Mexico Missouri message., 1917-11-29
DIR. r. w. BOURNE.
Full OF Years, Yet Possessed OF His
Strong Faculties OF Mind, Passes
Into The Great Beyond. go. 49,.

Mrs. w. w. Fry, in this city. He had
been i'll for several days, resulting
from fall The funeral was held
at the Fry home Sunday afternoon
at 2:30 o'clock, Rev. c. c. Grimes
officiating. Burial in Elmwood.
Dr. Bourne was one of the oldest
citizens OF Mexico. One daughter
survives him, Mrs. w w. Fry, men
toned above.
He was born in Franklin county,
Ky, March 7, 1920, moving from
there to Galloway county in 1910. A
few years later he move to Fulton,
where he studied medicine. Then
went to Jefferson Medical College in
Philadelphia, graduating from there
in 1S48.
He and Miss Sara Graves of Wood
ford county, Ky, were married in
December, 1S4S, both coming to
Monroe county, Mo-, settling at Clin-
ton. Five years later DR.. and Mrs.
Bourne made journey to Kentucky
for visit, making the trip in bug"
gy drawn by leisurely horse. The
trip is said to have been of DR..
Bourne's most enjoyable experiences.
DR.. Bourne moved to Mexico in
1854. Practiced medicine here dur
ing the Civil War. Had some inter
esting experiences during those try
ing times. One night he was return
ing from call and as he passed the
locality where Hardin College, now
stands a sentry stepped out and de-
manded to know who was there. "a
physician" was the reply. "I'll be
ID If anybody goes fshin' this
time of the night" yelled the SEN
try. After that when Dr.. Bourne
was challenged he always answered,
"A Doctor" Gen. U. S. Grant was
stationed in Mexico during the war
and 1t was he that the Doctor and his
friends from a dangerous predica-
ment. A number of Mexico citizens
had been imprisoned by soldiers and
sentenced to be shot. Thru General
Grants Intervention they escaped.
DR.. Bourne was the first Mayor of
Mexico. His administration started in
1856. An office in the Lawder
Building was occupied for years by
DR.. Bourne. He gave this office up
year ago; prior to that he went
to his office daily.
When DR.. H. K Hinde left Mexico
in 1902, DR.. Bourne took his Sunday
School class, and has had it ever
since. He was the oldest Sunday
School inthe world.
No one in Mexico has lived during
as many interesting periods of the
worlds history as he. Born during
the administration of Pres. Monroe,
he lived three years before the adop-
ton of the famous Monroe doctrine.
Napoleon was on st. Helena the year
this Mexico citizen was born. The
Doctor witnessed the development of
the telegraph, locomotive, telephone
and aeroplane. A man of letters, a
cultivated knowledge of art and
science, thruout his life he took &C
tive interest in affairs of the world.
Hale and hearty as boy, Bourne
was the personification of truth of
the adage, early to bed and early to
rlse". Until very recent years he went
to his office daily at o'clock, where
he shaved before eating his break
fast. He had no illness of conse-
quence, and was wide awake to the
issues of the day. He attributed this
extraordinary good health to the fact
that he never touched liquor, never
smoked, was temperate in every
respect.
The bearers were Chas. Harrison,
Elzea Harrison, Chas. Leeper, Wal
lace and Elon bearing, Carroll ard
Will woodward, Alfred Larsen. Hon
orary bearers were C.E. Harrison,
Dave owen, ReV.J.O. Edmontson. A.