Pylant Geneology

The Coconino Sun newspaper, Flagstaff, AZ, Friday, 5 Dec 1924:
LITTLE GIRL KILLED IN AUTO CRASH NEAR MAINE; ESCAPE FROM DEATH OF SIX OTHERS WAS MIRACLE
Josine, four-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Pyland of Flagstaff, was almost instantly killed Sunday night two miles north of Maine when the Flint car in which she and six others were riding left the road and turned over several times. The car was driven by its owner, J. F. McDaniels. On the front seat with him was his wife, a bride of a few weeks. In the rear seat were Mr. and Mrs. Pyland and their two little girls and Mrs. McDaniels' sister Helen Dory. Josine was sitting on her father's lap and the other little girl on her mother's lap. The party were returning from Grand Canyon. They had been running up to 60 miles an hour. At the point where the car left the road, near the Johnson Curry ranch, Mr. McDaniels told the coroner's jury empanelled by Justice of the Peace Scotty McDougal of Williams, he had slowed down to 20 miles an hour. But Mr. Pyland told the jury it was much faster than that, estimating the speed at 60 miles. The car left the road at the beginning of a reverse curve on a fill. If it had been traveling slowly, even at 20 miles an hour, perhaps it would not have turned over, as there is not much of a bank there. Or if it had been turned a little more off the road it likely could have been stopped without serious accident. But in an attempt to get the machine back on the road it was steered directly into the projecting corner of a plank bridge. The bumpers hit the bridge flooring, which is about 12 feet wide, and shoved it out of place about a foot, then hurtled over and over, landing on its side, a complete wreck. The steering wheel was broken off and was found about 75 feet from the car. Mrs. Pyland and the younger child were the only ones unhurt. Mr. Pyland's left side was injured, it is reported some ribs being broken, and his right leg and head were bruised. Mr. McDaniels received a cut under the chin and was hurt on the left side. Mrs. McDaniels received a badly sprained wrist and forearm. Miss Dory was cut some about the head. Josine was struck on the side of the head, it is believed by the water jug or canteen. The accident was just about 7:30 o'clock. An Ashfork car the party had passed a short time before came along and took Mr. Pyland and Josine to Dr. Jeffries' office in Williams and from there two cars were sent back to the scene of the wreck and one of them brought the party to Flagstaff. That several or all of the party were not killed is considered almost a miracle by those who visited the scene of the accident next day and saw the evidence of the force with which the car struck the bridge and the condition of the car itself. The last words little Josine spoke were to her father. He said to her: "Warm enough, baby?" And she replied: "Yes, sweet daddy." In the next instant the crash came. Mr. McDaniels said one light on his car had gone out. The remaining light was still on after the accident and it was partly through its help that little Josine was found as in the darkness and confusion it took several minutes to locate her. The funeral was at the Pyland home at 4 o'clock Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Pyland and children came here from Louisiana less than a year ago. They have many friends here, who, with those who have not yet become acquainted with them join in offering sincere sympathy in their loss of their sweet little daughter.