Judy's Family Tree-Heffren-Cooper-Scalf- Kidd-Wrestler of Il:Information about Henry Lafayette Wrestler
Henry Lafayette Wrestler (b. July/09/1862, d. July/31/1936)
Notes for Henry Lafayette Wrestler:
Henry was helping his son, Grover bale straw on their farm by Enion, Illinois.He had straw bales piled all around himself and the baler.The baler burst into flames, caught the straw on fire and Henry was trapped in the bales and could not get out.The straw was very dry and he burned to death. Futile attempts were made to save him. Also Henry had a severe limp and was handicapped with his ambulation.According to his Death Certificate, he was born July 09, 1862, age 74 years 3 months, and 22 days at the times of his death.He was a retired farmer.The son of Washington Wrestler and Sarah Warner, who were both born in Ohio, although other document states that Washington was born in Illinois.Henry was married to Mary Jones.They had 2 children, Grover and Ruth Estelle.He was buried at Hickory Cemetery, Kerton Township, Fulton County, Illinois. The tombstone was erected by Henry's grandsons, Raymond A. Heffren and Milford Heffren.Undertaker was Fitzhenry of Havana, Illinois.Death Certificate obtained through the Illinois State Genealogical Society, (Illinois Death Certificates 1917-1947). OBITUARY:H.L.Wrestler, Kerton Farmer Burns To Death.Son and othersnearby in futile effort to save life of aged man. Flames sweep 80 acre field.Henry Lafayette Wrestler, 74 year old Kerton township farmer was burned to death, yesterday when a spark from the exhaust pipe of abaler set fire to a straw stack while he and his son, Grover C.Wrestler, two grandsons, and a neighbor, Lafayette Mahan were baling straw on the Charles Welch farm in Isabel township.The right side of the son's face was badly burned as he attempted to rescue his father.Efforts to rescue the aged man, a cripple since childhood, were futile, because of the rapid spread of the flames, Grover Wrestler told a Ledger reporter.The body burned to a crisp, portions of the arms and legs burned away, lay in the charred field for several hours before being removed to a Havana Mortuary.It was some time after the start of the fire before Dr.R.H.Maguire, Deputy Coroner was notified.In describing the scene, Grover Wrestler said:"We started to bale about 30 bales of straw and had finished 22 of them when I looked up to see flames shooting alongin the stubble under the baler.He never had a chance, for almost instantly, he was enveloped in a mass of flames and although, Mr.Mahan and myself made every possible effort to reach him, rescue was impossible.He was penned in and before we could move the baler was covered with the flaming straw."The flames spread rapidly, destroying the baler and sweeping over the 80 acre field, tinder dry as a result of the recent hot weather and lack of rain, almost before the men and boys were able to flee to safety.Boy Is Hero,The hero of the farm tragedy was 11 year old Robert Wrestler, grandson of the fire victim, who, in testifyingat an inquest conducted at the Pfetzing Mortuary in Havana last last evening, told how he had grabbed a can containing gasoline and carried it from the blazing machine.Rushing back, he called to his grandfather, telling him to climb over the machine.The lad then made an effort to start the engine of a tractor attached to the baler, so that it could be moved, but was forced to abandon the plan as the flames spread toward him.The coroner's jury, after hearing details of the starting of the fire, efforts to rescue the aged man, and viewing the body; returned a verdict, declaring death due tothird degree burns, accidentally sustained.Mr.Wrestler was born in Kerton Township, July 09, 1862,and had spent his entire life in the community where he was known as an industrious and efficient farm operator.Funeral services were held this morning at the Pfetzing Mortuary.
More About Henry Lafayette Wrestler:
Burial: Hickory Cemetery, Fulton Co.Il.
More About Henry Lafayette Wrestler and Mary E. Jones:
Marriage: March/14/1892, Mason County, Havana, Il.474
Children of Henry Lafayette Wrestler and Mary E. Jones are:
- +Ruth Estelle Wrestler, b. March/26/1894, Kerton Township, Fulton County, Illinois, d. April/15/1927, Fulton County, Illinois.
- +Grover C. Wrestler.