James Henry Barnett (abt. 1925 - 1931)

Born about 1925 in Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Died 29 Jul 1931 at about age 6 in Putnam, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

James was born about 1925. He was the son of James Barnett and Mary Whitson. He passed away in 1931.

Sources

James Harry Barnett Birth: 21 Apr 1925 Death: 29 Jul 1931 (aged 6) Putnam County, Tennessee, USA Burial: Cookeville City Cemetery, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee, USA Memorial #: 56933062 Bio: Cookeville Herald July 30, 1931

Tragedy stalked the placid waters of Falling Water River Wednesday at dusk when five persons, a man and his wife, and a mother with her two children, were drowned at Burgess Falls as a motor boat sank in water 18 feet deep. Three other occupants were saved. Jeremiah Whitson, 35, and his wife, Alice Smith Whitson, 33, of Cookeville, and Mrs. Mary Whitson Barnett of Nashville and her sons, Robert, 2 and James, 5 are dead. Annie Pearl and Lucy Whitson and Beecher Cass, the other occupants, narrowly escaped. The party had entered the boat at the hydro-electric power dam and had motored up the river for perhaps 1/2 mile. They were on an afternoon picnic outing. Most of them were standing on the front end of the boat, Mr. Cass said, and when it started sinking it went down quickly, almost before warning could be given. The boat was about 24' long and was of the cabin type, with a top, doors being located at front and rear, the sides being screened. Mr. Cass was forced to swim from the rear of the boat, where he was piloting, to the front end, a box and a barrel having blocked the rear entrance. He was pulled from the river later by Lucy Whitson. J Cole, resident of Burgess Falls, was fishing near the scene of the tragedy when he heard screams for help, and when he got to the scene saw Annie Pearl Whitson struggling near where the boat sank. He called instructions to her and went after her in his boat. She swam for the first time in her life. News of the tragedy sent thousands hurrying to the scene. Cookeville boys, and residents of Burgess Falls worked together in recovering the bodies. the boat was lifted about 11 p.m. Wednesday night, about 4 hours after it sank. Three bodies, those of Mrs. Whitson and the 2 Barnett children, were recovered with the boat. Dr John Q Owsley made an attempt at resuscitation, but was unsuccessful. Crowds of morbidly curious milled around the spot where the bodies lay as they were taken from the river, making orderly recovery work almost impossible. The scene was ghastly in the light of a full moon almost directly overhead. Bodies of Jeremiah Whitson and Mrs. Barnett were not recovered until after midnight. Jeremiah Whitson and Mrs. Barnett were children of Judge and Mrs. H D Whitson of Cookeville. Mr. Whitson was for many years County Judge of Putnam County and later served as road supervisor. The parents are under care of physicians at their home on the Sparta Road. Jeremiah had been an employee of the light and water department of the City of Cookeville for a number of years and his wife had been a nurse at the City hospital here. Mrs. Barnett was the wife of J P Barnett, Nashville mail carrier, and was a former teacher in the Cookeville City schools. Tentative arrangements announced Thursday morning were that the funeral would be held at the Methodist church at 2 p.m. Friday with Rev E M Steel conducting.

Cookeville Herald August 6, 1931

Joint funeral services for the 5 victims were held at the residence of Judge and Mrs. H D Whitson on Sparta Road on Friday afternoon, with burial in the City cemetery. A crowd of approximately 4000 gatherered at the home to pay respects. A motorcade, extending for more than a mile, followed the 3 funeral coaches which carried the bodies to their graves.

Family Members Parents James Peter Barnett 1894-1973 Mary Lee Whitson Barnett 1901-1931 Siblings Robert Harvey Barnett 1930-1931 Maintained by: imagal49 (47223808) Originally Created by: Larry Moore (47069702) Added: 11 Aug 2010 URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56933062/james-harry-barnett Citation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56933062/james-harry-barnett: accessed 9 November 2022), memorial page for James Harry Barnett (21 Apr 1925–29 Jul 1931), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56933062, citing Cookeville City Cemetery, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by imagal49 (contributor 47223808) .