Lincoln Courier Herald, 6 Jul 1920 TWO DROWN, 1 SAVED, AT FAMILY PICNIC HIRAM C. JONES and YOUNG SON LOSE LIVES IN SALT CREEK SISTER IS RESCUED Two deaths by drowning, and a third victim's narrow escape from a similar fate, brought swift and terrible tragedy to the relatives of Hiram C. Jones on the eve of their gathering for a Fourth of July picnic and all-day family reunion here. The dead: Hiram C. Jones, 46, 817 Third street, Lincoln. Hiram T. Jones, 9, Blue Mound, Ill. Rescued: Mrs. Myrtle Oliver, Chicago. The Jones family had gone to Blue Lake, on Salt creek, four and a half miles south of Lincoln, Saturday evening to prepare camp for the picnic on Sunday. Mr. Jones brothers, Milby, John, James, Roy Jones, of Chicago; his sisters, Mrs. Myrtle Oliver, of Chicago, and Mrs. Gertrude Smith, of Mound City, and other relatives were here for the reunion. Other relatives planned to go to the camp on Sunday. Mr. Jones son, Hiram Thomas Jones, who lives with his mother, Mrs. Mary Rentmeister, of Blue Mound. Mr. Jones former wife, was with the family for the outing. The boy got into deep water and sank. When he came to the surface he cried for aid, and his father and aunts, Mrs. Oliver and Mrs. Smith went to his rescue. As the father sought frantically for the boy. Mrs. Oliver sank, close to the same spot. Mr. Jones failed to come to the surface. Mrs. Oliver rose to the surface and was seized by the hair by Irene Jones her niece, and held until James and Arthur Cameron, and August Verderber, who ran to her aid removed Mrs. Oliver's unconscious form. It is believed that Mr. Jones in diving, struck his head on a rock. A slight cut was found on his forehead when the body was recovered. If not stunned by the shock, it is believed he cramped or suffered shock to his heart when he dived, for his body was not seen again alive. Search was begun at once for the bodies, while members of the party, thanks to Boy Scout training, began to work over Mrs. Oliver. She was rolled on a log and artificial respiration was resorted to before it was ascertained that life was yet in the body. For several hours Saturday nigh she was unconscious, but today was said to be on the highroad to recovery. Grappling hooks were used in the search for the two bodies. The word of the tragedy was spread quickly and many went to the scene to aid. The drownings occurred about 6:00 p.m. Mr. Jones body was recovered shortly before midnight, Sunday, five hours after the tragedy. It lay in ten or twelve feet of water near the spot where he sank. The body of the boy was not recovered until 8:30 Sunday morning, when it was brought to the surface with grappling hooks, at a at a point 50 feet upstream from where his father drowned. Hiram C. Jones was born Dec 29 1873 in this state, a son of R. W. and Charlotte Pierce Jones. He was a bridge builder by profession and for years was foreman of the Decatur Bridge Co., in this county. Lately he has been in bridge construction on his own account. His first wife, now Mrs. Rentmeister, of Blue Mound, is visiting here at the home of Mrs. Mary Troeger, 802 South Kickapoo. Her children had been with her on the visit here. Mr. Jones second wife was formerly Mrs. Nellie Flynn Hoblit, who survives. Mr. Jones is also survived by two children, Irene, aged 12, and Paul, aged 6, both of Blue Mound. The inquest will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday by Coroner C. B. Taylor. The jurors are: C. E. Dehuer, Christy Drain, Otto Stube, A. Marcucci, J. Kritaberger, and Wm. McAfee. Funeral services for both father and son, were held today. Services for the boy were held at St. Patrick's church at 1:30 p.m. conducted by Rev. J. T. Mulgrew. - - - - Note: The father, Hiram C. Jones, was buried in Zion Cemetery. His son, Hiram Thomas Jones, was buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery. Mother of the boy, Mary S. Unknown, b. c1889, IL, father IL, mother MO m. (1) Unknown Cronch, b. KY Irene, said to be Hiram's daughter, above, was later listed in Macon Co, IL as, Catherine I Cronch, b. c1908, IL, KY, IL , Step-Daughter to George Rentmeister. The "I" must be for Irene, and child from Mary S, first marriage to Cronch. (m. 2) Hiram C. Jones, c1910 m. (3) George Rentmeister, c 1918 George Rentmeister, b. 1885, d. 1949, Macon Co, IL s/o Gerhardt, b. 1860, IL, d. 8 Apr 1913, Mt Pulaski, Logan, IL & Mary Katherine/Catherine Kusterer Rentmeister Troeger. Sister of George, Alta "Fern" Rentmeister, was living with their mother, Mary Troeger, at 802 S. Kickapoo, 1920. Fern, b. 1896, d. 21 May 1968, was a bookkeeper in Lincoln. Other children of Gerhardt and Mary: Edward William Rentmesiter, m. Rena Estella Broughton Albert C. Rentmeister, m. Blanch/Blanche Copeland Mary Carolina Paulina Rentmeister, m. Uriah Fredrich Tendick