Horace Irwin Pearson was born March 23, 1894, in
Monday, 26 Jan 1903:
Eric [sic] Pearson, aged about 8 years, son of
George Pearson, fell off a
freight train at Mounds this afternoon at
2:30 o’clock, and was run over, both legs being cut off. The boy’s father is employed
at the
Wednesday, 28 Jan 1903:
Horace
Pearson, the lad who was run
over by a train at Mounds Monday, had both of his limbs amputated, as they were
too severely injured to save. It is hoped that his life can be saved in spite of his
terrible injury. Last evening he was somewhat better.
Friday, 30 Jan 1903:
Little Horace
Irwin, son of G. W. Pearson, who
was badly injured by being run over by a train, will recover.
(Mounds)
The injury does not seem to have kept him homebound. The following clipping is from the September 20, 1904, issue of The Cairo Bulletin.
In March of 1917, Horace's mother died. Horace is not mentioned as attending her funeral, nor is he listed in the card of thanks (see below).
To date, I have been unable to find a 1920 census for Horace, so I have been unable to confirm his residence.
In 1927, The Pulaski
Patriot mentions Horace in his father’s obituary. "[George] is survived by two daughters, Mrs.
Nettie Miller, of Mattoon, and Mrs.
B. Arter, of Chicago;
three sons, Ben Pearson, of Chicago,
P. E. Pearson, of Evansville, Ind., and Horace Pearson, of Mound
City."
There is a 1930 census from Mounds that lists a Horace I. Pearson married to a Lulu D (lines 40 & 41). The date of birth corresponds, but the birthplaces of his father and mother do not.
However, it also lists Horace as a “canvasser of notions” which corresponds with this Find-a-Grave entry for Horace Pearson:
Relatives of Horace Pearson could not be
located, but it was learned that he operated from
- Democrat
Argus -
Imagine my surprise when I found this! What was Horace doing in this area? How had he died? Why didn't any of his relatives claim him?
Christina
Sides-Williams, of The Democrat Argus (which
is still in circulation) was able to provide this additional
information: The headline on the front page that
day read Hayti Attorney Loses Life In Disastrous Fire Early Saturday: Legless Cripple
Also Is Victim.
The fire was in a two story office building in the Hayti square. Specifically in the office
of U.S. Commissioner Houston H. Buckley. A
jury verdict was used to decide the cause of death because there was not much left of Mr. Buckley
and there was a concussion in his skull above his ear, so they were worried
that it could be foul play. In the end they decided he died from burns and asphyxiation
and that the indent was from heat. It goes on to mention Mr. Pearson
who was known as Happy Jack. He evidently had no legs and got around on a
makeshift platform that had been mounted on roller skates. They believe
that he often slept there and that he had been on his way to Buckley's office, probably to check on him when he was overtaken by
the smoke. They were unable to locate any relatives for him but said that he
operated from
What was Horace doing in this area? Business, apparently.
How had he died? In a fire. We can assume from the information above that he was penniless and virtually friendless.
Why didn't any of his relatives claim him? By 1941, I don't believe he had any immediate family left in the Pulaski County area, but his half-sister, Rosa, resided in East St. Louis, IL. His brother, Peyton Eric, lived in St. Louis, MO. Surely they were close enough...
Because of the notoriety of Commissioner Buckley, there are many articles detailing Horace's final moments. Below is the most detailed account I have found.
Horace
died March 29, 1941, in Hayti,
