Allen Reece Lindsay was born on December 5, 1918 in Tioga, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, to Ida (Weaver) Lindsay and William King Lindsay, Sr. On December 5, 1924, his mother, Ida (Weaver) Lindsay, held a birthday party for her son, Allen, who would be six years old. Relatives and friends were invited to the party. The gifts were opened, the birthday candles were blown out, and the cake was cut and eaten. It was a very wonderful birthday party. The smoldering candles were thrown into the trash can and the can was put out on the back porch. When the party was over, everyone had gone home, and the Lindsay family returned to its normal household activities. The smoldering candles in the trash can were forgotten about and the trash can remained on the back porch. Late that night, William and Ida awoke to their house filled with smoke and fire. They quickly ran to get their children and get out of the house. Suddenly they realized that Allen was not with them. They began to search the property for him. Allen was nowhere to be found. The house was engulfed in fire and smoke and they could not go back into it. The Tioga Fire Department arrived and after hours fighting to control the fire, they finally got it out. The Firemen entered what was left of the house and inside they found the badly burned body of Allen. Allen was rushed to the hospital and died on December 9, 1924. He was buried in the Tioga Cemetery, Rapides Parish, Louisiana. The house and all of its contents were completely destroyed. The Fire Department determined that the smoldering birthday candles in the trash can on the back porch had caused the fire. Relatives and friends helped to rebuild the house and also refurnished it.

from: Mary Weaver Hundt