||
| Burial | Jul 1934 | Jordan, Garfield, Montana | | ||
| Death | 21 Jul 1934 | Fort Peck, McCone, Montana | |
Families
| Spouse | Edna Louise Hollenbeck (1911 - 1960) |
| Child | Chester Spracklin (1931 - 2012) |
| Father | Reed Andrew Spracklin (1869 - ) |
| Mother | Julia Ann Siler (1878 - ) |
| Sibling | James Franklin Spracklin (1898 - ) |
| Sibling | Amos Earl Spracklin (1899 - 1983) |
| Sibling | Willie Lawrence Spracklin (1901 - ) |
| Sibling | Harley Grover Spracklin (1906 - 1964) |
| Sibling | Clifford Ray Spracklin (1911 - 1986) |
| Sibling | Leroy Dair Spracklin (1913 - 1994) |
| Sibling | Forest Irvin Spracklin (1917 - 1989) |
| Sibling | Clara Ellen Spracklin |
Endnotes
1. Marriage.
2. Marriage.
3. Marriage, License #205, Recorded in Marriage Book 1,.
4. , Pioneer Cemetery, Jordan MT.
5. Obituary, The Jordan Tribune, 26 Jul 1934, p1 .
6. Obituary, The Glasgow Courier, 30 Jul 1934.
7. Death Certificate.