Benjamin S. Bratton:
 
About 7 o'clock Monday evening, the town was horrified at the news that "Uncle Ben" Bratton had been run over and ground to death by the train. A number of citizens ran streaming headlong toward the depot, where the mangled form of the venerable old man lay writhing in anguish and pain. He was found lying about one hundred yards from the depot, just opposite the water tank, where the terrible accident occurred. Mr. Bratton had been a passenger from Marshall on the evening train, which, for some cause was belated.

Now a brief explanation may give the reader a better idea of the accident. After the train arrives at the station and the passengers are all safely alighted, it is then the custom for it to run further down on the main line, back up on the "Y", leave the coaches, then go back upon the main line and down to the water tank, takes on a supply water and then goes back up on the main track about three hundred yards, then down a switch to a coal bin, where it is "watched" for the night.

On this fateful Monday evening, after the train had proceeded down the track, the passengers started after the train, walking directly behind it. The train then backed up on the "Y" to leave the coaches, while the passengers stepped aside to let it pass, as they were now just where the "Y" intercepted the main line. They then walked down on the main line below the "Y" switch and then moved hurriedly on before the engine could uncouple from the coaches and get back to the main track again.

Mr. Bratton ("Uncle Cuff" as he was familiarly called) came tottering along with the help of his cane, and, thinking that, when the train ran up on the "Y" it would not come back again, proceeded down the track, in hopes of arriving at the home of his granddaughter, Mrs. C. V. Smith, not thinking of the great calamity which was soon to befall him. First, the coaches were detached, the lever reversed, and the great drive wheels came, rolling on, carrying that massive engine whose ponderous weight sinks down the wooden slabs on which the rails are laid. Being old and somewhat deaf, Mr. Bratton failed to hear the rumbling noise behind him until the pilot of the engine touched his legs and he was thrown down. His head fell outside the track but both his legs were ground off about the knees and the flesh separated from the bone from the knees of the body. He made no alarm himself, but was seen by the parties nearby, who warned the engineer that they had killed a man. The engineer was deeply affected when he saw the withered and worn old body he had so ignorantly and unintentionally run over, laying, lifeless in the shadow of the massive engine.

He was buried on Tuesday in the family graveyard on his old homestead in Wiley's Cove, in the presence of a large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends."

Benjamin Bratton, Sr., was 98 years of age, according to the best authority, and was one of the pioneer settlers of North Arkansas, settling in this county in the early 30's. Notwithstanding his age he could get about with considerable ease and was possessed of remarkable vitality. Just a short time ago he walked from Leslie to Marshal, a distance of 9 miles, canvassing for a book concern, and was engaged in that work when he met his untimely end. His life had been a busy one, and he always wanted to be doing something. In his death Searcy County loses one of her grandest old citizens, and one who did a noble and self-sacrificing work in helping to carve out of the wilderness a garden spot for future generations.

He is survived by one sister, Aunt Rachel Rose, two years his senior, who for many years had made her home with her grandson, John M. Butler, near Maumee. Also five sons and two daughters survive him - John, James, Francis, and Ambrose, of Wiley's Cove, and Benj. Jr., of Marshall, and Mrs. J. W. Baldwin of Leslie and Mrs. Pence Shipman, of Alvarado, Tex., besides a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

~Submitted by Anthony Rockefeller; Thanks, Tony!
 
 

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Marshall Mountain Wave … and The Marshall Republican 
(Consolidated August 2, 1945)

Tuesday, March 26, 1954 
Marshall, Searcy County, Arkansas 

E. N. Loudermilk,
Citizen of Snowball Passed Away Sunday

Elbert N. Loudermilk was born September 8, 1890, at Eula, Arkansas. He died March 14, 1954, at the Boone County Hospital, 
Harrison, Ark., making his age 63 years, 6 months, 6 days. All of his life was spent at Eula, Arkansas, except the past eight years during which time he lived at Snowball, Ark.

Mr. Loudermilk was united in marriage to Miss Anna McCutcheon, September 5, 1910. To this home were born four children; 
two daughters, Mrs. Erma Hampton of Wichita, Kansas, Mrs. Audra Long of Snowball, Ark., and two sons, Argus Loudermilk 
of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Alton Loudermilk of Snowball.

The deceased is survived by his wife, these children and one half-brother, Roy Lemons; two half-sisters, Mrs. Nora Paty and 
Mrs. Flossy Smith, all of. Arvin, California There are also seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

In July, 1932 Mr. Loudermilk was converted and baptized. His presence will be missed by many relatives and friends. 

Pallbearers were: Elvis Hampton, Junior Hendrix, Mitchell McCutcheon, Vernon Dickey,  Silas Taylor, Lloyd McCutcheon.
Songs were: "Farther Along,"  "No Tears in Heaven," "Precious Memories." 
Flower Girls were: Donna Jean Wells, Johnnie Bolen, Quindora Bradley, Shelby Jean Taylor, Anneta McElroy, Mary Jo Casey.

The funeral service was at the Garrett Memorial Presbyterian Church on March 17th conducted by the Rev. Vernie L. Bartlett, 
pastor of the church. Burial was by the Masonic Lodge in the McDaniel Cemetery near Snowball, and funeral
arrangements were under the direction of the North Arkansas Funeral Home.

~Submitted by Sam Hampton, Jr.; Thanks, Sam!