Percival Dekay

1865 - 1890  (25 years)

• Name	Percival Dekay
  Born	27 May 1865	, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Interesting	misfortune, accident
  Misfortune	boiler accident
  	He worked as an brakeman on trains. He died from injuries resulting from a boiler accident, was scalded and had to have an amputation but died soon after. His body was returned to Kitchener for burial in the family plot. The accident happened outside of Huntington, Indiana.
  Residence	1871	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	W. Methodist
  Occupation	1881	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Student
  Residence	1881	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	C. Methodist
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-59629
  Died	16 Nov 1890  [1]
  Buried	Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Person ID	I59629	Generations
  Last Modified	25 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	William Dekay,   b. 26 Jan 1830, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 13 Jun 1904, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 74 years)
  Mother	Anna Bailey,   b. 6 Apr 1839, , Quebec, Canada ,   d. 30 Jul 1883, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 44 years)
  Married	27 Oct 1861	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4, 5, 6]
  Family ID	F14074	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  "Percy DeKay's Death" The remains of Percival DeKay reached here on Wednesday evening in charge of two of his railway associates, Oscar Hamilton and George Cribb, both Canadians. The funeral took place on Thursday and was well attended, the Odd Fellows having charge of it, and performed the burial rites of the society. The Rev. Mr. Howell was the officiating clergyman. While the sudden and unexpected death of such a promising young man is sad in the extreme, a bright light shines through the dark cloud. A year ago while attending a series of meetings here, he professed faith in Christ, was without doubt soundly converted, and died trusting the Saviour. The particulars of his sad death are learned from the Huntington, Indiana Democrat. He was a brakeman on a freight train of about 35 cars and was going down a grade. The engineer and fireman saw something wrong in a switch, when in an instant the engine, on which DeKay happened to be at the time, was derailed. We copy as follows from the paper mentioned above:- DeKay told the story of his miraculous escape from instant death as follows: "Toohey jumped first and Coppins followed. Then I tried to go, but before I could jump, the engine turned over and I was caught in the cab with my left hand fast between two pieces of something. I tried to get loose , but couldn't. The steam was escaping and scalding my legs, but I closed my mouth tight to keep from inhaling any of it. I reached out with my right hand and got hold of something, and then bracing my feet against the cab, pulled my left arm out, even if it did break the bones." Eye witnesses say they never saw more nerve exhibited by an injured man than that of DeKay. He boarded at the Canfield House and he was taken there upon arrival. Dr. Loring, of Rochester, who accompanied the men from the wreck, and Dr. Severance, attended him and found it necessary to amputate his left arm near the elbow. His legs were very badly scalded from the hips clear to the feet, the burns being deep. He showed remarkable grit and bore up under the trying time with great nerve. During the afternoon he called his particular friend, Oscar Hamilton, also employed on the road, and when Attorney R.G. Wyman had been called, DeKay made a will. He is of a good family, his father being a wealthy man in Berlin, Ontario, and the son was possessed of considerable property in his own right. After he had made the will he apparently began failing, and at 8 o'clock in the evening he died. He was a well educated man, twenty-five years of age and had only been here about four months.

  
  

• Sources

  [S166] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Mount Hope CC#4508 Internet Link . In memory of / Percival / son of / William & Anna / DeKay / died Nov. 16 / 1890 / aged 25 y'rs. 5 m. / & 20 days / verse / DeKay [S158] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1881, Div. 2 Pg. 29. [S229] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1871, Div. 1, Pg. 55. [S20] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Telegraph (title varies: Berlin Telegraph, Berlin Daily Telegraph) (1853-1922), 1 Nov 1861. DeKay - Bailey: At Galt, on the 27th ult., by the Rev. Mr. Boomer, Mr. William DeKay, to Miss Anna Bailey, both of Berlin. [S98] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - Elmira Union CC#4578 Internet Link. Front - James/ Bailey/ Mar. 10, 1809/ Jan. 20, 1906/ Native Of England/ Arrived/ In Woolwich Twp./ From Quebec/ About 1850/ Son/ Joseph/ Dec. 6, 1836/ Sept. 6, 1854/ Bailey/ Right - Rachel/ Jan. 6, 1811/ Apr. 15, 1899/ Wife Of/ James Bailey/ Native Of Essex County/ England/ Bailey/ ((Back))- Daughter/ Mary Jane/ Born Quebec City/ Feb. 1841/ Died Toronto/ May 31, 1928/ Interred Here/ Married/ Jan. 1, 1868 To/ Henry Smith/ Bulmer/ Feb. 19, 1839/ Sept. 29, 1920/ Interrrred/ Hawkesville Cem./ Bailey/ (Left) - Daughter/Anna/ Born Quebec./ Apr. 6, 1839/ Died Berlin, Ont.,/ July 30, 1883/ Married/ Oct. 27, 1861 To/ William Dekay/ Jan. 26, 1830/ June 13, 1904/ Both Interred/ Mt.Hope Cementery/ Kitchener. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 31 Oct 1861. 27 Oct 1861 By Rev. Boomer in Galt, William DeKay was married to Anna Bailey, both of Berlin.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 27 May 1865 - , Ontario, Canada Residence - W. Methodist - 1871 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Student - 1881 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - C. Methodist - 1881 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth