This is a story about my uncle who never got a chance to grow up and enjoy life and about my brave grandmother who loved him to the end.
James was the son of James Edward Parsons and Zelma Rosalea (Reece) Parsons Payne. James and Zelma were married in 1930. However, by the time the baby was 10 months old the couple had separated and divorced because James really didn't want the responsibility of a family. Zelma then married Elbert Payne on September 19, 1932 and he raised James as his own son.
On July 7, 1936, Elbert and Zelma took James to Bloomfield to Dr. F.R. VanSandt's office because he was supposed to get his tonsils removed. Zelma kissed her son and he was taken back to be prepped for surgery. Sometime later, she was given the news that her son was gone.
This is the article that appeared in the paper that told what happened:
**Boy, 5, Dies On Operating Table
In spite of a two-hour fight by Dr. F. R. VanSandt, Bloomfield, and Dr. J. W. Clifford, James Parsons, jr., 5, died on an operating table, Tuesday morning, at the office of Dr. VanSandt. "His heart went bad," said Dr. Clifford, who was administering the anesthetic. Dr. VanSandt was to have removed the lad's tonsils. The physician, who is a specialist in anesthesia, said he noticed a change in the boy's color. He at once stopped administering. He and Dr. VanSandt then began a two-hour battle to save the life of their patient. They lost. "It is the first that ever happened in all my practice," mourned Dr. Clifford. He has been a physician for 41 years. James was born February 3, 1931, at Coalmont. His mother was then Mrs. Parsons (nee Reece). She has since remarried. The funeral was set for this (Thursday) afternoon at the Myers funeral home, with Rev. David F. Krick of the Church of the Nazarene officiating and burial in Worthington Cemetery. The boy leaves his father, his mother, Mrs. Elbert Payne, his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Jane Reece and paternal grandfather, Robert Parsons, Coalmont, and great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Doorne, Smith township. **
However, things are not always as they appear. First of all, Dr. VanSandt refused to let a hearse come to his office to pick up the body of James. Apparently, the doctor didn't want to scare away his patients or have his reputation questioned. So, Zelma had to carry her dead son out the back door so no one could see what was happening. Then she had to sit in the back seat of the car and hold him across her lap on the long trip back to Worthington. She made funeral arrangements and on February 9, 1936 her son was laid to rest at the foot of her parent's grave.
Several years later she found out what really happened that fateful day. She went to work cleaning house for the nurse who had worked in Dr. VanSandt's office. This nurse had been assisting with James' operation that day but she was never mentioned in the article submitted above. Anyway, she told Zelma what really happened that day. Of course Zelma wasn't allowed in the room while the doctors were to operate and apparently, James was scared and wanted his mother. The doctors wouldn't let him see her and they were trying to hold him down so they could put him out. James struggled with them and in the process he somehow managed to swallow his tongue, causing him to choke and that caused his death. The doctors lied to cover up their part in the death of this innocent child. It hurt Zelma that she had been lied to but, of course, there wasn't anything she could do. She never forget her firstborn and grieved his death until the day she died.
It's a sad thing that this sweet little boy died because of negligence on the part of the doctors involved. May he Rest in Peace in the strong and loving arms of Jesus.
James was the son of James Edward Parsons and Zelma Rosalea (Reece) Parsons Payne. James and Zelma were married in 1930. However, by the time the baby was 10 months old the couple had separated and divorced because James really didn't want the responsibility of a family. Zelma then married Elbert Payne on September 19, 1932 and he raised James as his own son.
On July 7, 1936, Elbert and Zelma took James to Bloomfield to Dr. F.R. VanSandt's office because he was supposed to get his tonsils removed. Zelma kissed her son and he was taken back to be prepped for surgery. Sometime later, she was given the news that her son was gone.
This is the article that appeared in the paper that told what happened:
**Boy, 5, Dies On Operating Table
In spite of a two-hour fight by Dr. F. R. VanSandt, Bloomfield, and Dr. J. W. Clifford, James Parsons, jr., 5, died on an operating table, Tuesday morning, at the office of Dr. VanSandt. "His heart went bad," said Dr. Clifford, who was administering the anesthetic. Dr. VanSandt was to have removed the lad's tonsils. The physician, who is a specialist in anesthesia, said he noticed a change in the boy's color. He at once stopped administering. He and Dr. VanSandt then began a two-hour battle to save the life of their patient. They lost. "It is the first that ever happened in all my practice," mourned Dr. Clifford. He has been a physician for 41 years. James was born February 3, 1931, at Coalmont. His mother was then Mrs. Parsons (nee Reece). She has since remarried. The funeral was set for this (Thursday) afternoon at the Myers funeral home, with Rev. David F. Krick of the Church of the Nazarene officiating and burial in Worthington Cemetery. The boy leaves his father, his mother, Mrs. Elbert Payne, his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Jane Reece and paternal grandfather, Robert Parsons, Coalmont, and great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Doorne, Smith township. **
However, things are not always as they appear. First of all, Dr. VanSandt refused to let a hearse come to his office to pick up the body of James. Apparently, the doctor didn't want to scare away his patients or have his reputation questioned. So, Zelma had to carry her dead son out the back door so no one could see what was happening. Then she had to sit in the back seat of the car and hold him across her lap on the long trip back to Worthington. She made funeral arrangements and on February 9, 1936 her son was laid to rest at the foot of her parent's grave.
Several years later she found out what really happened that fateful day. She went to work cleaning house for the nurse who had worked in Dr. VanSandt's office. This nurse had been assisting with James' operation that day but she was never mentioned in the article submitted above. Anyway, she told Zelma what really happened that day. Of course Zelma wasn't allowed in the room while the doctors were to operate and apparently, James was scared and wanted his mother. The doctors wouldn't let him see her and they were trying to hold him down so they could put him out. James struggled with them and in the process he somehow managed to swallow his tongue, causing him to choke and that caused his death. The doctors lied to cover up their part in the death of this innocent child. It hurt Zelma that she had been lied to but, of course, there wasn't anything she could do. She never forget her firstborn and grieved his death until the day she died.
It's a sad thing that this sweet little boy died because of negligence on the part of the doctors involved. May he Rest in Peace in the strong and loving arms of Jesus.
This is a story about my uncle who never got a chance to grow up and enjoy life and about my brave grandmother who loved him to the end.
James was the son of James Edward Parsons and Zelma Rosalea (Reece) Parsons Payne. James and Zelma were married in 1930. However, by the time the baby was 10 months old the couple had separated and divorced because James really didn't want the responsibility of a family. Zelma then married Elbert Payne on September 19, 1932 and he raised James as his own son.
On July 7, 1936, Elbert and Zelma took James to Bloomfield to Dr. F.R. VanSandt's office because he was supposed to get his tonsils removed. Zelma kissed her son and he was taken back to be prepped for surgery. Sometime later, she was given the news that her son was gone.
This is the article that appeared in the paper that told what happened:
**Boy, 5, Dies On Operating Table
In spite of a two-hour fight by Dr. F. R. VanSandt, Bloomfield, and Dr. J. W. Clifford, James Parsons, jr., 5, died on an operating table, Tuesday morning, at the office of Dr. VanSandt. "His heart went bad," said Dr. Clifford, who was administering the anesthetic. Dr. VanSandt was to have removed the lad's tonsils. The physician, who is a specialist in anesthesia, said he noticed a change in the boy's color. He at once stopped administering. He and Dr. VanSandt then began a two-hour battle to save the life of their patient. They lost. "It is the first that ever happened in all my practice," mourned Dr. Clifford. He has been a physician for 41 years. James was born February 3, 1931, at Coalmont. His mother was then Mrs. Parsons (nee Reece). She has since remarried. The funeral was set for this (Thursday) afternoon at the Myers funeral home, with Rev. David F. Krick of the Church of the Nazarene officiating and burial in Worthington Cemetery. The boy leaves his father, his mother, Mrs. Elbert Payne, his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Jane Reece and paternal grandfather, Robert Parsons, Coalmont, and great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Doorne, Smith township. **
However, things are not always as they appear. First of all, Dr. VanSandt refused to let a hearse come to his office to pick up the body of James. Apparently, the doctor didn't want to scare away his patients or have his reputation questioned. So, Zelma had to carry her dead son out the back door so no one could see what was happening. Then she had to sit in the back seat of the car and hold him across her lap on the long trip back to Worthington. She made funeral arrangements and on February 9, 1936 her son was laid to rest at the foot of her parent's grave.
Several years later she found out what really happened that fateful day. She went to work cleaning house for the nurse who had worked in Dr. VanSandt's office. This nurse had been assisting with James' operation that day but she was never mentioned in the article submitted above. Anyway, she told Zelma what really happened that day. Of course Zelma wasn't allowed in the room while the doctors were to operate and apparently, James was scared and wanted his mother. The doctors wouldn't let him see her and they were trying to hold him down so they could put him out. James struggled with them and in the process he somehow managed to swallow his tongue, causing him to choke and that caused his death. The doctors lied to cover up their part in the death of this innocent child. It hurt Zelma that she had been lied to but, of course, there wasn't anything she could do. She never forget her firstborn and grieved his death until the day she died.
It's a sad thing that this sweet little boy died because of negligence on the part of the doctors involved. May he Rest in Peace in the strong and loving arms of Jesus.
James was the son of James Edward Parsons and Zelma Rosalea (Reece) Parsons Payne. James and Zelma were married in 1930. However, by the time the baby was 10 months old the couple had separated and divorced because James really didn't want the responsibility of a family. Zelma then married Elbert Payne on September 19, 1932 and he raised James as his own son.
On July 7, 1936, Elbert and Zelma took James to Bloomfield to Dr. F.R. VanSandt's office because he was supposed to get his tonsils removed. Zelma kissed her son and he was taken back to be prepped for surgery. Sometime later, she was given the news that her son was gone.
This is the article that appeared in the paper that told what happened:
**Boy, 5, Dies On Operating Table
In spite of a two-hour fight by Dr. F. R. VanSandt, Bloomfield, and Dr. J. W. Clifford, James Parsons, jr., 5, died on an operating table, Tuesday morning, at the office of Dr. VanSandt. "His heart went bad," said Dr. Clifford, who was administering the anesthetic. Dr. VanSandt was to have removed the lad's tonsils. The physician, who is a specialist in anesthesia, said he noticed a change in the boy's color. He at once stopped administering. He and Dr. VanSandt then began a two-hour battle to save the life of their patient. They lost. "It is the first that ever happened in all my practice," mourned Dr. Clifford. He has been a physician for 41 years. James was born February 3, 1931, at Coalmont. His mother was then Mrs. Parsons (nee Reece). She has since remarried. The funeral was set for this (Thursday) afternoon at the Myers funeral home, with Rev. David F. Krick of the Church of the Nazarene officiating and burial in Worthington Cemetery. The boy leaves his father, his mother, Mrs. Elbert Payne, his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Jane Reece and paternal grandfather, Robert Parsons, Coalmont, and great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Doorne, Smith township. **
However, things are not always as they appear. First of all, Dr. VanSandt refused to let a hearse come to his office to pick up the body of James. Apparently, the doctor didn't want to scare away his patients or have his reputation questioned. So, Zelma had to carry her dead son out the back door so no one could see what was happening. Then she had to sit in the back seat of the car and hold him across her lap on the long trip back to Worthington. She made funeral arrangements and on February 9, 1936 her son was laid to rest at the foot of her parent's grave.
Several years later she found out what really happened that fateful day. She went to work cleaning house for the nurse who had worked in Dr. VanSandt's office. This nurse had been assisting with James' operation that day but she was never mentioned in the article submitted above. Anyway, she told Zelma what really happened that day. Of course Zelma wasn't allowed in the room while the doctors were to operate and apparently, James was scared and wanted his mother. The doctors wouldn't let him see her and they were trying to hold him down so they could put him out. James struggled with them and in the process he somehow managed to swallow his tongue, causing him to choke and that caused his death. The doctors lied to cover up their part in the death of this innocent child. It hurt Zelma that she had been lied to but, of course, there wasn't anything she could do. She never forget her firstborn and grieved his death until the day she died.
It's a sad thing that this sweet little boy died because of negligence on the part of the doctors involved. May he Rest in Peace in the strong and loving arms of Jesus.
Inscription
James Parsons
1931-1936
Gravesite Details
The gravestone was handmade by Elbert Payne and Morton Wells. It was placed at the end of Simeon Reece's grave where James is buried. However, the stone keeps getting moved around. Someday I'm afraid it will be lost forever.
Family Members
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