PARR, John

Date of birth:  abt 1873
Date of death: 13 Jun 1895 – Cisco, Piatt County, Illinois

The Franklin Democrat,Friday, June 21, 1895,
page 1 column 2

PERSONAL AND LOCAL.

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John Parr, formerly a resident of Edinburg, was killed last week at Cicero, [sic] Illinois, while digging a gas well. The remains were brought to Edinburg, Saturday, where funeral services were held, conducted by Rev. J. T. O’Neal.

Submitted by Mark McCrady and Cathea Curry

The Decatur Herald (Decatur, Illinois),
Saturday morning, June 15, 1895,
page 1 column 6

DEATH BY GAS.

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Two Young Men Suffocated In a Well
Near Cisco on Thursday Afternoon

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Jesse Cornell and John Parr, two young men who were engaged in digging a well near Cisco for Thomas Cooley were suffocated by gas Thursday afternoon. The young men had just completed the work of digging the well to a depth of 68 feet and had also walled it up. Cornell went to the bottom of the well to put on a few finishing touches while Parr with a num­ber of other men who had gathered there stayed at the top. While they were waiting they heard a disturbance at the bottom of the pit and Parr immediately slid down the rope to ascertain the trouble. That was the last ever seen of him alive. After he had gone down the rope those on the surface could hear the roaring of the gas and failing to get any answer after repeated calling they came to the conclusion that both of the men had perished. The fatality occurred at 3 o’clock and it was nearly 5 before the bodies had been brought to the surface. This was done by means of a grappling hook. The amount of gas in the well became so dense that it was an impossibility for any one to venture to the bot­tom without meeting instant death. The victims of the tragedy are about 25 years of age. Cor­nell lives near Cisco while Parr recently came to that section from Shelbyville, Ind., where his body will be sent for burial.

Submitted by Lois Johnson

Note: The Illinois Statewide Death Index, part of the Illinois State Archives records that 22-year-old John Parr died 13 Jun 1895 in Cisco, Piatt County, Illinois. This information is entered as Certificate number 883 in Volume 1, page 69.