Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-27
MAINE PEOPLE IN THE PESHTIGO
FIRE.
of California
RICHMOND, MAINE, Oct. %, 1871.

RICHMOND, MAINE, Oct. %, 1871.
To the Editor of the Journals
All details of the destruction of Peshtigo,
Wisconsin, are of great interest to the people
of this vicinity and state even, for large
number of Maine families were residing in
that fourishing village, and quite a large
number were from this town. l enclose ex-
tracts from letter just received from Mrs.
Joseph Russell, addressed to her mother and
sisters in this town. Mr.. Russell at one time
resided in Moscow, Somerset county, and for
several years in this village
"FoRr HOWARD, Wis, Oct. II, 1871.
DEAR MOTHER AND SISTERS Since l last
wrote you we have passed through fire and
water, and such suffering as l never wish to
experience again, but through Gods goodness
we are all safe and are not burned any, but
Joseph and | have been sick ever since, from
the cold, exposure and sufierings of that night
of horrors which l nor any resident of Peshti-
go can ever forget while life and reason re-
main. do wish | could tell you all a bout
it, but my feelings are such when / try to
write about it, that lose all power of mind.
But will do the best l can, and that is but
little, for no mortal tongue can tell, nor pen
describe, the horrors of that night.
One week ago last Sunday, 8th inst, at
about 1-2. o'clock in the evening, the fire
began to kndle up around Peshtigo, and at
five minutes of nine we heard the most fear
full noise that ever mortal man heard, and we
felt slight trembling with the sound. In
fifteen minutes it grew as dark as it could be,
even to pitchy blackness. The fire was OPP
pressively hot and not breath of wind. The
terrible agony of that awful stiffness can new
er be forgotten. All the time we could hear
| hat oiyzi nio1, fbn
! trembling, but where it came from, or what
J was the cause none could tell. When sud
denly, all in moment, the whole heavens
were lighted up by one solid sheet of flame,
5 and the fire fiend was upon the doomed place,
spurred on by the most terrific hurricane of
wind l ever saw or heard of and beyond
5 anything that can be imagined. The fire
e first struck the southerly part of the place,
and in twenty minutes every building in the
8 whole place was on fire. In that time we
fled for our lives to the river. / must have
} persisted in the flames if it had not been
tor my son Samuel. When l would fall he
would lift me up, and half carry me along
till we reached the river. Then we dropped
right down in an eddy of the river, and the
great waves washed over us and kept us from
burning alive as hundreds did who condin
reach the river. My hair caught fire and
Samuel put it out with his hands. We remained
burned out, when we crawled out upon dry
land. We lost everything. Samuel was in
) his shirt sleeves, and did not have shawl
} or hood, or hat even we fled just as we were.
Poor Jessie Hoyt was with us and was
saved, but her whole family we're burned;
Mr.. and Mrs. Hoyt, Frank, Mary Emma and
husband, Uyman Seigars,) and little Hattie
were all burned. This family, Enoch
Hoyt's, were old residents of Richmond, Me-,
,h,HI
They went up and found the remains of them
ALL and buried them with five hundred others.
They have taken twenty one bodies from the
river, and estimate there are nearly one hun
dred more
When say anything to poor Jessie, the
: heart broken orphan, about going East, she
will burst out crying as though her heart
would break, and we have determined that
where we go she shall go. Madison Thur.
low and William Mitchell, (both young men
belonging at Rchmond) lost everything.
Mitchell and Samuel both say that Jessie
shall never want as long as they have or can
get anything. John Anderson and family,
all formerly of Richmond were saved, but
lost everything except his horses but he has
his land left and $1,000 insurance, so he is all
right.
We are now stopping with William Halls
family, formerly of Richmond, Me. They
are very kind to us; we have everything to
make us comfortable, medicines and medical
attendance, and our bills are paid by the Re-
lief Committee.
As soon we are able we shall start over
again, without penny, without single
shift of wearing apparel, without an article of
furniture, my God! without anything. We
were never in more comfortable circumstan-
ces than we were when this calamity befell
us. Now all is gone, though do not worry
about us, but in Gods name be thankful for
your homes and what you have got | am
thankful, oh how thankful for the goodness of
s God in sparing our lives while so many
perished all around US by fire and water.
u Direct to LYDIA ANN RUSSELL
G Fort Howard. Wis.
\ The remainder Of the letter though of pain
ful interest In friends x,,n,,,a