Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-08-04
CHILD Is KILLED
BY LIGHTNING bolt
Only Son of Shirley Parks, North
of City, the Victim-Barn
and Stock Burned


Shortly after o'clock Wednesday
morning lightning struck the barn
of Ira II. Parks, two miles west OF
Red House, followed the electric wires
to the house, where number of peo-
pie were sitting on the porch, struck
and instantly killed Harold Earl
Parks, aged A years, only son of Mr..
and Mrs. Shirley Parks, living three
miles north of Richmond on the Red
House road.
The bolt, which soon consumed the
barn, together with the contents,
consisting of horses and grain, threw
the child into the lap of his grand
father, Ira T. Parks. Death was in
Simultaneous, although none of the
other members of the family, tOgeth-
er with a number of neighboring men
who were present to work for the
day, felt any shock. The child never
uttered sound, and the mother, who
was in the room adjoining the porch,
was prostrated upon stepping to the
porch to find her only child dead in
the arms of his frantic grandfather.
During the excitement and efforts
to revive the child none of those pres
ent noted the burning barn, which
was soon leveled to the ground.
There were a number of men present,
having come for the purpose of bal
ing straw, but had retired to the
house as a result of the severe rain
and electrical storm which passed
ever the city about o'clock.
The burning building was noted by
Rufus Click, teacher of the Dozier
school, mile distant, and he dismiss
ed his scholars for Wednesday and
Thursday and hurried TO the scene to
render any assistance possible.
Although frandc efforts were i'm
mediately made to revive the child
all were futile, although physician
"vas hastily dispatched to the Parks
homo. 1t is expected the funeral ser-
vices will be conducted, according to
plans Wednesday afternoon, at the
home Of the parents on Thursday
at 2;30 o'clock.
The victim Of The bolt was the on1
ly child Of Mr.. and Mrs. Shirley
Parks, wen known Madison county
residents, both in Richmond and Rec
House. Upon the porch at the time OF
the tragedy were Mr.. and Mrs. Ira
Il. Parks, grandparents Of the child,
their daughter-in-law, Mrs. Shirley
Parks, mother of the unfortunate lad,
who arrived from her home short
time before to spend the day, Mrs.
Rufus Click, visitor, and Lyman
Whitaker and a number of other
neighboring men.
The barn contained the fine sad lie
horse of Mr.. Ira Parks, and Il
team Of horses belonging to Lyman
Whitaker, who had turned the ami
mails into the building a short time
before, a number of hogs, largo
quantity of oats and other grain
The affair created great consterna-
tion IN the neighborhood and caGsei
wave OF sadness that will be long
lived, owing to the prominence of the
parents of the child, as we'll as the
latter, who, despite his tender years,
is said to have maintained a great
reputation for acquainting himelf
with the neighbors, hailing them
when passing his parents home, etc
Mr.. Parks announced that he was
dazed for an instant, but soon real
lied what had happened, but nothing
could be done to save the child, which
had been 50 suddenly stricken and
thrown into his lap. He reported that
his barn was insured for several hun
dred dollars, but did not know exactly
at this time.