Butler Eagle, Butler , PA. , Monday, December 9, 1907.

Dr. J. S. Cleeland of Hazelwood, near Pittsburg , son of John Cleeland of this city, was struck by a passenger train in front of the depot at Steubenville Saturday evening and instantly killed.

Dr. Cleeland had been in the oil fields about Steubenville during the week and was enroute to his home in Hazelwood in company with Mr. Kiskaddon. As the gentlemen approached the depot at Steubenville they were compelled to cross a ditch in the street by means of a narrow plank. Mr. Cleeland slipped off the plank into the mud and got his shoes very muddy. After going into the depot Dr. Cleeland said he thought he would go onto the platform and clean his shoes. He stepped onto the railway track and to his death.

A freight train was passing on the second track at that time and was making a loud noise. Dr. Cleeland was not watching either way for the approach of a train and as he stood on the track cleaning the mud from his shoes, stooping forward, the passenger train struck him. The engine struck the left side of his head, throwing the doctor forward in front of the pilot. The body was dragged 300 feet and literally cut to pieces. In falling he struck on his forehead on the rail, splitting the head open.

The remains were taken care of by a Steubenville undertaker and sent to his home in Hazelwood yesterday. The funeral will be held at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon at the home.

Dr. Cleeland was well known in Butler County . He was born in Portersville, this county, fifty-seven years ago. When he was about a year old the family removed to Perry Township , Mercer County , about twelve miles north of Mercer. Dr. Cleeland obtained his education there and later located at Harrisville where he lived two years. He then went to Freeport where he was admitted to practice. Fifteen years ago he removed to Hazelwood.

For a few years Dr. Cleeland had not been in active practice owing to ill-health. He went into the oil business in the hope of improving his health and had been engaged in operations near Steubenville for some time. He was accustomed to spend the week in the fields and return to his home to spend Sunday.

A widow, seven sons and four daughters survive. The funeral Tuesday will be attended by D. L. Cleeland of this city, who spent Sunday at the family residence in Hazelwood.

The Pittsburg Gazette Times says: "Just how the accident happened is not known, but it is thought that Dr. Cleeland walked out on the tracks and was watching a shifting engine working in the yards, and the noise of it drowned out all sound of the fast approaching eastbound freight train. Dr. Cleeland was dragged about 200 feet and his body was horribly mangled. Following an inquest by Coroner W. H. Campbell of Steubenville , the remains of the physician were removed to his late home yesterday afternoon, where the funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock, with interment in Homewood Cemetery .

Dr. Cleeland was born in Portersville, Butler County , Pa. , March 30, 1850, and took up the study of his profession at the Cleveland Homeopathic School . He had engaged in the active practice of medicine for 18 years and had been a resident of Pittsburg for 14 years. He was a member of the Ames Methodist Episcopal Church and leaves his widow. Mrs. Susan Cleeland, and 11 children, Thayer L., George R., John S., Jr., Merrill E., Byron R., Harry D., Howard L., Mrs. Ira H. Edmundson and Misses E. Edna, Lulu and Leona Cleeland. He also is survived by his father, John Cleeland, aged 97 years and two brothers, David L., of Butler , Pa. , and Morrison Cleeland of Wyoming ."

New Castle News, December 9, 1907

DR. J. S. CLELAND KILLED SUNDAY

Muddy shoes caused the death of Dr. J. S. Cleland of Pittsburg , who was struck and killed by a Panhandle Passenger Train at Steubenville , Ohio , Sunday. Dr. Cleland was cleaning the mud off his shoes while standing on the tracks. In avoiding one train he stepped directly in front of another. Dr. Cleland was born in Portersville, Lawrence County and was 57 years of age. He has many relatives in Lawrence County .

Material provided by Robert Osborne, June 2009

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