Somber Sunday, Emma Carpenter Walsh

Emma Carpenter Walsh

Over the years of researching, my Carpenter cousins and I debated over another Carpenter sibling of our great grandparents. I had found this sibling, living in Sault Saint Marie living on the same street as my grandparents, only to find tragedy. Emma died from burns in a fire in her home, in 1918. I will have to go to the FHC to view death records to obtain an actual death date. I received the obituary after paying a hefty ransom from a RAOGK volunteer who failed to mention I would have to pay it...only to find she didn’t record the newspaper and date of the obituary. Below is the transcribed obituary of Emma....I don’t think the writing style is quite the same these days, maybe that is a good thing. They were rather descriptive.

From an unknown newspaper in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan 1918.

DIES IN HOSPITAL AFTER HOURS OF INTENSE PAIN.

Following almost twelve hours of the most intense suffering from burns sustained yesterday morning, Mrs Emma Walsh, age 46, died at the city hospital last night about 8:30 o’clock. The pain of her burns was relieved during the last moments by a kind unconsciousness. The body was removed to the Haist [?] undertaking parlors and this evening will be taken to the grief-stricken home of 251 Arlington street.

From broken phrases spoken by Mrs. Walsh yesterday as her relatives sat by her bedside. It was made known that she had lain down for a nap after her husband, P.H. Walsh, and son, Roy, had gone to their work. She was partly dressed. She was awakened by the sputtering of the oil stove and she arose and attempted to carry it to the door. The stove broke in two at the hinge and dumped the accumulated oil and flame onto the floor. Her kimono took fire instantly. This flame spread to her underclothing and ran upward to her hair and face.

Mrs. Walsh was born in Parry Sound, Ont., on April 9, 1871. She had earned a large circle of friends by her beautiful nature and the tragedy is sincerely mourned throughout the Soo. Mrs. Walsh is survived by her husband, by one daughter and one son, as well as her father, two brothers and five sisters. The daughter is Mrs. W.J. Oremus, the son is Roy, of this city. The father and brothers are in Canada. The sisters are Mrs. J.B.Wheeler of this city, Mrs William Seeley of Munising, Mrs.W.A. Hickok of Garretson, S.D.; Mrs L. Stoner and Miss Janette Carpenter of Montana.

The funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Central Methodist church. Rev. S. Arthur Cook will officiate. Interment will be in Pine Grove cemetery.

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When I was oh.. about 17ish, my mother came home from a visit in the Soo with dad. She had given me two tapestries that she explained were from my grandmother who got then out of a neighboring Victorian home on Arlington Street that had a fire, and I can’t recall if she said it was a relatives house. Could these be Emma’s tapestries?