Sunday evening at about 8:45 o’clock, Miss Sarah Merrill was instantly killed as a result of an automobile accident which occurred just west of Table Grove. Other occupants of the car injured were: Miss Nellora Quigley and Glen Fordyce. They were driving a Mitchell car and the driver, George Hughes escaped uninjured.
The young people are residents of Table Grove and were out riding. According to reports were racing with a Ford car, driven by Don Haney who lives in the country and who was accompanied by Miss Merna Dean of Table Grove. In passing the Ford the Mitchell ran into a ditch at the side of the road. As the driver tried to pull back into the track, the machine skidded crosswise of the road and rolled over throwing the occupants from it.
Miss Merrill was dead when her friends reached her side. Her neck was broken, her left shoulder fractured and a three-inch cut on the right thigh and a bruise on her right side.
Miss Merrill is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Merrill of Table Grove. She was their only child. She is about 19 years of age and was a student at Brown’s business college at Galesburg last year.
An inquest was held Monday. A verdict of accidental death was returned by the jury.
The father of the young lady was a former Astoria resident, son of the late Henry Merrill residing just east of Astoria.
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The funeral services for Miss Sarah Merrill, who was killed in an automobile accident in Table Grove Sunday night, were held Thursday noon of last week, at the Table Grove Presbyterian church and interment was made in the Table Grove cemetery.
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This vicinity was shocked Tuesday morning when word came that Miss Sarah Merrill of Table Grove, was dead and two others, Miss Quigley and Glen Fordyce also of that place were seriously hurt as the result of an auto accident, which occurred about ¾ of a mile west of Table Grove about 8:45 Sunday evening when they Mitchell Touring car in which they were riding turned over 3 times after swerving in the road. Geo. Hughes in whose car the party were riding escaped without injury in the terrible accident.
It is said the car was traveling at a very rapid rate of speed in order to pass another car in which Don Haney and Miss Merna Dean were riding, and just as they passed a rough rut was struck and the weight of the heavy car was thrown on one wheel and it turned over as stated throwing the occupants out and Miss Merrill was dragged by the car as it turned until it came to a stand still a distance of some 30 or 40 feet. It is thought death came to her almost instantly as her neck was broken and her shoulders and chest were badly crushed and large wounds were inflicted on one limb.
Sarah had graduated High School with class of 1919 and had attended school at State Normal in Macomb, Ill., and had taken a 3 months business course at Galesburg, Ill. She had been employed to teach her home district school, Corn Hill the coming fall and winter.
She had united with United Brethren Church several years ago and was a faithful worker while she lived in this community. She had a sister, Frances who preceded her in death several years ago.
Funeral services were held in the Presbyterian Church in Table Grove, Ill. Interment in Harris Cemetery. Sarah is survived by her parents, Henry and Addie (Bevans) Merrill.
Sarah was born in Astoria, Ill., Dec. 25, 1901 and died Aug. 1, 1920.
Taken from Obituaries, Vol. 1. Compiled by Virgil Foster, Fulton Co., Ill.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus