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Submitted: 3/22/12 • Approved: 3/23/12 • Last Updated: 9/25/12 • R666480-G0-S3
Born December 19, 1852, Meigs County, Tennessee.
Died February 25, 1926, Brockwell, Izard County, Arkansas.
Son of Edmond & Minerva Ford.
Married Mary Emma Paul, November 17, 1872, Meigs County, Tennessee.
Calico Rock Progress, Calico Rock, Arkansas, February 26, 1926:
Oxford Man Killed When Car Overturns
Wiley Ford Victim of Accident at Brockwell Junction
Mr. Wiley Ford, one of the oldest and best known citizens of Oxford was killed almost instantly Thursday about noon when a truck, driven by John Rowden, also of Oxford, overturned at the junction of the Calico Rock highway with the Batesville-Mammoth Spring highway. Mr Ford’s neck was broken when the car turned over on him.
Mr. Jake Moore of Oxford was also on the truck at the time, but he and Mr. Rowden escaped with only slight injuries.
Mr. Ford came to Calico Rock in the truck with Mr. Rowden Thursday morning and were returning to Oxford with a load of freight. In going down the long hill to the highway junction the car gained such speed that it could not be checked sufficiently to make a short turn just before going onto the Batesville-Mammoth Spring highway, resulting in the accident.
Mr. Ford was 72 years of age, and was one of the most highly respected citizens of Oxford, having been a citizen of that community for over fifty years. He is survived by his aged wife, three sons, a daughter and two brothers. Burial took place at the Oxford cemetery Friday.
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The Melbourne Times, Melbourne, Arkansas, March 5, 1926:
Truck Turns Turtle, One Killed – Oxford Citizen Has Neck Broken
Wiley Ford aged 72 prominent citizen of Oxford had his neck broken when a truck in which he was riding Thursday of last week, got out of the driver’s control and sped down a long hill where the Calico Rock road joins the highway at Brockwell, some eight miles north of Melbourne.
The driver of the truck had just had new linings put in his transmission and brakes the day before, and thought that they were still good, but just as he turned the top of the hill he found that his brake would not hold, neither would his low clutch hold, but thinking that he could control the truck when he should reach the bottom of the hill and come upon the highway he stayed in the road. The truck continued to get faster the further it got down the hill and by the time it had reached the bottom it had up so much speed that it was wildly careening from side to side and just as the sharp curve at the foot of the hill was reached a wheel broke, which threw the truck over and over, throwing the driver and Mr. Ford and two others who were on the truck to the ground with such violence that Mr. Ford’s neck was broken.
The body was taken to Oxford where burial was given it.
(Photo courtesy of Vera Reeves)
Contributed on 3/22/12 by maxparnell
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Record #: 666480