The lives of two well known Delano farmers were snuffed out last Thursday…

Two Delano Farmers, Robert Smith and Emmett Griffith, Have fatal Accident With Dynamite as a result of a premature explosion of 20 sticks of dynamite, the lives of two well known Delano farmers were snuffed out last Thursday. Emmett Griffith and Robert Smith were lowing stumps and had set down on a log to rest a moment.  Near them was a pail containing 20 sticks of dynamite, a quantity of dynamite caps and fuse. They both were smoking and the supposition is that a spark from one of their pipes fell into the pail and caused the explosion which occurred a few minutes after they had seated themselves. Griffith had both legs blown off near the thigh and was otherwise mangled. He lived for only two to three hours after the accident.Smith had one leg and one arm blown off and suffered other severe injuries.  He died about 5:00 o’clock that afternoon.  Both men regained consciousness before they died and told the same story as to how the accident occurred.
The funerals were held on Saturday and Sunday. Griffith was 26 years old and leaves a widow and one child.  Smith was 19 years old and single. The sympathy of the entire community is extended to the bereaved relatives.
 Newspaper Article: Found by: Penny Carney (Note from Coni: Need a copy of this!)

Emmet Griffith Death Certificate – Donated by Laura McAdams

State of Michigan Death Certificate

Birth: Sept 18, 1889 Death: Sept 23, 1915
Reason for death: Dynamite Shot accident 

Occupation: Farmer
Name of Father: D Griffith Born in: Michigan 

Name of Mother: Emma Courtright Born in: Michigan
Date of Burial: Sept 25, 1915 – Undertaker: Claud Forshee
Donated by: Laura McAdams

Michigan, Deaths and Burials Index, 1867-1995

Name: Emmet Griffith
Birth Date: abt 1889 Birth Place: Michigan
Death Date: 23 Sep 1915

Death Place: Whitney Twp, Arenac, Michigan Death Age: 26
Occupation: Farmer

Race: White Marital Status: Married Gender: Male
Residence: Whitney Twp, Arenac, Michigan
Father Name: D. Griffith Father Birth Place: Michigan

Mother Name: Emma Courtright Mother Birth Place: Michigan
FHL Film Number: 1006675

 

Note from Coni: I have this burial info: buried at Sims-Whitney Cemetery

Row 8 E2W: W line  Block 3 Plot 21

20. Griffith    Minnie (P.N.)
21.  Grififth     Dee    (P.N.)

         Griffith  Emmet (P.N.)  Sept 18, 1889 – Sept. 23, 1915 Ed a Manor, caretakers of Linwood Cemetery in AuGres Township was at the Sim-Whitney Cemetery on the day I was exploring it 5/15/13 – he stated that the Griffith family plot had a body they unburied and placed in a box and buried it back into the ground beside where Dee I Griffith is buried – due to a female family member request – unsure as to the whole story but will try to get him on record as to what happened!

Note: They are looking for help in locating the burial locations of 40 people at the Linwood Cemetery.  Their records show that there are 40 death certificates that give the burial place as Linwood or AuGres Cemetery.  They cannot match these certificates with any of the cemeteries plots.