Petersburg Press, Thursday, 9 Mar 1961: Bertis B. Cornwell, 33 year-old Petersburg, Route 1, resident, was killed Wednesday when a car he was driving went over a 20-foot embankment at a speed of approximately 100 miles-an-hour. Cornwell died in the Oakland City Hospital from a crushed chest. He was thrown about 20-feet from the car into a tree. State Tropper Paul Oxendine said that Cornwell passed a car and went off the road trying to avoid crashing into an oncoming car on a curve. Cornwell just missed hitting a car carrying Bert Alen and Doris Sanderfur of 1800 S. Kentucky, Evansville. The dead man had gone to Evansville with Dave Kinman of Glezen to get a car for the Ray Green Car Lot. He was driving a 1960 Studebaker belonging to Mr. Green at the time of the accident. Kinman said that he had lost contact with Cornwell for some time before noticing him approaching from the rear at a high rate of speed about three miles north of Oakland City on Highway 57. Kinman said that Cornwell passed him on a curve and just avoided hitting the oncoming car. Kinman and Allen looked for some 15 minutes before finding Cornwell beside a tree. Cornwell was taken to the Oakland City Hospital and was being prepared to move to Evansville when he died. Cornwell was formerly employed by the Texas Ga Co. in Pike County, but was out of job at the time of the accident. Cornwell was survived by his mother, Edith Fox; a brother Cletus of Brazil; sisters, Mrs. Ada Fair, Florida; Virginia of Michigan, Imogene and Mrs. Mabel Booth. Funeral services were Sunday, March 5, at 2 p.m. with Rev. L. M. Gaines officiating. Burial was in the Anderson Chapel Cemetery.

Contributed by:
C. Cornwell McCachern
September 1, 2012