LAID TO REST¹

 Imposing Funeral Service Over Remains of Engineer E.T. Henderson

                 In the presence of a large assemblage and with imposing service, the funeral of the late Engineer E.T. Henderson took place Friday afternoon, from the home at two and from the Methodist Episcopal church at two-thirty o’clock.

                The funeral was under the auspices of Golden Rule Lodge, F. & A. M., Wm. Bramley Division, B. of L. E., and the Ladies’ Auxiliary to B. of L. E., who escorted the remains and the funeral party to the church.

                The services at the church were very impressive. Music was furnished by a mixed quartet composed of Mrs. Willigan, Miss Peck, Messrs. D. O. Williams and T. E. Stacy. Rev. O. J. Coby, the pastor, delivered the sermon, taking for his text the 3oth Chapter of Psalms, fifth verse, from which he drew many beautiful and comforting thoughts and illustrations.

The beautiful and imposing ritual of the Masonic order followed the sermon by Rev. Coby, Mr. G. W. Hoffman acting as Worshipful Master, Dr. A. R. Lydy as Senior Warden, Mr. George Fails as Junior Warden, and Mr. H. M. Ingler as chaplain. A quartet of masons, Messrs. D. O. Williams, F. W. White, Louis Simmermacher and T. W. Beelman sang the Masonic funeral dirge, and impressive prayer by the chaplain concluding this service, after which the remains were given in charge of the B. of L. E., who conducted the final service at the grave.

                The remains were taken to Zanesville Saturday morning on train No. 4 for interment.

                There were many beautiful floral offerings from the engineers, conductors, trainmen, auxiliary, masons and others, all silent tokens of love and esteem for the departed.

                Mr. Henderson was united in marriage to Sarah Tetlow Tanner, November 12, 1891. The wife, one brother, Carl O. Henderson, of Mattoon, Ill., survive him, also a stepson, Roy Tanner. The brother Carl is the only surviving member of a happy family consisting of father, mother, and four children.

                Deceased was a member of Golden Rule Lodge, F. and A. M., Wm. Bramley Division, B. of L. E., and Order of Redmen of Zanesville.

                Mr. Henderson met almost instant death at Lodi on Wednesday morning of last week, about 15 minutes after eleven. He had been at the telegraph office for orders and at the time was on the way to his engine standing near by. His conductor, August Pierce, was with him and the two were leisurely wending their way to their train. Express train No. 45 was due and Mr. Henderson, taking his watch from his pocket to learn the time, said to his companion, “45 is right on time today.” The next instant he stepped off the platform and was struck by 45’s engine and hurled fully eighty feet lengthwise of the platform. Trainmen picked up the unfortunate man, and carried him into the waiting room and hurriedly summoned physicians. The injuries were fatal, however, and in forty minutes life was extinct, consciousness having not been regained. It was a most peculiar accident and the only theory advanced is that Mr. Henderson was laboring under the impression that the express train would stop at the water tank east of the depot (which it seems was a common custom) before stopping at the station. Just as he was about to step off the platform he was warned of the approaching train. In an instant he threw up his arm and noticing the train approaching, attempted to step out of the way, but too late, the iron monster was upon him and in the next instant he was lying unconscious 80 feet away.

¹This obituary transcribed from the “Chicago Times”, Chicago Ohio (now Willard Ohio) dated Feb 15, 1906. Copy located on microfiche in Willard Ohio Library

Note: Date of death February 7, 1906. Text transcribed by great nephew Joseph R. Craig, 435 Hudson Ave. Clarendon Hills, Illinois 60514