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Note: The following obit was published in the Frankfort, IN paper. BIRD FUNERAL IMPRESSIVE AND WELL ATTENDED
Respected Citizen Laid to Rest in the Midst of Relatives and
Friends Who Followed Him to the Grave With Bowed Heads and Sad Hearts
One of the largest and most impressive funerals ever held in this
city wasthe funeral of George W. Bird, held in the First Methodist
church this afternoon.
The church auditorium was filled before the arrival of the funeral
party and much of the gallery space was taken. The front of the pulpit
was banked with flowers in large and massive bouquets.
Preceding the pall bearers asthey entered the church were seven
white robed and hooded Knights of the KuKlux Klan, one of whom bore a
large red cross on a white and green background; another carried a silk
American flag. These Knights took positions at thehead of the casket as
the pall bearers filed by. Then followed the family and close friends.
When these were seated, a long procession of white robed Klansmen filed
in and stood at attention, filling the entire wall space aroundthe
room. A mixed quartette sang a beautiful hymn, after which Rev. Wilson,
pastor of the church, read a scripture lesson from the Psalms and then
offered prayer.
The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Broomfield of this city, who
prefaced his sermon by a splendid and deserved tribute to the life of the
man whose body was now dead, but whose soul still lives. He said that if
all men conducted themselves after the manner of this man this would be
an ideal community to live in. He was a good and law abiding citizen and
was faithful to every trust imposed in him, he said.
The speaker spoke of the Christianlife of the deceased and said
that he wuld be missed by the church as well as by the citizens of the
community in which he lived. The theme of the textwas "Light an Life,"
taken from the book of John. Around this theme the speaker wove many
beautiful and helpful lessons as a guide to the living and a tribute to
the memory of the man who had walked in that faith. The sermon wasa
practical chart of the Book of Life, which should be light unto the path
of the living generation needing guidance.
No better testimonial of the the high esteem in which the deceased
was held could be furnished than that of thepresence of that large
audience. A large percentage of the crowd was men. Men from every walk
of life were there. Besides the townsmen who left their places of
business to attend the funeral, there were many farmers and workingmen.
It was a splendid tribute to the memory of a man who had lived a manly
life in the community.
The Aughe undertaking firm had chorge of the funeraland after the
service carried the body to the cemetery followed by a large procession
of friends and robed klansmen.
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