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Submitted: 3/14/09 • Approved: 5/3/13 • Last Updated: 5/22/13 • R168119-G0-S3
1871 - 1922
*Obituary
Rogers Democrat
Thursday, August 10, 1922
MATTHEWS, Frank - [from The Fort Smith Times-Record, Aug. 6] Frank Matthews of Fort Smith was killed and two sons, Fred and Theodore, were injured when a brick wall upon which they were working caved in at Okemah, Okla. at 10 o'clock Saturday morning. The building, which tumbled in at Okemah causing Mr. Matthews' death, was a two-story brick garage and office building, owned by a Mr. Walker of that city. It had been condemned and work was being done to strengthen it when the accident occurred. Mr. Matthews had been at work only a short time when the wall toppled over. He was caught under the shower of bricks and crushed. Eight men were at work on the wall when it fell and three men were seriously injured: Mr. Matthews, who died about thirty minutes after he was taken from the ruins; Jesse Morris, Braden, Okla., expected to die; Dan Miller, skull fractured and body badly bruised; Fred and Theodore Matthews were cut and bruised; L.E. Kelley suffered a broken leg and cuts about the body; J.D. O'Kelley, both legs and hips bruised. The crash came without warning. The noise of the collapse was followed by screams of the victims, which were heard for several blocks and hundreds of citizens rushed at once to the aid of the buried men. Mr. Matthews was a brick mason, a member of the local brick layers union and formerly foreman for John Reddick construction company. Mr. Matthews, who was 51 years old, had been living at 903 North 11th street for the past few months but his home was in Rogers, Ark., as he moved with his family to that place from Fort Smith about three years ago. Besides the two sons that were injured when he was killed, he is survived by his wife, one daughter, Anna Elizabeth, age 7 years, and another son, Frank, Jr., who is attending John E. Brown College at Siloam Springs; also two brothers, Zeke Matthews of Beaumont, Texas and John Matthews of Rogers. ***** Mrs. Matthews, accompanied by her son, Frank and Theodore, arrived in Rogers Monday afternoon with the body of their father. The funeral was held at the residence on South A. street, east of the tracks in the south part of town, Tuesday morning at ten o'clock and was conducted by Rev. C.W. Lester, pastor of the Central M.E. church. Zeke Matthews and wife arrived Monday evening from Beaumont, Tex. and were here for the funeral. The Matthews brothers have for a number of years been the best known brick masons in Northwest Arkansas and built most of the brick houses of Rogers. Frank had been away from Rogers several times but had owned property here. His sudden and untimely death was a great shock to the many friends who extend their deepest sympathy to the wife and children.
Contributed on 3/14/09 by wfields55
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Record #: 168119