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The Life of Isabella Walker

MRS. BELLE WALKER

 DEATH CAME TO FORMER OLATHE WOMAN THURSDAY

Santa Fe Passenger Train Killed Her at Clare - Near Girlhood Home Fatal Accident Occurs - Burial Here.

 A shocking tragedv was enacted Thursday morning near Clare station on the Santa Fe, six miles southwest of Olathe, when Mrs. Belle Walker, a resident of Johnson County for 48 years, untill two years ago, when she  moved to Rosedale to live with her son, Clarence, was run over and instantly killed by the east-hound passenger train at 9:19, her bodv terribly mutilated.

 Mrs. George Abbott and Miss Mardie Millikan had spent Wednesday at Mrs. Walker''s home in Rosedale she accompanying them to Olathe Wednesday evening, spending the night with Miss Millikan, her cousin, in order to take the 9:00 o''clock Santa Fe for Clare, where she expected to visit that dav with her sister, Mrs. John Kellv. and attend on Friday evening, the 25th wedding anniversary of another sister, Mrs. Will Kelly, and Mr. Kelly.

She did not wait for a conveyance from the John Kelly home as she was anxious to be with her sister as soon as possible, so took her girp and walked up the lane to the wagon road and north in the road to the Santa Fe tracks.

Mrs. P.D. Hartley, who lives just north of the track, saw Mrs. Walker coming down the grade toward the track, which is double at this point - the tracks making a sharp curve just west of the wagon road, the view from that point being almost wholely obstructed by a high bank. As she stepped onto the east track the engine, very close to her, but just around the curve, whistled, but no doubt, thinking that the train was on the track on which she was at that moment -  as it is almost the universal custom for east bound trains to run on east tracks – she hurriedly stepped over to the west track and was struck by the train, which approached on that track.

She was carried three or four rods toward the station and instantly killed. The train halted and her mangled body, placed on a lap robe which George Vance brought from the store, was carried to the station.

Relatives were summoned bv telephone. Coroner P. L. Lathrop and undertaker Julien were called from Olathe and the body was taken to the John Kelly home. The funeral was held from the Methodist church in Olathe at 2:00 o''clock Friday afternoon, Rev. Bascom Robbins officiating. Burial was made in the Olathe cemetery, the Eastern Star ladies having charge of that service.

 Miss Isabella Millikan was born November 27, 1858, near Montezuma, Park County, Ind. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Branson Millikan and a niece of Uncle Jonathan Millikan, aged 88, who built the first house in Olathe. She came to Kansas with her parents in the Spring of ‘58 at the age of seven years, and resided with her parents on the farm at Lone Elm until her marriage to Mr. George Walker in 1873. To this union one son. Clarence, was born, who now lives at 4203  Booth Ave., Rosedale.

Mr. Walker died 21 years ago on April 23rd. He and his brother, Mr. Ross Walker, were pioneer merchants of Olathe and were in business together for a number of vears in a double store, one used as a harness shop, the other, men''s furnishings, boots, shoes, etc. Thev manufactured their own boots and shoes.

Mrs. Walker is survived bv a son, Clarence, 4203 Booth Ave., Rosedale, five sisters. Mrs. Mary C. Morrison of Olathe, Mrs. Jane Widmer of Spring Hill, Mrs. John Kelly of Clare, Mrs. Will Kelly of Lone Elm, and Mrs. Maude Stevenson of Lawrence, and one brother, Mr. A. R. Millikan of Lone Elm.

Mrs. Walker joined the First Methodist church in Olathe at the age of 18 years and has ever been a devoted Christian woman. She was active in the different societies of the church and the amount of good she accomplished was not small. She was a member of Eastern Star and was also active in the good work done bv this order In her everyday life, Mrs. Walker passed the inherent qualities of a good beloved woman. True to herself, her loved ones about her and the Maker, she set an example of all living to follow. She was a woman of rare worth, ever charitable, and one whose noble life was the inspiration of manv. Her gentle manners and kindly ways endeared her to a large circle of devoted friends who sincerely mourn her untimely death.

Mrs. Rebekah Demott of Tangier. Ind., an aunt of Mrs. Walker''s and the oldest sister of Uncle Jonathan Millikan, died at 5:00 o''clock the same morning, at the age of 83 years.

Olathe Mirror
Thursday, March 30
Page 1, Col 1

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