On This Day in Family History - July 16

 Cleo Ford died 16 July 1913, age 18

Photo: Charles, Cleo, William Ford

William was the father of Charles, Charles was the father of Cleo

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Cleo was actually the only biological child of Charles Ford. When Charles married Effie Harvey Conklin he adopted her young son Otho Horace; then later Charles and Effie adopted Horace's baby son Otho Simeon. 

Photo L-R: Charles Ford, Cleo, Otho Simeon, Otho Horace, Effie 

The Hartford Day Spring

Wednesday, July 23, 1913

Cleo Ford Is Electrocuted and Body Falls Lifeless From Tree

Hartford Young Man, Aged 19, Is Killed By Heavily Charged Electric Light Wire

FAMILY WITNESSES TRAGEDY

Youth Had Climbed Maple Tree to Inspect Dead Limbs and Encountered Live

Wire

  Climbing into a maple tree to inspect the damage being done to the tree by electric light wires, Cleo Ford, aged 19, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ford, met instant death by electrocution in front of the family home on Maple street at seven o'clock last Wednesday evening. His body fell to the ground, a distance of eighteen feet, and his head was badly crushed by the fall. Physicians were hurriedly summoned, but they declared that he met death from the electric shock, being dead before his body struck the ground. The only mark upon the body was where the wire burned the hand which grasped it.

His death, which is the first fatality from electricity since the establishment of the local electric lighting plant fourteen years ago, was one of the most distressing accidents that has occurred in Hartford in several years. It was witnessed by his parents, who were sitting on the lawn at the home and who had just cautioned him to avoid the deadly electric wires.

  The young man and his father had spent the day in a fishing trip. Returning in the evening the family had gathered on the lawn for the evening hour. Some apparently dead limbs were noticed in the maple tree in front of the home, through which the electric light wires passed, and Cleo climbed the tree to

determine whether the wires were doing the damage. As he reached the branches, he was cautioned by the father not to touch the heavily charged wires. The words of caution had scarcely been uttered when

the young man fell lifeless from the tree. It is estimated that more than 2, 000 volts of electricity passed through his body, the electric light plant having just been started for the night, when an unusually heavy voltage is carried. 

  His parents and his brother, Otho Ford, who is at home from Chicago recovering from a broken ankle which he sustained in a recent accident, were prostrated by the tragedy, having been eye witnesses to the young man's electrocution. His ascent of the tree and the fall of his lifeless body was also witnessed by a number of neighbors who were sitting on the porches of their homes or standing in their dooryards.

  Cleo W. Ford was born in Hartford August 18, 1894, and spent his entire life in this village. He was a bright and promising young man, of pleasing personality and jovial disposition which won for him the friendship of the young people of the village and established his popularity in the social circles in which he moved.

  Besides his parents, who are well known residents of the village, he leaves one brother, Otho, a grandfather, William Ford of South Haven, who is 82 years of age and with whom the young man was a favorite, as well as a number of other relatives in this section. The bereaved family have the

sympathy of the entire community.

  Funeral services for the young man were held at the M. E. church Saturday afternoon, Rev. F. L. Niles officiating and interment was made at Maple Hill. The funeral was largely attended, and a wealth of floral tributes attested the esteem in which the unfortunate young victim of the tragedy was held and the respect and sympathy for the sorrowing family. One especially elaborate floral piece was a tribute from the young men of the village who were Cleo's companions in life.