Pylant Geneology

THE DEATH OF PARNECIA COLLINS
Editor's note: The following story which appeared in the Ozark County Times in January 1907 refers to the death of Parnecia (Piland) Collins, wife of George W. Collins, and their small son, Roy Clifford.
The tragedy occurred on Thursday, January 5, and was thought to have happened on their Little Creek farm north of Thornfield.
The four other children mentioned in the article were Beulah Collins (Smith), Clyde Collins, Glen Collins, and Lois Collins (Conley), all deceased. A number of their children and grandchildren still live in Ozark County.

 Judge Collins, upon his return from a few days' absence from home, found his dwelling house destoryed by fire and his wife and youngest child burned to death. Upon inquiry, he learned from the four surviving children that his wife had gone to the barn to shuck some corn, leaving the younger children playing at the house.  The clothing of the youngest child caught fie while playing at the hearth of the stove, and one of the children ran and told their mother, who upon returning, found that the child had climbed upon the bed and set fire to the bedclothing. The two oldest children, the oldest of whom was not more than ten years old, while on their way from school and while a considerable distance from home, saw their mother running in and out and around the then burning building, and when they got there, they found her lying in the yard, and their little brother a short distance from her with his clothing burned off of him, but still alive. They wrapped the little one in a shawl and went to a shock of fodder, which was close by, and crawled into it and stayed there all that night and until 3 o'clock the next day where their father, upon his return, found them. Mr. Collins at once notified his neighbors, who until then had known nothing of the terrible accident.  Upon looking around, Mr. Collins found the body of his wife, which was about two-thirds destroyed by fire, and the body of his little son in the shock of fodder, where it had died sometime during the night from the effects of its burns.

The two victims of this terrible accident were interred in the Norris Cemetery last Saturday.
To the broken-hearted husband and father and little children who sit in sorrow where their steps shall never again find echo, is extended the sympathy of all who knew them.

Submitted by Sylvia Collins Harden
granddaughter of George W. and Parnecia