Notes:

Boonville Weekly Advertiser, 11 November 1881

George Stillwell Shot Accidentally by Joe Back and Dies From the Wounds the day Following. The Accident the Result of the Careless Handling of Fire Arms.

Last Saturday a painful accident occurred to Mr. George Stillwell of this place which resulted in his death the day following. Mr. Stillwell will probably be better known to many as the proprietor of the Southern Hotel, opposite the Mo. P. Depot at this place. The facts are briefly as follows: On Saturday morning, before day, George Stillwell and Joe Back, his brother-in-law, went down to the mouth of the Bonne Femme River hunting ducks. At the Bonne Femme they were slipping up on some ducks, Stillwell being at the oars and Back with his loaded gun was sitting right behind him. The careless part of the affair is in the fact that Back was carrying his gun with both locks cocked. While carrying his gun in this dangerous condition the cap dropped off of one tube; he stopped and got the cap and replaced it, and the supposing he was pulling the trigger of the hammer he held with his thumb, pulled the other, discharging the contents, a load of duck shot, in the left shoulder of his brother-in-law, Stillwell, just in the deltoid muscle, tearing away the point of the shoulder and lodging the load in the upper part of the left breast and lung. This happened about four miles below this city and on the Howard county side. Back then left Stillwell and went for Mr. Long, on Charley Canoles place, in Howard, and Mr. Long and himself brought him to town in a wagon. As soon as they reached town medical aid was procured and amputation decided upon, but Drs. Holman, Cooper, Howard and Hurt on visiting him for that purpose, discovered that reaction had not taken place and found it unnecessary. He lingered through Saturday and Saturday night and died Sunday morning at 5 o'clock. No Coroners inquest was held, the victim repeating time and again that it was an accident and his brother-in-law was not to blame for it, and the family and friends were also perfectly satisfied of the truth of it. Joe Back, of course, is very distressed and has been sadly taught the lesson of being careful with fire arms and we hope the other hunters who read this sad result of carrying a gun with both locks cocked, will take warning and profit by his experience. Mr. Stillwell was buried Monday afternoon.

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Bill Scroggin
Reply to: itcscrog@aol.com

George married Back, Louise Barbara Antonia on 13 Feb 1876 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA. Louise (daughter of Back, Johann Anton Peter and Geuer, Catherine Wilhelmina Sophie) was born on 1 Mar 1859 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; died on 20 Jan 1939 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; was buried in Jan 1939 in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Stillwell, George E was born on 12 Dec 1876 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; died on 12 Dec 1876 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; was buried after 12 Dec 1876 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA.
2. Stillwell, Mary Elizabeth was born on 17 Dec 1877 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; died on 17 Dec 1877 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; was buried after 17 Dec 1877 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA.
3. Stillwell, Joseph William was born on 8 Dec 1878 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; died on 15 Jan 1965 in Higginsville, Lafayette, Missouri, USA; was buried after 15 Jan 1965 in Higginsville City Cemetery, Higginsville, Lafayette, Missouri, USA.
4. Stillwell, Savannah Minnie "Vannie Mary" was born on 26 Apr 1880 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; died on 3 Jun 1953 in Kansas, USA; was buried after 3 Jun 1953 in Pratt, Pratt, Kansas, USA.