The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1842-08-27
DEATH BY LIGHTNING-A SCENE
OF TERROR.

The JOnesbor0ugh, tennessee, wing,
says that OIL Saturday night, 9Th inst, about
ten o'clock; whilst religious exercises were
going on at Camp Meeting Ground,seven
miles from Jonesborough, the camp was
struck by lightning, and Miss Mary Taylor
daughter of the la.e James p. Taylor, Of
Carrier county and young gentleman John
G. Miller, student of Washington College
whose parents reside ir Rutherford county,
N. G. were struck dead by lightning; SO
perfectly dead, that no spark of the natural
or animal life remained. Several other
persons were stunned and injured. The
Wing says:
"David Gillespie, another student, whose
parents reside on the Tennessee river, r,below
Kingston, was struck dead, apparently, and
it is believed was only saved by the appli-
cation of cold water in great quantities.
While Miss Elizabeth Hoss, of this county,
was equally paralyzed, and yet, together
with Mr.. Gillespie, is not regarded as out
of daI ger. Besides these, there were some
five gentlemen and four ladies' in the same
camp-the camp occupied by James ii.
Jones of This place most of whom were
struck 10 the ground, and for time, a. least
were wholly unconscious of what had oc.
cured. In the camp occupied by thePreach-
ers, adjoining Mr.. Jones on the north, were
two clergymep, and three other gentlemen,
who were severely shocked, and some Of
them even pros.rated. In the camp occu.
pied by Mr.. PIper's family, on the south,
there were five gentlemen and }our ladies',
three of whom fell TO the ground, while the
rest were sensibly affected. The reader
VIII bear il in mind that these are half.faced
camps, all three under one roof almos. di-
rec,ly in the rear Of the pulpit, and separa-
ted, the one from the other, by thin plank
pariilon-some 20,30 and 40 feet from the
pulpit.
In the case of Miss Taylor and Mr.. Mil
Ter. who exhibited no signs Of life, but were
killed dead, the electric fluid seems TO have
entered the camp near the roof,and TO have
continued down an oak scanling, constitu,-
ing the door post, slightly shiUering the
post till il reached her head where its traces
cease 10 be visible. She was leaning ag ainss
this post door-Miller stood facing her.
with his left shoulder against the other post
and Gillespie between them; himself and
Miller having their arms around each others
waists, Glllespie's arm touching Miss Tay-
!or's shoulder In this position Gillespie
and Miller fell back wards in The camp; and
when an attempt was made TO separate
them, il was no. wiihou. difficulty and even
a second trial. Miss lIoss was sitting on
the end Of trunk near Miss Taylor, and
tum5ed over between the trunk and the
wall.
There were supposed 10 be some five or
six hundred persons under the shelter,most
OF whom were engaged in the exercises.
then going on, while others, perhaps, had
taken shelter from the rain. Nearly this
entire assembly felt sensibly the shock, and
so very much so indeed, that no sooner had
the report Of the thunder stroke died away
in the distance, than one long, loud, contn.
ued scream, was heard in every direction.
Perhaps scene Of more thrilling interest,
mingled with such gloom and terror, was
never witnessed in this section Of the couu.
try