The Overstreet-Bacon families of Hillcrest Cemetery

One of the more tragic stories of the souls who lie in eternal rest at Hillcrest Cemetery belong to the Overstreet-Bacon families—Josephine Catherine (Bacon) Overstreet (age 35), her children Jacqueline Overstreet (age 11) and twins James Lewis “Jimmy” Overstreet and Jeane Louise Overstreet (age 7), and mother, Emma C. (Albert) Bacon (age 66). All five died on May 16, 1938 when fire swept through the Terminal Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

Late 1937, Josephine’s husband, Lewis F. Overstreet, took a job with the Postal Telegraph Company in Knoxville, Tennessee. At the time, the Overstreet family lived in Winter Haven, Florida so Lewis headed to Knoxville alone. His children were in the middle of the school year and he did not want to disrupt their studies. Lewis was also worried about moving them to an area where winters were colder than in Florida, something they had yet to experience. Once arriving in Knoxville, Lewis stayed at the YMCA while he settled into his new job and checked out the area, wanting to make sure Josephine would be happy there. Within six months, Lewis rented an apartment and called Josephine to let her know he was ready for them. 

Lewis’ 34th birthday was May 16. To celebrate, family members planned a “birthday reunion” to take place in Knoxville. So, Josephine, the children, and her mother Emma boarded a train in Winter Haven on Friday, May 13, stopping in Atlanta for a weekend visit with friends before arriving in Knoxville in time for the reunion. Census records show Josephine and her family lived in Atlanta in 1910 and 1920 so she had friends to catch up with. Upon arriving in Atlanta, Josephine’s friend, Mr. J. J. Hanna, met the group at the train station and took them to the Terminal Hotel across the street from Terminal Station at West Mitchell Street and Madison Avenue. Tired from the trip and ready for bed, the group checked into one (or possibly two) of the 75 hotel rooms. They visited with Josephine’s friend, Mrs. Nell Stuckey, during the day, returning to the hotel by nightfall. Lewis anxiously waited for his family back in Knoxville in a recently rented apartment, now filled with household goods and furnishings that had been shipped from Winter Haven. Sadly, the planned birthday reunion would never happen with Lewis receiving the worst news possible on his birthday.

The Terminal Hotel (see page for author, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Staying at the Terminal Hotel turned out to be a fatal decision for the family when a fire started in the basement or first floor of the “five-story brick and frame structure” at 3:05 a.m. Monday, May 16 “in what was at the time the worst hotel fire in Atlanta history.” The fire spread quickly through the elevator shafts, moving to the top floors and eventually caused the roof to cave in. Heavy smoke hindered the fire department’s response. Some of the fire escapes were so hot that people were unable to use them. Thousands of onlookers watched as fireman attempted to fight the fire and save hotel guests. Many panicked guests jumped from windows to save themselves, but firemen were unable to see them in time to catch them from below. The fire, which burned just under 12 hours, was extinguished by 3:05 p.m. In the end, the hotel was destroyed, many were injured, and 34 lives were lost. Due to the early start time of the fire, many of the dead were wearing their night clothes when their bodies were recovered.

The bodies of Josephine and her children were recovered in their hotel room with Josephine found sitting in a chair, a daughter kneeling beside the bed looking as if she was praying, and two of the children laying on the bed. Nell Stuckey had the grim task of identifying Josephine and her children’s burned bodies which she was able to do using jewelry, most likely Josephine’s. A grief-stricken Lewis was driven to Atlanta from Knoxville by his brother, Robert Overstreet, after learning the sad news. The bodies of Josephine and the children were held at the Harry G. Poole Funeral Home until Emma’s body could be recovered. That did not happen until noon the next day, May 17; however, it took a court action to reunite her body with the other four members of the family. When recovered, Emma’s body was taken by ambulance to West Side Funeral Home, where Lewis was able to identify her in the same manner as Nell had, from jewelry she was wearing. Unfortunately, Lewis disputed the cost being charged by the funeral home and they refused to release the body until the bill was paid. Lewis obtained an attorney, and the case was quickly presented to a judge. The funeral home manager testified that “he was willing to turn the body over to funeral directors Overstreet desired without making any charges whatever” and that “the body came in unidentified and something needed to be done at once. I did what I thought was right.” The judge approved of the manager’s testimony and ruled that Lewis only needed to pay a $10 ambulance fee.

A combined funeral service was held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Atlanta on May 18. Josephine had previously worshiped there when she lived in Atlanta. Officiated by Rev. Father Edward P. McGrath, the service was attended by approximately 100 people. The deaths were listed in the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church death register, showing all died of asphyxiation. The register incorrectly listed the cemetery as Cresthill.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Death, 1910–1978; Atlanta, Georgia,
U.S., Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta Sacramental Records, 1840–1980
(click each image to enlarge)

A graveside service took place at Hillcrest Cemetery in East Point, Georgia. The five family members were buried in a single 12 ½ foot unmarked grave in the Circle Section, Block S, Row 8 and assigned the following spaces:

• Space 2: Josephine Overstreet
• Space 3: Jacqueline Overstreet
• Space 4: James L. Overstreet
• Space 5: Jeane L. Overstreet
• Space 6: Emma Bacon

A heartbroken Lewis returned to Knoxville that night after the funeral.

A collection of 17 photos of the Terminal Hotel fire taken by photographer Kenneth Rogers is posted on the Atlanta History Center > Digital Resources of the Kenan Research Center website. The first two photos in the collection were taken during the funeral. Due to copyright restrictions, they are not included in this sketch, however, can be viewed here. Photos taken at the burial and of the children can be found on their Find A Grave memorials at the following links:

Josephine Bacon Overstreet (1902-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial

Jacqueline Overstreet (1926-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial

James Lewis Overstreet (1930-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial

Jeane Louise Overstreet (1930-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial

Emma Albert Bacon (1872-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial

Miscellaneous notes from research for this sketch follow.

The hotel property was purchased by Samuel M. Inman in 1904. The Terminal Hotel was built and opened in 1906. An earlier fire occurred at the hotel on May 8, 1908, fortunately, no one died. The hotel was rebuilt and opened in 1909. When Mr. Inman died in 1915, his daughter, Nellie (Inman) Cooper, inherited the property. The property was leased by J. B. Kinney at the time of the 1938 fire.

Josephine married Lewis Overstreet in Winchester, Clark County, Kentucky on September 1, 1925.

Winchester, Clark County, Kentucky marriage record for Lewis Overstreet and Josephine Bacon
(click to enlarge)

The Polk County, Florida census shows that Josephine’s parents, Augustine J. and Emma Bacon, lived next door to the Overstreet family in 1935 so they were most likely a close family. Emma’s death certificate noted that she was a widow which means Augustine died sometime after the census was taken and before the Terminal Hotel fire occurred. Under those circumstances, it can probably be assumed that Emma was traveling with Josephine and the children; however, it is unknown whether she planned to move to Knoxville with them.

Precinct 12, Polk County, Florida, U.S., State Census, 1935 (click to enlarge)

Miss Josephine Stark, secretary at Hillcrest Cemetery, called a tip in to The Atlanta Constitution informing them that all five family members would be buried in one plot at Hillcrest. This enabled the newspaper to get a photo of the five caskets sitting over the plot, with Lewis Overstreet in the photo. Miss Stark received a $5 cash prize for her photo tip.

When Kate (Pendley) Hanna, a childhood friend of Josephine’s and wife of Mr. J. J. Hanna, gave birth to a son at Piedmont Hospital on May 20, 1938, she named the baby James Lewis Hanna, after Josephine’s twin son, James Lewis Overstreet. Had the baby been born a girl, the Hanna’s planned to name her Jacqueline Jean Hanna, after Josephine’s daughters. Although engulfed in grief from the loss of his family, Lewis Overstreet sent the following telegram to the Hanna’s: “Greetings and a long, healthy and prosperous life to the new member of the family.”

A Fulton County grand jury of city leaders was seated on May 17 to investigate the fire and discuss possible city ordinances to prevent future incidents such as the May 16 fire. Three ordinances were prepared to help prevent another catastrophe like the Terminal Hotel fire:

1. Installation of an automatic sprinkler system in all buildings erected prior to 1924
2. Automatic fire alarm bells
3. A requirement that elevator shafts be enclosed in fireproof doors designed to prevent a deadly draft in case of fire

Late May/early June 1938, two were passed by Atlanta’s city council and signed by Mayor William B. Hartsfield “in an effort to reduce the chances of another catastrophe like the Terminal hotel fire … .” 

The following was used to battle the Terminal Hotel fire:

• 2,50,000 gallons of water
• 18 pumper trucks
• 9 hook and ladder trucks
• 850 gallons on gas
• 21,000 feet of hose

The Terminal Hotel fire was selected as the top news story of 1938 by Atlanta Journal staff members.

References

• 2,500,000 Gallons of Water Were Used, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 20, 1938.
• Anti-Fire Statutes Drafted as Grand Jury Studies City Hazards, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 19, 1938.
• Atlanta Baby Named After Fire Victim, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 24, 1938.
• Augustine J. Bacon, Minnesota, U.S., Marriages Index, 1849–1950.
• Baby Is Named for Fire Victim to Keep Memory Fresh: Childhood Friend of Mrs. Overstreet Calls Son ‘James Lewis,’ The Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 24, 1938.
• City’s Most Disastrous Fire Leaves Dozen Persons Missing: 24 Known Dead, 14 Injured in Terminal Hotel Tragedy, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 16, 1938.
• Emma Bacon, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Death, 1910–1978; Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta Sacramental Records, 1840–1980.
• Father Finds 4 of Family in Mortuary: Overstreets of Knoxville Planned Happy Reunion; Grandmother Still Missing, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 17, 1938.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46399828/emma-bacon: accessed 16 August 2023), memorial page for Emma Albert Bacon (1872–16 May 1938), Find a Grave Memorial ID 46399828, citing Hillcrest Cemetery, East Point, Fulton County, Georgia, USA; maintained by East Point Historical Soc (contributor 50779333).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46399815/josephine-overstreet: accessed 16 August 2023), memorial page for Josephine Bacon Overstreet (2 Sep 1902–16 May 1938), Find a Grave Memorial ID 46399815, citing Hillcrest Cemetery, East Point, Fulton County, Georgia, USA; maintained by East Point Historical Soc (contributor 50779333).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46399819/jacqueline-overstreet: accessed 16 August 2023), memorial page for Jacqueline Overstreet (12 Jun 1926–16 May 1938), Find a Grave Memorial ID 46399819, citing Hillcrest Cemetery, East Point, Fulton County, Georgia, USA; maintained by East Point Historical Soc (contributor 50779333).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46399822/james-lewis-overstreet: accessed 16 August 2023), memorial page for James Lewis Overstreet (7 Sep 1930–16 May 1938), Find a Grave Memorial ID 46399822, citing Hillcrest Cemetery, East Point, Fulton County, Georgia, USA; maintained by East Point Historical Soc (contributor 50779333).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46399825/jeane-louise-overstreet: accessed 16 August 2023), memorial page for Jeane Louise Overstreet (7 Sep 1930–16 May 1938), Find a Grave Memorial ID 46399825, citing Hillcrest Cemetery, East Point, Fulton County, Georgia, USA; maintained by East Point Historical Soc (contributor 50779333).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35838196/lewis-f-overstreet: accessed 16 August 2023), memorial page for Lewis F Overstreet (16 May 1904–5 Feb 1986), Find a Grave Memorial ID 35838196, citing Oak Ridge Memorial Park, Oak Ridge, Anderson County, Tennessee, USA; maintained by osengineer3 (contributor 46925840).
• Fire Extinguished Within 12 Hours, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 17, 1938.
• Funeral Rites Planned and Held for Fire Victims, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 18, 1938.
• Grief-Bowed Husband Buries in One Grave Family of Five Killed in Terminal Hotel Fire, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 19, 1938.
• Happy Reunion Prevented by Fire Tragedy, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 16, 1938.
• History of Service: Atlanta Fire Department Commemorative Yearbook, Turner Publishing Company, August 17, 2001.
• History Repeats as Fire Razes Terminal Hotel Building Again: Ownership of Property Has Been in Samuel M. Inman Family for 34 Years, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 16, 1938.
• Hotel ‘Total Loss,’ Fixed at $105,000: Only Partial Insurance Carried by Building’s Owner, Attorney Reveals, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 17, 1938.
• Husband Here, Stricken by Loss of Family, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 17, 1938.
• Jacqueline Overstreet, Certificate of Death no. 2197, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1938.
• James Lewis Overstreet, Certificate of Death no. 2199, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1938.
• Jeane Louise Overstreet, Certificate of Death no. 2198, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1938.
• Josephine Catherine Bacon, Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783–1965.
• Jurors Will Probe Hotel Fire Horror, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 17, 1938.
• Mrs. Emma Bacon, Certificate of Death no. 2210, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1938.
• Mrs. Josephine Overstreet, Certificate of Death no. 2200, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1938.
• News Summary of the Week in Georgia, The Butler Herald, Butler, Georgia, June 2, 1938.
• Overstreet Tells ‘Them’ Goodbye Until Reunion in a Happier World, The Atlanta Constitution, May 19, 1938.
• Overstreets of Knoxville Tenn. Fire Victims in Atlanta by Hillcrest Cemetery, Genealogy.com forum, Overstreet surnames, January 31, 2005.
• Photo Tipster Wins $5 Cash on Fire Story, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 25, 1938.
• Precinct 12, Polk County, Florida, U.S., State Census, 1935.
• Rescue Efforts of Firemen Hampered by Smoke Pall: Graphic Stories of Tragic Blaze Told by Victims and Witnesses, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, May 16, 1938.
• Samuel M. Inman obituary, The Searchlight, Valentine, Nebraska, January 22, 1915.
• Seven Knoxvillians, 18 Others Burn to Death in Atlanta Hotel, The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Knoxville, Tennessee, May 16, 1938.
• Terminal Hotel (Atlanta); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_Hotel_(Atlanta). 
• Terminal Hotel Fire Tops List of Georgia’s Biggest Stories, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, December 25, 1938.
• Terminal Hotel, Atlanta jpeg, see page for author, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Terminal_Hotel,_Atlanta.jpg. 
• The Hotel/motor Hotel Monthly, vol. 14, p. 37, Google Books.
• U.S. Federal Census, Atlanta Ward 2, Fulton County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Atlanta Ward 4, Fulton County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Oak Grove, Fulton County, Georgia, 1940.
• Undertaker Told to Surrender Body: Overstreet Family Fire Dead Are Reunited by Court Order, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 18, 1938.