Obituary of Jere Wilson Fountain ~ 1935

Source: Raleigh News and Observer Sep 23 1935





Shark's Bite Is Fatal To New River Swimmer 

Jacksonville, Sept. 22.--Bitten by a shark while swimming in Brown's Inlet 
on New River in Onslow County, Jere W. Fountain, 38, of Jacksonville, bled 
to death last night on the beach, his leg nearly severed above the knee.
Coroner Kimmon Jones, who said he had never known sharks to be in the inlet, 
stated today teeth prints of a shark were plainly visible on Mr. Fountain's
body.
The dead man was a brother of Prof. A. M. Fountain of the State College 
faculty.
He had gone to Brown's Inlet for a week-end camping trip with Jim Collins 
and Paul Venters, Onslow county men. Varying their fishing program to take 
a swim about 8:30 o'clock, they went into water about waist deep. Suddenly,
Mr. Fountain called out:
"Come and help me. Something's struck me."
Mr. Venters went to his assistance at once and brought him upon the beach, 
with blood gushing from the wounded member. Mr. Fountain died in about 10 
minutes, it was stated. The isolated location of the place prevented the 
obtaining of medical aid. His friends tried fruitlessly to stop the flow 
of blood.
Mr. Fountain, a prominent farmer and mail carrier of Onslow county, is 
suvived by his widow, the former Miss Annie Cavanaugh of Richlands, and 
three children, Rupert, Frances and Pere [sic] W. Fountain, Jr. 
He is also survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nick Fountain, of the 
Catharine Lake community, and seven brothers, J. A., F. A., and C. J. 
Fountain, of Onslow county; J. P. Fountain, Province [sic], R. I.; F. R. 
Fountain, Bloomfield, N.J., and Professor Fountain of Raleigh.
The funeral will be conducted at the family cemetery in Onslow county at 3 
o'clock Monday afternoon.



Back to Duplin Obituaries Index Back to Duplin County Death Certificates

Return to Duplin County Page