Unusual Cause of Death - Originally believed he had drowned...

Located st Shady Grove Cemetery in Springdale, AR.

Wm. H Trowbridge

1882 - 1912

The Springdale News

June 14, 1912

TROWBRIDGE, William H. – Will Trowbridge lost his life Monday afternoon about four o'clock while bathing in Kings River, twelve miles southeast of Eureka Springs and about 3 ½ miles from Grandview. His death was a peculiar one and was not due to drowning, as was first supposed, but was caused by congestion of the lungs. Some six weeks ago he and his family went to Eureka Springs to make their home, Will having secured a position with a painter and paper hanger at that place. Monday the gentleman by whom he was employed, with four other workmen, among the number being Bert Herrington, brother-in-law of deceased, went out on King River to do some work for a party living in that locality. Having arrived after the noon hour it was decided not to begin on the job until Tuesday morning and to spend the afternoon bathing and fishing. Will and two of his companions remained in the water while the others started out to find some bait with which to fish and as they were leaving Will called to the two companions, who could swim, to come out where he was and he would show them how. Immediately after he spoke he clasped his hands to his breast and sank and never came to the top again. The body was recovered within ten or fifteen minutes after it sank and was directly where it went down. Those in the party worked for more than an hour in an effort to revive him but without result. The deputy county coroner, who is postmaster at Grandview, went to the scene and held an inquest, the verdict of the jury being that deceased came to his death while in the water from some cause unknown. The body was taken to Eureka Springs Monday night, reaching there early Tuesday morning where it was embalmed fro shipment to this place. The embalmer said that death was due to congestion of the lungs and that Will was undoubtedly dead before he ever sank under the water. He had been complaining some of his lungs troubling him and had a slight cold at the time he went into the water, which probably brought on the attack. The water where he went under was not over five feet deep. The body arrived in Springdale Tuesday evening accompanied by the widow and little daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Herrington of Eureka Springs and Herbert Sturdivant of this place, a brother-in-law of the deceased, who went to Eureka Springs Tuesday morning. Mrs. B.F. Herington and daughter, Mrs. Thiele of Perry, Ok., arrived Wednesday at noon, the former being the mother of Mrs. Trowbridge. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at three o'clock at the home of Mrs. Daniel Plummer, mother of the deceased, and the remains were interred in the cemetery at Shady Grove, south of town, services being conducted by Eld. B.F. Lively, pastor of the Christian church. William H. Trowbridge was a son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Trowbridge and was born at Prairie Grove in this county, June 26, 1882. Most of his life had been spent in this community. In November 1905 he was united in marriage to Miss Mable Herrington who, together with one child, a daughter some five years old, survive him. Deceased is also survived by his mother and a brother, Mack Trowbridge. His father died some ten years ago. The funeral services Wednesday after were largely attended and there were many expressions of sympathy for the bereaved wife and mother.