The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-06-29
FRIGHTFUL SCENE.

The drowning of the wife and eight children
Of the Rev Horatio Ilsley, in the food at Roscoe,
H., has been noticed. The following is the state
mcnt of Mr. IIslcv, who was the only survivor of
the family:
The rain commenced 70 fall at about five O'Clock
on Thursday afternoon and increased i'll force nn-
til 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 the culycrt them at o'clock the water was up
around the house, and rushing with great force :
Mr Ilsley proposed to his family to leave the
house but as men who were i'll the neighb0rhood
told him they had seen the water much higher
than it Was then, they concluded not to 90 out
At about eleven O'Clock Messrs. Thompson, Lane
and Towers got up to the house and told them
they thought there dan@ar as the water
had lowered; Mr ilsley went to the door and
measured the heighth Of the water, and found
that it had fallen four or five inches. (lle had
previously measured the hegth OF the water and
marked where it then stood) From some Of
those gentlemen who were at the house at this
time VIC learned that they took the clothes on the
line and handed them to the family, and MIR Lane
said if they wished to leave the house he would
carry them through the water. Having conciud-
ed to remain in the house, the FIVE younger chill
drcn were sent to bed and shortly after the bal
ancc of the family met in the lower room, and
iN'ii4i'C N-0'
other children then went up stairs, and Air llsley
proposed to his wife to remain up short time
longer This must have been about eleven or halt
past eleven o'clock.
Just after the three children went up there was
great rush of water passed the house, and Mrs
l. went to the hall door with a lantern and looked
out. She found the water rushing by with tre-
Inendous force all sides Of her, and coming IN
at the door Size called loudly for help several
l: Ii +lo t,1nI no
with such tremendous force that no one could then
Get to the Inflated house Mrs llsley called to
H0ratO the eldest son, and ran UP stairs inmedl-
atclv She then called to her husband to come up
Which he did, and, opening one OF the windows,
again screamed for help but in vain. AT this time
he was Just coming out of his study, and Was
standing III the entry when he heard the children
cry out FEATHER, t;ther, and at this same moment
he saw one end Of the house fall out with crash.
He then felt the whole body swaying up and down,
like a boat on a waye and then it fell into ruins
Just us it fell he heard his wife scream, and that
was the last he heard Of his family. He immcd-
itcly found himself i'll the water, not knowing how
he got there; and with power to help himself,
he was tossed about and hurried along with great
velocity to the river; he took in some water then
but had presence Of mind enough to guard against
taking III any mere, and try to keep 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 50 long has
served lie said: II then commended my soul
and rly family to God, expecting 10 meet him
in eternity in a moment; and almost wish had. :"
lie WAS carr;od on until he struck against some
foo,!wood and soon after was thrown against a
tree into which he climbed, and managed to
maintain himself for some two hours during which
the people had discovered him, and were making a
raft to secure him, when Nr Richardson swan
H,,11 e J. II
failed him, and he WAS dropping off the limb.
Mr. T. had recently removed to Roscoe, and
taken charge of the congregational church in that
town. under circumstances of much promise. His
eldest son, who had been absent ten months in
Milwaukee, had just returned home en- a visit, and
at the time of the accident for the first time in ten
months were his family all at home.