General Notes

 
Leander B. Bloyd Obituary
     Walla Walla, Washington Bulletin 8/26/1916

     Headline: L. B. Bloyd Killed in Automobile Accident
     Prominent Columbia County Farmer Crushed When Car Crashed Over Cliff.
     Was Only Occupant of Auto Accident Yesterday Ten Miles From Prescott.

     Leander B. Bloyd, wealthy Columbia County farmer and veteran of the Civil War, went to his death yesterday morning when the automobile in which he was driving backed over a cliff on the main road about 10 miles northeast of Prescott, near the Columbia County line. The car turned over four times  during the descent, crashing downwards for a distance of 150 feet. Mr. Bloyd, the only occupant of the machine, was killed instantly.

     The accident occurred at about 6:30 o'clock yesterday morning. Mr. Bloyd left his home about nine miles northeast of Prescott at 6 o'clock to visita neighbor. He urged his wife to accompany him, but she decided to  remain at home.  The car, a new Overland, had been purchased by Mr. Bloyd this summer, and he was inexperienced at driving.  Yesterday is said to have been the first time he had it out alone.

     The hill where the tragedy occurred is about a mile from the Bloyd home,and it is thought the accident happened by Mr. Bloyd throwing the car into reverse when about halfway up the hill, instead of putting it into low as he  intended. Responding to the gear, the car jumped backwards over the  cliff before the driver had time to get it under control. When examined later, the machine was found in reverse gear with the emergency brake set.

     At about 7:30 a visitor from the ranch which Mr. Bloyd had gone to visit stopped in at the Bloyd residence and when questioned declared Mr. Bloyd had not arrived when he had left and that he had not seen him on the road.

     Mrs. Bloyd, becoming anxious, made telephone inquiries at the farm houses along the road. No one living past the hill had seen him. Deciding that her husband had had trouble on the hill, which is about a mile from the house, Mrs. Bloyd set out, accompanied by a neighbor. When she neared the  hill she saw the machine at the bottom of the canyon.  She was the first to reach the scene of the accident, and  found her husband dead beneath the machine, crushed to his death. He had been killed instantly.

     Coroner J. W. Cookerly was summoned and arrived on the scene within a short time. He found that the accident  had happened a mile inside the Collumbia County line, but upon a telephone order from the Columbia County  prosecuting  attorney, he took charge of the body anyway, bringing it to this city.

     The deceased was one of the wealthiest and best known farmers in Columbia County. He was born in the Middle West 66 years ago, and crossed the Plains with his parents at eleven years of age settling in California. When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted with the northern forces at Vancouver, Wash., and served throughout the conflict. He has been an active member of the G.A.R. during late years.

     Eighteen years ago, he came north with his family, locating in the Walla Walla valley. For the past 14 years he had lived continually on his farm ten miles northeast of Prescott. The extent of his farming operations is shown by the fact that on Saturday he disposed of 30,000 bushels of wheat,a portion of his total holdings, at $1.20 per bushel.
     Besides his wife, he leaves three daughters, Mrs. A.B. Ronderma , Mrs. O.M. Mall, and Mrs. F. C. Fender, all  residing near Prescott.

     The body has been removed to the Cookerly and Cantonwine chapel, and the funeral will be held from there tomorrow afternoon, the exact hour to be announced later.

     Note from the transcriber: Leander Bloyd was the son of William Riggen Bloyd and Lydia Thurber. He was born      March 08, 1851 and died August 25,1916.