Grayson County TXGenWeb

Denison Daily News
Thursday, November 12, 1874
pg. 3

FATAL ACCIDENT
We are called upon to record a sad accident which occurred Wednesday evening about 5 o'clock.
Willie Rosecrans [sic], an 11 year old son or our fellow citizen, William Rosecrans [sic], was riding one of the horses belonging to Carson's Livery Stable to water. When near Nelm's boarding house on Crawford street, a little boy named Jay Johnston, struck the horse with a strap as he was passing, just for sport. The horse immediately reared up and started to run throwing Willie onto his neck where he clung an instant and then fell over backward, his head striking a rock, breaking his neck, and also rupturing a blood vessel internally. The poor boy expired almost instantly. Willie's father and mother were sent for immediately, and Dr. Berry was promptly summoned, but the vital spark had already left the body when they arrived.
The funeral too place this evening at the residence of the parents. The afflicted family have the sympathy of our entire community in their sudden bereavement.

It was commendable in Professor Phillips, and showed a delicate consideration for the feelings of the afflicted parents, to dismiss the school this evening to allow the students to attend the funeral of their schoolmate, Willie Rosecrans [sic]. Nearly every one of the 500 pupils joined in the procession.

Denison Daily News
Monday, December 28, 1874
pg. 3

DIED
Died in this city, Saturday night, of typhoid fever, Murray Brooks, aged twelve years [sic]. Master Brooks was a pupil at Union Seminary, and had been sick several weeks. His parents reside in the southwest portion of the city, near the Seminary.
This is the second student that has been called away from the institute by the Dread Angel. The first death resulting from an accident, that of little Willie Rosegrants.