Dallas Morning News
August 11, 1912
Special to the News

Lightning Kills Family of Three
J.H. Shelley, Wife and Daughter Found Death At Home in Collin County

McKinney, Tex., Aug 10 - Neighbors not seeing any signs of life about the place since Thursday night and going to his home early this morning to learn the cause, found J.H. Shelley, his wife and daughter dead, the three of them having evidently been killed by lightning during the severe electrical storm of Thursday night. Mr. Shelley was a prominent farmer, living in the Crossroads Community, where...of the bodies.

Mr. Shelley was engaged in securing the fastening on a window, while his wife and daughter stood near by, when the bolt of lightning struck the house, killing all instantly.

Justice Tally Jeffcoat, acting Coroner, is holding an inquest which had not been concluded when the latest report was received from there this afternoon. There were no other members of the family.

"..my great-great grandparents and their daughter are buried at Crossroads Cemetery in Grayson County.  They were all struck by lightening in their home & died together.  Because travel was almost impossible after the storm, and our good Texas black mud made digging so difficult, neighbors buried J.H. Shelley, his wife Serena, and their daughter Gladys all in the same grave.  This is why there is only one headstone with all 3 of their names. My grandmother and her parents arrived almost a week after the funeral (by wagon) because travel was so difficult.  They had traveled from Collin County. "