Below is a memorial about a terrible accident involving the Doores threshing machine. It is from July 1914 Bronaugh Journal. (It probably cannot be July 5 because his death certificate and grave marker say he died July 14) Stephanie Hays, whose ancestor (Earnest Weaver) was killed in the accident, shared this portion of a copy of the old newspaper. We hope that someone has a real copy of this issue so we can have the rest of the article. But for now, this is the best we have. Below is my best effort at transcription:

	In Memoriam Mr. Earnest Wayne Weaver was born May 24, 1881, in the State of Illinois. (The exact locality is not yet known to us). He died at his home in Bronaugh, Missouri, July 14, 1914 after falling asleep about two o'clock in the morning after ......... gasping for breath. He was thirty three years, one month and ... days of age. The deceased was married to Miss Betty Gregory, March 19, 1905. To this union three children were born, all of which are still living. The cause of Mr. Weaver's death was injuries sustained in the explosion of a steam engine owned by the Doores Brothers and for some years operated by Mr. Weaver. The outfit was engaged in threshing for Mr. Renfer, when the accident occurred, the exact cause of the explosion is not certainly known. It is practically certain that lack of sufficient water, the usual cause of such explosions, was not the trouble. The condition of the wreckage and Mr. Weaver's carefulness call for some other cause. The injuries sustained were produced by fire from the engine rather from steam or hot water. His face, hands and portions of his body were burned but not very deep. While Mr. Weaver said from the start that he could not live through it, it was thought...... ******************** The 1900 Harrison Township census shows Earnest living at home with his parents: Reuben Weaver age 50, born October 1851 in Illinois Sallie Weaver, age 49, born February 1851 in Illinois Earnest Weaver, age 19, born May 1881 in Illinois Henry Weaver, age 16, born May 1884 in Missouri Dell Weaver, age 13, born May 1887 in Missouri Bertha Weaver, age 10, born November 1889 in Missouri On 19 Mar 1905, Earnest married Miss Bettie Gregory in Vernon County, MO. She was a daughter of Henderson Gregory and his late wife Dinah. By 1910, Earnest and family lived in Moundville Township near but not in Bronaugh: Ernest Weaver, age 27, born Illinois Bettie Weaver, age 29, born Missouri Floyd Weaver, age 4, born Missouri Eva Gregory, age 27, born in Missouri - sister-in-law (Bettie's sister) As noted above, Earnest died tragically in July 1914. His death certificate was filed by O. P. Farrington, MD, the physician from Moundville. The undertaker was Konantz of Arcadia, KS. Burial was at Welborn Cemetery. It notes that his parents were Reuben Weaver and his wife Sally Smith Weaver. Reuben was a son of Charles Samuel Weaver and Rachel C. Whitworth (a daughter of Samuel Whitworth.) Welborn Cemetery records show that he was buried beside his sister Bertha E. Weaver, November 4, 1889 to November 27, 1907. The grave markers note that their parents were Reuben Weaver and Sally Smith Weaver. It appears that most of the family moved west especially to Washington state. The 1920 Census for Prosser, Benton County, Washington shows Betty Weaver, age 39, a widow; Floyd Weaver, age 13; Geneva Weaver, age 5 and Eva Gregory, age 35. Earnest's obituary says they had three children. Clestile (Clesteel) Fern Weaver was born December 5, 1911 and died March 16, 1915 of meningitis. Her death certificate and obituary tells that she was buried at Welborn Cemetery (but apparently in an unmarked grave). The 1930 Census shows Betty was still living in Prosser with her 15 year old daughter. Obituary for Clesteel Fern Weaver from March 17, 1915 Bronaugh Journal. Grave of Ernest Weaver in Welborn Cemetery
Glessner Weaver was a senior at Moundville High School in 1917.	If we go back to the 1880 census for Hickory Point, Macon, Illinois, we find Reuben and Sally Smith Weaver with their three older children. Reuben is referred to by his middle name, Samuel and Sally was referred to by her proper name, Sarah J. They and their children were all born in Illinois: Samuel Weaver, age 30 Sarah J. Weaver, age 28 John N. Weaver, age 8 William Weaver, age 5 Goldie M. Weaver, age 3 William Weaver married Alice Whiteside on February 5, 1899, in Vernon County, MO. The William Weaver then remained in Harrison Township as shown by the 1910 Census: William T. Weaver, age 34, born Illinois Alice Weaver, age 29, born Missouri Glessner L. Weaver, age 10, born Missouri (mis-spelled Gleasner in the census) Glenn J. Weaver, age 6, born Missouri Freddy R. Weaver, age 1 6/12, born Missouri Welborn Cemetery has the burials for: William Thomas Weaver, December 24, 1875 - March 17, 1952 Mary Alice Weaver, 1881 - June 29, 1956
	Robenia Weaver was probably a student at Cooper College in 1894. She was a daughter of Joseph and Martha Weaver of Metz in north Vernon County. Robenia gets spelled a variety of ways in census records - Rovena, Robena, R. E.. Nancy Thompson reports a marriage for J. W. Davis (groom) to R. E. Weaver (bride) on Dec 30, 1897. The groom was from Partridge, Reno Co., KS. They then moved to Kansas and resided in Reno County for many years. They had daughters Laverna and Mary. So it appears that she is an example of a student who came to Moundville to attend college and then left.   There is no evidence that this family was related to the other Weavers of Moundville (above).

If you have Weaver information to share or questions please let us know.

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This page is designed and maintained by Lyndon Irwin.