Individual Details
Charles Marquette
(13 Apr 1885 - 18 Nov 1945)
Charles Marquette married Clarrisa 'Clara' Belle Kirkpatrick on 1 May 1907, but later divorced. After the divorce Charles Marquette remarried to Mrs. Pauline Pickering. Charles was born in Lima Township, Grant County, Wisconsin, 13 April 1885, and died 18 November 1945 near his home at Milton Junction (near Janesville), Wisconsin, where he had lived for forty years. His car was struck by a Milwaukee Road passenger train and he was killed instantly. He had been a farmer, electrician, carpenter and insurance adjuster.
Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, Monday, November 19, 1945, Page 1 &Page 12, Col. 3: Milton Jct. Man Killed By Train. Chas. Marquette Struck Near Farm Home; Car Carried Half-Mile. Charles Marquette, 60, route 1, Milton Junction, was killed instantly at 8:40 a.m. Sunday when his light coupe was struck by a fast eastbound Milwaukee Road passenger train on a rural grade crossing about three miles west of Milton Junction.
The accident occurred about two miles north of Marquette's farm home at the crossing near the Paul Wixom farm on the town line road separating Milton and Fulton townships. Undersheriff Miles Sweeney said a dog was thrown from the car at the point of impact but that Marquette's body was carried in the wreckage of the vehicle about a half mile down the track. The injured dog was later shot.
Clifford Wixom and a hunter heard the crash and were the first to arrive at the scene. They removed the body from the wreckage but reported Mr. Marquette was dead. The train, which was due in Milton Junction at 8:41 a.m. was held up for some time while the damaged cowcatcher was removed.
Could Not Stop Car.
Investigation revealed that the emergency brake of the car had been set, indicating that Marquette had seen the train but not in time to stop. Skid marks were found in the gravel approach to the crossing, which had recently been improved y the county highway department. Formerly an almost "blind" crossing, the recent work done there had improved the vision.
The train was in charge of Conductor Ezra Jenkins, Madison, with Charles Flanigan, Chicago, as conductor. It was one of the three sections in which the Milwaukee road train No. 20 was reported running Sunday. Several train were in use carrying troops out of Truax Field at Madison. The train runs from Madison to Chicago by way of Janesville.
It was believed that Marquette was on his way to do some electrical wiring in the Milton Junction vicinity at the time of the accident. He had worked as a carpenter and electrician.
Funeral Is Tuesday
Charles Marquette was born April 13, 1885, and had made his home in Milton Junction for the past 40 years. He was a farmer, electrician and carpenter and the adjuster for the Wisconsin Tornado Mutual Insurance co.
Surviving are his wife, Pauline; a daughter by a former marriage, Mrs. Leonard Fish, Madison; a step-son, Ralph Pickering, 908 Prairie avenue, Janesville; a brother, William, Milton avenue road; and a sister, Mrs. Charles Hunt, and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Overton funeral home, the Rev. Kenneth F. Brice of the United Brethren church officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home Monday night.
Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, Monday, November 19, 1945, Page 1 &Page 12, Col. 3: Milton Jct. Man Killed By Train. Chas. Marquette Struck Near Farm Home; Car Carried Half-Mile. Charles Marquette, 60, route 1, Milton Junction, was killed instantly at 8:40 a.m. Sunday when his light coupe was struck by a fast eastbound Milwaukee Road passenger train on a rural grade crossing about three miles west of Milton Junction.
The accident occurred about two miles north of Marquette's farm home at the crossing near the Paul Wixom farm on the town line road separating Milton and Fulton townships. Undersheriff Miles Sweeney said a dog was thrown from the car at the point of impact but that Marquette's body was carried in the wreckage of the vehicle about a half mile down the track. The injured dog was later shot.
Clifford Wixom and a hunter heard the crash and were the first to arrive at the scene. They removed the body from the wreckage but reported Mr. Marquette was dead. The train, which was due in Milton Junction at 8:41 a.m. was held up for some time while the damaged cowcatcher was removed.
Could Not Stop Car.
Investigation revealed that the emergency brake of the car had been set, indicating that Marquette had seen the train but not in time to stop. Skid marks were found in the gravel approach to the crossing, which had recently been improved y the county highway department. Formerly an almost "blind" crossing, the recent work done there had improved the vision.
The train was in charge of Conductor Ezra Jenkins, Madison, with Charles Flanigan, Chicago, as conductor. It was one of the three sections in which the Milwaukee road train No. 20 was reported running Sunday. Several train were in use carrying troops out of Truax Field at Madison. The train runs from Madison to Chicago by way of Janesville.
It was believed that Marquette was on his way to do some electrical wiring in the Milton Junction vicinity at the time of the accident. He had worked as a carpenter and electrician.
Funeral Is Tuesday
Charles Marquette was born April 13, 1885, and had made his home in Milton Junction for the past 40 years. He was a farmer, electrician and carpenter and the adjuster for the Wisconsin Tornado Mutual Insurance co.
Surviving are his wife, Pauline; a daughter by a former marriage, Mrs. Leonard Fish, Madison; a step-son, Ralph Pickering, 908 Prairie avenue, Janesville; a brother, William, Milton avenue road; and a sister, Mrs. Charles Hunt, and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Overton funeral home, the Rev. Kenneth F. Brice of the United Brethren church officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home Monday night.
Events
| Birth | 13 Apr 1885 | Lima, Grant Co., Wisconsin |  | ||
| Marriage | 1 May 1907 | Platteville, Grant Co., Wisconsin - Clarrisa Belle Kirkpatrick | | ||
| Death | 18 Nov 1945 | Milton Junction, Rock Co., Wisconsin | | ||
| Burial | Oak Hill Cemetery, Janesville, Rock Co., Wisconsin | |
Families
| Spouse | Clarrisa Belle Kirkpatrick (1870 - 1948) |
| Child | Florence Marquette (1910 - 2004) |
| Spouse | Pauline Pickering ( - ) |
Endnotes
1. Obituary of Charles Marquette, Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, Monday, November 19, 1945, Page 1 &Page 12, Col. 3.
2. E-Mail from Kathleen Wolfe (n.p: August 2010, n.d).
3. Obituary of Charles Marquette, Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, Monday, November 19, 1945, Page 1 &Page 12, Col. 3.
4. Obituary of Charles Marquette, Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, Monday, November 19, 1945, Page 1 &Page 12, Col. 3.