An unusually sad accident occurred last Friday morning at the home of George Gilliam on East Lincoln street. Little Nina, about twelve years of age, was cleaning a bed with gasoline. She had a bowl in one hand and a rag saturated with the dangerous material in the other. It was a little dark in the room so she asked her little brother to light a match, not knowing or not thinking of the great danger in doing so. He did so and the gas caught fire at once, fairly enveloping her in flames. She grabbed some clothing and tried to smother the fire, but could not do so. The boy got some water and tried to quench it but to no avail. She finally rushed out into the yard screaming for help. Mrs. Ed Noyes saw her and grabbed some carpet that hung on the line and succeeded in smothering the flames. But it was too late when what was left of her clothing was taken off the flesh came with them. Her hair was burned up to her head and she had breathed the hot flames until her lungs were fairly cooked. She bravely walked over to the hospital where the burns where dressed and everything possible done to relieve her intense suffering. She told how the accident happened and was conscious until about noon, but the poison from the burns soon got in its work, and death relieved the brave little sufferer at about 4 o’clock. Mrs. Gilliam was in Coleridge visiting her daughter, and the sad news was telegraphed her at once. She came on the evening train, too late to again see her daughter alive. It was a severe blow to her and to all the family, and the entire community join in deepest sympathy for them. The funeral was held at the Presbyterian church at 2:30 Sunday afternoon, Rev. J. Wallace Larkin officiating.

#2-29 July, 1909 - Blair Democrat - Nina Gilliam

CHILD FATALLY BURNED

Nina, the 12 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Gilliam, who live on east Grant street, was fatally burned by the explosion of a small quantity of gasoline early last Friday morning, dying from the burns about four o’clock the same afternoon.

Mrs. Gilliam was away from home at the time of the accident visiting relatives at Coleridge, Neb., and it seems that Nina and a little brother were doping the cracks of a bedstead with gasoline. Being a trifle dark in the room, the little boy struck a match which caused the gasoline to explode, enveloping the little girl in flames instantly. The unfortunate child had presence of mind enough to run out of doors and roll on the ground, but the flames had gained such headway in her clothes that she could not put out the blaze.

Being attracted by the cries of the child, neighbors came to her rescue and Mrs. Ed. Noyes grabbed a blanket from the clotheslines and wrapping it around the little girl killed the fire. The child kept her nerve and walked to the hospital in company with Nurse O’Brien. Doctors were summoned and found that the burns extended from her knees to the top of her head, her body from the hips up being burned almost to a crisp. Everything possible was done for the child to relieve her sufferings, and she retained consciousness until about one o’clock that afternoon.

The poor child realized that she could not live and remarked on one or two occasions that she wished she could see her momma before she died. Her mother, however, was away on a visit and did not reach Blair until after 8:30, several hours after the child had died.

At the time of the accident the little girl and her little brother were the only members of the family at home, an older sister being in the berry field and the father at his work at the Compton stables.

The funeral was held Sunday afternoon at the Presbyterian church, Rev. J. W. Larkin officiating, and interment made in the cemetery east of Blair.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #78318461