This is a Message Board Post. Reply to the message or author by clicking on the link below. *************************************************************************** MESSAGE: (#187515) Phillip Earl Thompson 1887-1910 <http://iagenweb.org/boards/louisa/obituaries/index.cgi?rev=187515> AUTHOR: volunteer DATE: 3/13/2008 at 13:21:51 Surnames: THOMPSON,WEBER THE WAPELLO TRIBUNE, Wapello, Iowa. Friday, March 4, 1910, Page 1. Phillip E. Thompson, a son-in-law of J.H. Weber, Wapello, met death instantaneously last Friday morning while at work in the timber, a large limb falling on his shoulders and breaking his back. Mr. Thompson had moved to Wapello the day previous to the accident, and had gone out in the morning for the first day's work on the farm. They were preparing saw logs in the timber about a mile from the Weber home, and taking them to the saw mill about one and a half miles from where they were working. >From a large tree that had been felled, one log had just been taken to the mill by Charles Weber and the hired hand. In their absence, Mr. Weber and Mr. Thompson were preparing another log from the same tree, having used the saw together until the log was partly off, when Mr. Weber left Mr. Thompson sawing alone, in a sitting posture on the ground under a large limb, while Mr. Weber was working about the top of a tree, expecting to return and assist Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson continued sawing, and having progressed faster than expected, the top separated from the log and turned toward Mr. Thompson, the limb striking him across the shoulders, crushing him to the ground and breaking his back. Charles Weber and the hired man just returning from the mill as the accident occurred, assisted Mr. Weber, and in five minutes had the body removed from under the tree, but life was extinct. They immediately placed him upon the sled, removed him home and summoned a physician, who said that the death in stantaneous. Phillip Earl Thompson was born October 20, 1887, at Burling-ton, Iowa, died February 25, 1910, at Wapello, Iowa, aged 22 years, 4 months and 5 days. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Thompson, whose home was in Burlington, Iowa. He and his brother, who died some years ago, were the only children of the family. He grew to manhood in Burlington, graduated from its high school and attended Elliott's Business college there. Having splendid business talents and commercial capabilities, with tact, wisdom and manliness for dealing with people, he was recognized by businessmen and in commercial circles as a most trustworthy young man and thoroughly competent for great business responsibilities. It resulted that at the age of twentyone, he was made the manager of the Grand Union Tea Company of Burlington, in whose employ he remained until the opening of the present month. He was married September 1, 1909, to Miss Nellie Pearl Weber, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Weber, of Wapello, at their farm home five miles northwest of the city. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson went immediately to their new home at 627 North 3rd St. in Burlington, where they resided until the evening before his death, when they were just moving back from Burlington to his father-in-law's farm. His short married life of but a few months was a very happy one. Thoroughly appreciating a good home, he affectionately and nobly did his part to help make their's a truly christian and exemplary one. He had longed to be on a farm. And when on the first of the present month the Grand Union Tea Company desired him to go to Butte, Montana, as manager of their company's business house there, he took advantage of the opportunity to get from under the heavy commercial responsibilities which had lately been physically telling upon him, and to change for some out of door life and recuperation of farm toil for a season. It was planned, if all should be well, to remain permanently on the farm; himself and his brother-in-law, Charles Weber, together, to take full charge of his father-in-law's home place. Though they had returned by train just the evening before, and their household goods were yet unpacked, he was so anxious to commence his new work at once that soon after breakfast, he kissed his wife a happy goodbye for the morning and, dressed for the robust life of the field, went out as joyously as could any son, when entering upon a long looked for old home vacation; or as could any appreciative one embrace some rarest privilege of life. None dreamed that in less than three hours his lifeless body would be brought back as the result of a terrible accident. In the awful gloom of his sudden death, it was some relief to know that he did not suffer, for the family physician who was called immediately, said that his death had been instantaneous. It was a greater relief and even a comfort that he died as he had lived -- a noble, christian, manly man. In the midst of the rush of life he had not forgotten his relation to God, but was a christian, a member of the Congregational church, and had earnestly sought God's help and guidance in his life, his home and his business. In being thus prepared to best live, he was prepared suddenly die. Though his life was short, yet the world was enriched by his having lived in it. The funeral services were held from the Methodist Episcopal church in this city Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. J. E. Newsom. Interment occurred in the Wapello cemetery.