Grayson County TXGenWeb

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, August 17, 1884
pg. 3

THOMAS JASPER CLARK
He Meets an Untimely Death by a Railroad Accident
The Largest Funeral Procession Ever Seen in Denison Followed His Remains to the Grave
"When musing on companions gone, We doubly feel ourselves alone."

Everybody in Denison knew Tom Clark, knew him to honor and respect him as an exemplary citizen and upright man; a man whose every day walk along life's meandering and shifting pathway was in all respects consistent and in harmony with virtue and rectitude; a model husband, a kind father, a fast and unflinching friend. Rendering justice to all men according to their merits, the announcement of his sudden death swept heavily over the heart-strings of hundreds of warm, sincere, appreciating, and admiring friends and cast a dark and murky cloud of gloom over the entire community.
For the past twenty-five years Mr. Clark had been a railroader - most of the time an engineer. He came to Denison about eleven years ago and was for some years engineer on the H. & T. C., but subsequently resigned his position on that road and became a passenger engineer on the Mo. Pac., where he was faithful and prompt in the discharge of duty up to Saturday, August 9th. On that fatal day, exactly at 4:29 p.m., just this side of Kingston, the engine which he was manipulating ran over a steer and capsized. The much lamented engineer was caught between the reverse lever and seat box and was scalded by the steam issuing from the broken dome of the steam whistle. He was immediately brought back as far as Leonard where he died about midnight following his injuries.
As soon as the accident occurred, the poor man realized that he must soon lie down in the icy arms of relentless and inexorable death, and he lost no time in sending for his wife and making hurried preparations for his demise. He had a friend to note down some outstanding indebtedness and requested that the same be promptly settled out of the means left behind. Rev. Mr. Cole being on the train, the dying man, by his own request, was baptized into the church.
His wife with a physician reached him about two hours before his death and found him perfectly rational, though suffering the most excruciating pain.
Before death deprived him of sensibility, Mr. Clark made his will and advised his agonized wife concerning the management of her business and the nurture and education of their children.
By industry, energy and perseverance the dead man left his bereft family in possession of a good, comfortable home and life insurance policies amounting to something near $5,000.
After death released the unfortunate man from his sufferings, his body was brought to his home over east of the railroad in this city, from which point the funeral took place Sunday afternoon. Before the remains were taken from the family residence, Rev. Mr. Gorsline, of the M.E. Church, preached a funeral sermon over the corpse, clothed in language admirably befitting the occasion.
The eulogy of Mr. Gorsline being over, the funeral procession commenced its march toward the old cemetery, and it was the longest procession of the kind ever before seen in Denison, reaching as it did, the full length of six blocks.
For the past seventeen years of his life, the deceased had been a worthy member of the Masonic Fraternity, and he also was a zealous member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, both of which orders followed his remains to the grave. Being a member of the city council, the municipal authorities formed a part of the procession.

ORDER OF PROCESSION
1. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
2. The Conductors and Brakemen
3. Railroad Employees
4. The Masonic attendance
5. The hearse, with six pall-bearers composed of the different organizations of which the deceased had been a member
6. The family of deceased
7. Mayor and City Council
8. A very long line of citizens, in carriages and otherwise.

The grave reached, the body was interred to mingle with "the earth as it was" by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Masons, the first shovel of dirt being thrown over the body exactly at 4:29 p.m., just twenty-four hours subsequent to the capsizing of the engine.
Thus passed away a true man, whose well spent life and honorable deportment will long remain fresh in the memories of all who knew him.
The deceased was born in Hill County, Georgia, fifty-five years ago, and twenty-eight years afterward he was married in Atlanta. He was the father of twelve children, six of whom still live to mourn the loss of a kind father, clustered around their widowed mother.
Mr. Clark's son James was on the engine firing for him at the time of the sad accident and was badly burned and otherwise injured, but he will probably recover.
We learn that the Brotherhood of Engineers employed two experienced nurses, at $75 per month, to attend young Clark until he thoroughly recovers. This was indeed an act of charitable and fraternal kindness that speaks volumes for the liberal, generous and philanthropic spirit permeating the order, and holds up every member thereof as a monument of exemplary conduct worthy of being imitated by every member of society.