Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-19
FRIGHTFUL sCENE.-The drown

ing OF the wife and eight children Of the
Rev. Horatio Ilsley. in the food at Roscoe,
H., has been noticed. The. following is
the statement Of Mr.. Ilsley. who was the
only survivor Of the family:
The rain commenced to fall at about Eve
o'clock on Thursday afternoon and increas-
ed in force until about ten. At this time
they did not feel alarmed, although the
creek was rising very fast. They did not
know anything about the railroad or cul-
vert then; at 8 o'clock the water was UP a.
round the house. and rushing with great
force. Mr.. Ilsley proposed to his family to
leave the house, but as men who were in
the neighborhood told him they had seen
the water much higher than it was then.
they concluded not to 20 out. AT about
eleven 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 that it had fallen four or
ilvc inches. Gle had previously measured
tue height of the water and marked where
1t then stood. From some of those gen.
tlemen who were at the house at this time
we learn that they took the clothes on the
line aud handed them to the family. and
Mr. Lane said if they wished to leave the
house he would carry them through the
water. Having concluded to remain in the
house, the five younger children were sent
to bed, and shortly after the balance of the
family met in the lower room, and had
prayers preparatory to retiring also The
ether children went up stairs, and Mr..
llsley proposed to his wife to remain up a
short time longer. This must have been
about eleven Or half past eleven. o'clock.
Just after the three children went up
there was great rush of water passed the
house, and Mrs. I. went to the door with a
lantern and looked out. She found the water
rushing by with tremendous force on all
sides of her, and coming in at the door. -
She then called loudly for help several times,
but the water was too deep, and rushing
with such tremendous force that no one
could then get near the Inflated house. Mrs.
llsley called Horatio, the eldest son, and
ran up stairs Immediately, She then cali
ed to her husband to come up, which he
did, and, opening one of the windows, a.
gain 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, faith
or, and at the same moment he saw one
end of the house fall out with crash. He
then felt the whole body swayino up and
down like boat on a wave, and then. it fell
into ruins. Just as it fell he heard his wife
scream, and that was the last he heard Of
his family. He Immediately found himself
in the water, not knowing how he got there !;
and with no power to save himself, he was toss
cd about and hurried along with great veloc-
ity to the river he took in some water then,
but had presence Of mind enough to guard
against taking in any more, AMI try to keen
his head above water. His own simple and
touching words best describe his feelings at
this awful moment, and shows his faith in
that God he SO long has served. He said !:
II then commended my soul and my family
to God, expecting to meet him and be in eter-
nifty in moment and almost wish had. :"
He was carried on until he struck against
some noodwood, and soon after was thrown
against tree, into which he climbed, aud
managed to maintain himself for some two
hours during which the people had dis
covered him, and were making raft to
rescue him, when Mr. Richardson swan to
him, and got hold Of him just as his strenth
failed him, aud he was dropping off the
limb
Mr. Ilsley formerly lived in Monson,
Me-, but more recently in Dixon, ILL., Mr..
|. had recently removed to Roscoe, and
taken charge Of the Congregational church
IN that town, under circumstances Of much
promise. Ills eldest son, who had been alb
sent ten months in Milwaukee, had just re-
turned home on visit. and at the time of
the accident, for the first time in ten months
were his family all at home