Struck by lightning

Frank Alford


  Frank Milton Alford (25/7 1894 – 2/9 1910)
  D2c branch [1.2.11.8.1.8.2]
  Son of John Alford & Margaret Newby
  Pleasant View, Cherokee, Kansas
  Unmarried


  Primary sources + living sources
  31-03-2021


Frank’s grave in Carl Junction Cemetery. Source: Findagrave.com.

The family is hit by yet another tragedi when the emigrants’ 16 year old grandson Frank Milton is struck by lightning while plowing a field in Miami, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma. Death is instantaneous for him and his three horses, and a coin is said to have melted in his pocket. The obituary in the Carl Junction Dealer 9 September 1910 runs as follows.

Frank Milton Alford, son of John and Maggie Alford was born July 25, 1894 at Pleasant View, Cherokee county, Ks. His parents moved from there to Chitwood Mo. And last spring they moved to Doss Okla. where they were farming.

He was a kind and obedient son and always ready to assist his parents. On Friday about 10 o’clock they supposed he was killed by a bolt of lighting, killing him and the three horses instantly.

He left to mourn his loss, a father, mother, one sister and two brothers besides a host of relatives and friends. He was 16 years, 1 month and 8 days old. The remais were shipped to Joplin where Undertaker, G. D. Chitwood met them and brought them to Carl Junction Christian church where the funeral was preached by W. C. Willey at 2 p.m. After which interment took place at the Carl Junction cemetery.

Frank’s grave in Carl Junction Cemetery. Source: Findagrave.com.

Frank grew up at the Alford farm in Lawtonicon-map-marker, Pleasant View township in Cherokee Co., Kansas.

Alford farms at Lawton. Source: Google.

In 1909 the family moves to Narcissaicon-map-marker, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma, where the country is extremely flat and open. It would certainly be unwise to be out plowing in a thunderstorm in this landscape.

The landscape around Narcissa is very flat. Source: Google.


Research data

  •  name (others’ spellings): Fr. Alford (1895); Frank M. Alford (1900); Frank Alford (1910)
  •  cens. 1895-1910 Pleasant View: 1895; 1900; Narcissa: 1910