Halloween Festivities Turn Tragic
October 31, 1939
School Photo of Robert Boyd in 1937.
The Olive crossroads was a popular hangout for teenagers and young adults on Halloween night back in the 1920s and 1930s. But on Halloween night of 1939, the once happy gathering turned tragic when fifteen year old Robert Boyd was set on fire by a group of unruly teens who had been drinking and wished to wreak their havoc on the crowd.
Boyd was very small for his age and was often the target of many bullies. As he was gathered around the fire barrel, he caught the attention of the hooligans who soon began to bully him. As things escalated, one of the ruffians kicked a nearby can of gasoline onto Boyd while another pushed the fire barrel. Boyd was rapidly covered in flames. As the teenagers scattered, several rushed to Boyd to help extinguish the flames. Boyd survived the burning, but his whole body had been consumed by the fire and he suffered from severe burns. A local doctor was contacted and tried his best to treat the young boy’s severe wounds. According to local oral history, Boyd could be heard screaming in agony for miles around.
No formal action was ever taken by local law enforcement in the incident and Boyd spent the next 11 months in and out of a burn facility in Memphis, Tennessee. On September 12, 1940, Boyd passed away due to a blood infection as a result of his burns. He was laid to rest in the Olive Cemetery.