Virginia Gayle Williams - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P. Sevier 9/11/2009 USGenWeb NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities, when written permission is obtained from the contributor, so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. ************************************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. ************************************************************************************************ Virginia Gayle Williams - Madison Parish, Louisiana From Vicksburg Evening Post May 25, 1951 Mother, Father, Two Sisters Are Burned In Blaze Three Other Children Escape In Tragedy At Plantation TALLULAH. La., May 25-A two-year-old girl burned to death, and seven other members of her family narrowly escaped as an early-morning fire destroyed their home on Mansford Plantation six miles north of Tallulah today. Virginia Gayle Williams, 2, died in the flame-swept home. Her mother, Mrs. L. W. Williams, and two sisters, Linda, 6, and Patricia Ann, 12, were hospitalized with serious burns at a Monroe hospital, and the father, a Tallulah carpenter, was at the Tallulah Clinic with less serious burns. Three other children escaped. Sheriff C. E. Hester of Madison parish said the family was awakened at 1:30 this morning by W. B. May, a dairy worker on an adjoining place who saw the home in flames. Mr. Williams and two older sons, Wayman, 16. and Exton, 13, helped get the younger children out of the burning building. The flame-swept cottage collapsed before the little girl could be rescued. Wayman received superficial burns, but he was released after first-aid treatment at the Monroe hospital. Exton and an older daughter, Nina Faye, were not injured. The couple have two other sons, both in the Army. The Tallulah Fire Department was called to the scene but the home vas too far gone when it arrived. The body of Virginia Gayle is at the Crothers Funeral Home where services will probably be held late this afternoon or early, tomorrow. Witnesses reported the most seriously burned of the survivors was Mrs. Williams, whose night clothes were ignited in the effort to save the children. From Vicksburg Evening Post May 26, 1951 VIRGINIA GAYLE, FIRE VICTIM OF TALLULAH BURIED Memorial Services Await Recovery Of Others In Family TALLULAH, La., May 26 -The charred body of little Virginia Gayle Williams was buried in Silver Cross Cemetery yesterday, but the funeral services were postponed until her parents and two older sisters are able to attend. Two-year-old Virginia Gayle died when a midnight fire swept the sleeping Williams cottage near Talla Bena early Friday. Seven other members of the family narrowly escaped, some plunging from the inferno with blazing night clothes. Her mother, Mrs. L. W. Williams and two sisters, Linda and Patricia Ann, were hospitalized in Monroe. Mr. Williams was confined at the Tallulah clinic, and an older brother, Wayman, was released after treatment of a second-degree burn on his back. The father said yesterday afternoon he was awakened by the screams of two younger children. The home was wrapped in flames, he said. He and Mrs. Williams, with the help of their older sons, herded the smaller children out the front door. He was burned severely, and Mrs. Williams' night clothes caught fire when they attempted to rescue the baby. The house was totally destroyed by fire, along with all of the family's belongings. Mr. Williams said the keys to his car were in his pants pocket in the home, and the family had to huddle in the yard in their night clothes until help could be summoned. A Crothers ambulance from Tallulah took the injured to Monroe. Crothers also arranged the burial of Virginia Gayle.