The most gruesome and shocking death list that has visited any family in this section in several decades was that which befell the Amonett family early Saturday morning when their home was burned and 3 children perished in the flames and another boy was so badly burned that he died Sunday night. The father was burned terribly in trying to rescue the children. He is now at the home of his father-in-law near his burned home and is reported doing well with bright hopes for his future recovery.
Mr and Mrs Curtis Amonett and family lived about 2 miles from Crab Orchard on the road leading to Grassy Cove. The family consisted of the parents and 7 children at home at the time of the fire. One daughter, married, and one single daughter were not at home.
Mr Amonett rose about 4 a.m. Saturday morning and built a fire in the fireplace and then returned to bed. He awoke a short time later to find the interior of the room in flames from the rough building paper with which the room had been lined. The fire cut off escape from the one door. The father attempted to rescue the children, but was unable to get but one son out, J C Amonett Jr, aged 12 years. Three other children, Gladys, 14, Curtis Franklin, 10, and Mary Jane, 7, all perished.
The boy, J C, was so badly burned that he died from the effects of the burns Sunday night. The mother escaped with the baby, but was scorched rather severely, having her eyebrows and part of her hair burned off, while her face and part of her body were rendered very red from the heat, but were not actually burned.
An older son and a small boy also escaped with slight burns.
The house in which they lived was a small one-room frame structure with a lean-to used for a kitchen. There was only one door to the house, which rendered escape so difficult, especially when the flames barred it as the tinder-like building burned rapidly.
The 3 children who perished were buried Sunday, and the boy who died Sunday was buried Monday.
Funds have been raised at Crossville and other points to partly meet the needs of the family and everything is being done for them that the situation requires.
-- Crossville Chronicle, 7 Feb 1935

Note: Date of Birth of Tombstone does not match Date of Birth on Death Certificate #2547 states DOB: 12/20/1926