On findagrave:
Son of Charles Patton and Nannie Million.
Incorrect spelling of Alex's name on death certificate.
Alex, his wife, son, step daughter, and 7 year old grandson Stephen L Caudill were coming home from picking black berries. Their automobile was hit by a train at the railroad crossing in Clearfield. Killing all five in the automobile.
Event: July, 18, 1927
Alex, Lou, their baby Allie, Lou’s daughter Grace from her first marriage, and Alex’s grandson Steve Caudill (son of Alex’s daughter Birchie) were all killed in a train collision.
The Morehead News reported on the incident as follows (part of the article is missing from the photocopy):
WORST ACCIDENT IN HISTORY OF ROWAN COUNTY
Five Killed and One Seriously Injured When Train Strikes Car In Which They Were Riding
The citizens of Morehead and surrounding communities were shocked as never before Monday morning at 10:30 o’clock when the news came that Alex Patton and family had been killed by train No. 27 at Bronston Crossing two miles west of Morehead.
Mr. Patton, his wife and five-months-old baby Allie, Mrs. Patton’s daughter by a former marriage, Miss Grace McClain, 15 years old; Elmo Caudill, an 8-year-old son of Prof. and Mrs. Stephen Caudill, formerly of this city but who recently moved to a farm near the scene of the accident, were killed instantly; and Albert McClain, 5-year-old son of Mrs. Patton, was seriously hurt and was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital at Lexington on train No. 23 the same day, where it is (...) serious condition, having (... bottom of column missing in the photocopy)
...his neighbors or friends needed help Alex Patton was always there to do all he could. He was a good and honest man, devoted to his family and friends.
Mr. Patton’s children are as follows: Mrs. Stephen W. Caudill, of Bronston; Mrs. Nannie Crawford, Cleveland, Ohio; Mrs. Effie Abbott, Cincinnati, Ohio; Mrs. Dan Dyer, Clearfield, Ky; Mrs. Eva Markwell, Shelby, Ohio; Grant, Shiloh, Ohio; Charles, Robert, Joseph, Wilburn and Eugene, all of Shelby, Ohio. He also leaves a brother, Ed Patton of Dale, Oklahoma, and a sister, Mrs. Dorothy Ratliff, of Carter Co.
Mrs. Patton is survived by the following children: Fred McClain, age 17, of Illinois; Alvin McClain, age 12 years; Milan George McClain, 9 years old, and Albert McClain, age” (end of clipping photocopy)
Four of the victims were buried together under a shared gravestone, which reads:
Alex Patton Sep 4, 1863 - July 18, 1927 Lou Ella Patton His Wife Nov 5, 1892 - July 18, 1927 Allie Young Patton Feb 28, 1927 - July 18, 1927 Grace McClain Oct 13, 1911 - July 18, 1927
This week's featured connections are Redheads: Alex is 18 degrees from Catherine of Aragón, 18 degrees from Clara Bow, 29 degrees from Julia Gillard, 13 degrees from Nancy Hart, 16 degrees from Rutherford Hayes, 15 degrees from Rita Hayworth, 20 degrees from Leonard Kelly, 20 degrees from Rose Leslie, 21 degrees from Damian Lewis, 18 degrees from Maureen O'Hara, 24 degrees from Jopie Schaft and 35 degrees from Eirik Thorvaldsson on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
Categories: Lee Cemetery, Morehead, Kentucky