Notes:

Death Notice:

Clarkton Man, 47, Commits Suicide

Fired Rifle Into Brain; Had No Hands, But Used Stick

No reason is known for the suicide of A. V. Davidson, member of a well known Clarkton family, who took his own life by shooting himself through the head with a .22 caliber rifle about 5 o'clock Thursday afternoon.

Dr. G. I. Gilmore, county coroner, arrived at Davidson's home shortly after 6 o'clock that evening but did not hold an inquest since it was apparent that he had committed suicide.

A. V. Davidson, 47 years old, was collector of Freeborn Township. He had no hands, they having been cut off above the wrists in an industrial accident in Flint, Mich., several years ago. Despite this handicap he had learned to write without hands and do other things, seemingly impossible for one so afflicted.

His friends and relatives, including his deputy collector, Mrs. Hildebrand, could give no reason why he should have taken his life.

The coroner, in searching his pockets, found two notes, both penciled on the backs of candidate cards. One, in his shirt pocket, read: "Please forgive me for this but I feel this is the best for all of us." The other, found in a trouser pocket, read: I am doing what I should have done years ago."

He was alone in the house at the time he shot himself. When found he was seated on a hassock, his head resting on a table against which it had fallen. The shot from the rifle, which he had held between his knees, penetrated his skull between his eyes and went through, coming out behind. A great quantity of blood had flown from the wound. The shot was fired by using a stick to push on the trigger of the rifle.

On June 20, as Collector for Freeborn Township, Mr. Davidson presented his annual settlement to the County Court which was refused by that body since it showed balances due various funds aggregating $1,1512.32.

However, at this time, according to County Treasurer Drew Vardell, he had already paid into the treasurer a substantial part of these balances due and had made subsequent payments until at the time he took his life. Mr. Davidson only had $76.46 remaining to be paid.

Mr. Davidson was the son of W. T. Davidson, who is still a resident of Clarkton. The deceased is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Jewel Davidson; a daughter, Miss Blanche Davidson, 24, who taught last year at the Simpson school, and a son, Van, 17.

(Published in The Twice-A-Week Dunklin Democrat on July 5, 1938)

Artie married Mary Jewel Crow 18 May 1913, Baird, Dunklin County, Missouri, USA. Mary (daughter of James L. Crow and Miranda Jane McCarty) was born 11 Nov 1892, Clarkton, Dunklin County, Missouri, USA; died 30 Aug 1981, Clarkton, Dunklin County, Missouri, USA; was buried , Stanfield Cemetery - Clarkton, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Obituary:

Blanche Vaughn, 91, of Clarkton, Mo., died Monday, June 18, 2007, at Gideon Care Center in Gideon, Mo.

Born Aug. 10, 1915, in Clarkton, daughter of the late Artie Van and Jewell Crow Davidson, she was an elementary school teacher and taught in the Clarkton School district. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Clarkton.

On Oct. 27, 1939, in Marion, Ark., she married Charles Orville "C.O." Vaughn, who preceded her in death on Sept. 11, 1998. She was also preceded in death by one daughter, June Ricks and one brother, Van Davidson.

Survivors include two grandchildren, Elizabeth Bradish, of Arlington Heights, Ill., and Stephen Ricks, of Flower Mound, Texas; three great-grandchildren, Jacob and Ella Ricks and Lily Bradish and a son-in-law, Larry Ricks, of Flower Mound.

Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, June 21, at the Landess Funeral Home in Campbell, Mo.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, June 22, at the Landess Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Raymond Cowart and Dale Rickman officiating.

Burial will follow in the Stanfield Cemetery at Clarkton.

(Published in The Dunklin, MO Democrat on June 20, 2007)

Vera married Charles Orville Vaughn 27 Oct 1939, Crittenden County, Arkansas, USA. Charles was born 7 Jun 1906, Campbell, Dunklin County, Missouri, USA; died 11 Sep 1998, Clarkton, Dunklin County, Missouri, USA; was buried , Stanfield Cemetery - Clarkton, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet]

Artie married Doris Jean Blaylock 7 Oct 1939, Piggott, Clay County, Arkansas, USA. Doris was born 8 Aug 1920, Freeborn Township, Dunklin County, Missouri, USA; died 26 Sep 2016, St. Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA; was buried 3 Oct 2016, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery - Lemay, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet]

June — Brimager. [Group Sheet]

June — L.E. Ricks. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Obituary:

James "Jim" Russell Davidson, age 76, of Saint Peters, Missouri passed away at home on Thursday, July 20, 2017 in Saint Peters, Missouri. He was born in Malden, Missouri to Artie Van and Doris Davidson (nee Blaylock).

Jim was a graduate of Roosevelt High School and Missouri Valley College where he pitched on the college's first baseball team. He was inducted into the Missouri Valley College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. Jim married Theresa (nee Kochanski) in Florissant, Missouri on November 25, 1970. He was a member of the Missouri Air National Guard. Jim was a buyer with Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas), for 24 years and then sold appliances at Sears Mid Rivers Mall until retirement.

Jim is survived by his Wife of 46 years, Theresa M. Davidson of Saint Peters, MO; a Son, Mark C. (Angie) Davidson of St. Charles, MO; brothers in law, Tony (Mitzie) Kochanski of Marthasville, MO; Robert Kochanski of Vero Beach, FL, and Jerry (Rachel) Kochanski of Grand Rapids, MI; sister in law, Kathy (late Bill) Anderson of St. Charles, MO ; plus numerous nieces, nephews and other extended family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers in law, Don (Rosie) Kochanski and Steve (Carol) Kochanski.

All Services will be private.

Services entrusted to Newcomer Funeral Home, 837 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, St. Peters, Missouri 63376.

To share a memory of Jim, or leave a special message for his family, please click the Share Memories button above.

James — T.M. Kochanski. [Group Sheet]

S.P. — B.A. Przyzycki. [Group Sheet]

E.A. — . Williams. [Group Sheet]

E.A. — C.W. Bradish. [Group Sheet]

M.C. — A.M. Longo. [Group Sheet]