Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-06-17
Heart Rending Narrative.

| VI isoscoe, llnOlS, Dy WHICH niS WIG
and eight children were drowned, but the
tale OF that night, as told BY the Rev. gen.
tleman before the Jury of inquest, is sad
and touching. He said:
The rain commenced to fall Mt about 5
o'clock on Thursday afternoon, and increas-
ed in force until about 10. At o'clock
the water was up around the house. and
rushing by with great force! Mr.. propos-
ed to his family to leave the house, but as
men who were in the neighborhood had
told them they had seen the water much
higher than it was now, they concluded not
to 90 out. At about IL o'clock, Messrs.
Thompson, Lane and Towers got up TO the
house and told them they thought there
was no danger, as the water had lowered.
Mr.. Ilsley went to the door and measured
the height of the water and found it had
fallen four or five inches. Having conclud-
ed to remain in the house, the five younger
children were sent so bed, and shortly af-
ter the balance of the family met in the
lower room and had prayers, preparatory
to retiring also. The other children then
went up stairs, and Mr.. Ilsley proposed to
his wife to remain up a short time longer.
This must have been about IL or III
o'clock. Just after the three children went
up, there was great rush of water past
the house, and Mr.. !. went to the hall door
with lantern, and looked out. He found
the water rushing by with tremendous force
on all sides of him and coming in at the
door. He called loudly for help several
times, but the water was too deep, and rush
ing with such tremendous force that no
one could get by the ill-fated house.
Mrs. Ilsley called to Horatio, the eldest
son, and ran up stairs Immediately. She
then called to her husband to come up,
which he did, and opening one of the win
dows again screamed for help, but in vain.
At this time he was just coming out of his
study, and was standing in the entry, when
he heard the children cry out, "Father,
Father" and at the same moment he saw
one end of the house fall out with crash.
He then felt the whole house swaying up
and down like a boat on wave, and then
il fell into ruins. Just as it fell he heard his
wife scream, and that was the last he heard
or saw of his family. He Immediately
found himself in the water, not knowing
how he got there, and with no power to
help himself, was tossed about, and hurri-
ed along with great velocity TO the river;
he took in some water then but had pres
ence Of mind enough TO guard against TAX
ing in any more, and try to keep his head
above water. His own simple and touch
ing words best describe his feelings at this
awful moment, and shows his faith in that
God he so long has served. He said, 81
then commended my soul and my family
to God, expecting to meet Him and them
in eternity in moment, and almost wish
l had" He was carried on until he struck
against some foodwood, and soon after he
was thrown against tree into which he
climbed, and managed to maintain him
self for some two hours, during which time
the people had discovered him, and were
making raft to rescue him, when Mr..
Richardson swan out to him, and got hold
of him just as his strength failed him, and
he was dropping off the limb.
The family thus suddenly cut off have
only resided in Roscoe short time, Mr..
llsley having come from Beloit to take
charge of the Congregational Society in
that village. The family consisted of ten
persons mother, four sons and four
daughters. The eldest son was Engaged
in the Bank of Marshall d Ilsley, in Mil
waukee, was was home on visit, j. P.
Ilsley, of Milwaukee, is his uncle. He was
to return 10 his business the next day.
Rev. Mr.. /. is also brother-in-Iaw of Z. /.
Tinkham, Esq, of Chicago. They were,
we are informed, most interesting family,
and we heard but one expression in regard
to their loss.
At daylight on Friday morning search
was commenced for the bodies and soon
four were found. The babe and the youn-
gest girl were found on the bed upon which
they laid down the night before, and the
other two near by. When the babe was
found it held in its hand, on its breast, the
watch its brother had given it the night
before to play with, and strange TO say,
the watch was uninjured and still going!
THE VExED QUESTION SETTLED-We
are sorry to pain the members of that re-
spectacle religious denomination that holds
immersion to be the only true baptism, but
our duty as journalists compels us to an
1ounce that the case has been legally de-
cided against them. We arc serious.-
Perfectly.
Our readers of course have heard of
Judge Nuttall. We have told them some
fhinn of him onrSnlvnc NEon thn Ioci.i.,r,