Fire, Explosion Kills One, Injures Three December 29
The Parsons News Leader, January 11, 1957
A small fire and succeeding explosion killed one person and injured several others, three seriously, in Parsons on Saturday, December 290.
Killed when the upper floor of the building occupied by the Betty Ann dress Shop on the ground floor and the Masonic Hall on the second floor was James Madison Smith, County Judge. Judge Smith was assisting to remove merchandise from the dress shop owned by Mrs. J. D. Dodd when the explosion occurred, blowing the brick walls of the upper floor into the crowded area of Main Street.
Injured seriously were W. O. (Jack) Bell, owner of Bell’s Grocery; Miss Marijon Young, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Young; and Mrs. Fannie Rains, wife of former mayor H. V. Rains. Others suffer4d slight injuries that did not require hospitalization.
Of the three persons hospitalized as a result of the explosion, two have returned home. Jack Bell was released on Monday of this week and Marijon Young was released on Sunday. Mrs. Rains is still at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.
The fire started in the ceiling of the Masonic kitchen and quickly filled the building with smoke, preventing the firefighters from entering the building. The alarm was sounded approximately 5:50 p.m., and the explosion occurred about 8:25 p.m.
The explosion lifted the building roof, blowed the brick walls of the upper story into Main Street in front of the building and into North Tennessee Avenue alongside the building. All of the injured were in front of the building at the time of the blast and no injuries occurred from the falling debris on Tennessee Avenue.
The cause of the blast has never been determined, although gases formed from the fire are believed to have accumulated in the attic and main meeting room of the Masons. The room was sealed and pressure from the gases could have built up until the exploding point was reached.
Long distance telephone serfvice was interrupted for over two house as the main toll line of Parsons Telephone Company ran directly in front of the building and were torn down. Only a few local telephones in the immediate area were affected.
A portion of the attic wall was blown onto the building at 103 West Main, housing the offices of Dr. J. C. Davis, Dr. L. F. Hufstedler and Loraine’s Beauty Shop. All three tenants of that building were forced to move to new quarters due to damage from water and the explosion. Dr. Davis and Dr. Hufstedler have occupied the building on Long Street formerly occupied [by] Farmers Feed and Seed Co. and Mrs. Loraine Evans has moved her Beauty Shop to her residence at 1332 East Main Street. The Betty Ann Dress Shop has moved to the Building formerly occupied by Lin-Ra Sporting Goods on South Tennessee Avenue and will re-open soon.
Assistance was rendered by the Decaturville Fire Department, Wylie Funeral Home, Parsons Mortuary, and Pafford Funeral Home of Lexington, as well as the Tennessee Highway Patrol who dispatched several cars to Parsons to help control traffic in the area.
Witnesses to the explosion said that they heard a muffled boom, then the entire upper story seemed to be a ball of fire. Many people outran the falling debris, thus accounting for the comparative small number of injuries. The explosion was heard almost everywhere in town, it was reported.
Services for Judge James Madison Smith Held on December 31
The Parsons News Leader, January 11, 1957
Funeral services for County Judge James Madison Smith were held at the Parsons Methodist Church on Monday afternoon, December 31 with Rev. Harold Wallace, rev. Harold McSwain and rev. Charles Stewart officiating. Burial was in the Decaturville Cemetery under the direction of Parsons Mortuary.
Judge Smith died as a result of injuries received during an explosion in Parsons on December 29.
Judge Smith was appointed County Judge in August of 1951 to fill the unexpired term of Judge Otto Milam. He was elected to fill the remainder of the term in 1952 and would have served until September 1, 1958.
Prior to his appointment as County Judge, Mr. Smith was an automobile dealer in Parsons. He was also County Court Clerk for Decatur County during the war years, with his term in that office bieng interrupted by military service. He served with the U. S. Army in Europe for 12 months then returned to his office.
Judge Smith was a member of the Methodist Church in Parsons serving on many committees of the church. He was member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Decatur County Lions Club serving as Chairman of the Zone II of Lions International at the time of his death. He was chairman of the Lions Club Christmas Basket Committee for the past wto years. He was also a member of the Tennessee County Judges Association.
He is survived by his wife, Imogene; tow sisters, Mrs. Hattie Dennison of Lexington and Mrs. W. H. Volner of Scotts Hill; three nieces; and four nephews.
Active pallbearers were members of the VFW and honorary pallbearers were members of the County Court and the Parsons and Decaturville Lions Clubs. Military rites were conducted at the grave by former governor Gordon Browning.
Services for Jack Bell Held Last Sunday; Second Victim Of Blast
The Parsons News Leader, January 18, 1957
Funeral services for Wyatt Otis (Jack) Bell, Parsons Groceryman, were held last Sunday afternoon at Parsons Methodist Church. He was 51.
Mr. Bell died Friday evening as a result of injuries suffered in a building explosion in Parsons on December 29. He had returned to his home form the Jackson-Madison County General Hospital on Monday, and was able to be up in a wheel chair. He had taken his first steps that day. His condition was noticed as worsening about five o’clock, and a doctor was called, who dispatched Mr. Bell to the hospital in a Parsons Mortuary ambulance. Mr. Bell died between Parsons and Lexington.
Mr. Bell was born and reared near Union City, and received his schooling there. He had lived in Parsons since 1945.
Mr. Bell was a member of the Army during World War II, serving for more than two year in Aleutian Islands. He was a veteran of the bitter fighting on Attu Island during that time.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Masons and the Woodmen of the World. He was a member of the Parsons Methodist Church.
He leaves his wife, Nell, of Parsons; his mother, Mrs. W. H. Bell of Rives; two sisters, Mrs. Annie Ruth Dietzel of Union City and Miss Buline Bell of Rives.
Services were conducted by Rev. H. W. McSwain and Rev. George Capps. Burial was in the Parsons Cemetery under the direction of Parsons Mortuary. Pallbearers were members of Post 4971, VFW.
Samuel L. Duck Elected by Magistrates to Serve Remainder of Judge’s Term
The Parsons News Leader, January 18, 1957
Samuel L. Duck of Decaturville was elected by the magistrates of Decatur County to fill the unexpired term of the late J. Madison Smith at the regular meeting held Monday. Judge Duck will serve until September 1, 1958. The voters will elect a judge for a full term of eight years in the General Election in August of 1958.
Mr. Duck received 14 votes for the position and Jack Rushing of Parsons received 12 votes. One magistrate was absent from the meeting. Both men are Democrats.
Judge Duck is the son of the late D. S. Duck and Mrs. Duck. He was born in Henderson County and is a graduate of Parsons High School. He is a licensed attorney.
Mr. Duck served two years as Circuit Court Clerk beginning in 1934. He was chief clerk of the War Rationing Board from 1942 until 1944. He later became assistant cashier of the Decatur County Bank, which position he held for 10 years, he has practiced law and operated his farming interests.
Mr. Duck is married to the former Marie Harrell and is the father of two children, John Sam and Margaret. He is a member of he Advent Christian Church of Fellowship (Henderson County) and is a Mason.