Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-05-22
INCIDENTS.
N..-...--.

NORTHAMPTON, Mass, May 1s.
The sweeping away of four generations in
one family was among the uncommon incl
dents of the flood at Leeds, as follows Mrs.
Dunlea, q woman nearly eighty years of age;
her daughter, Mrs Robert Fitzgerald, aged
foriy-ive years; Mrs. Fitzgeralds son, a
youth Of twenty-one, and four young children
of the same woman, and, finally, the two little
children Of John Clancy, grandchildren OF Mrs.
Fitzgerald aud great t-grandchildreh of Mrs.
Dunlea. Mrs. Clancy, by the way, died year
ago Of consumption, so that Clancy is now
bereft of his whole family.
AS marvellous an experience as any vaunted
was that OF the women Of Selectman Quigley's
family, who were cleaning up their breakfast
table when the water burst in at the cellar
door. Mrs. Quigley, her two handsome,
sprightly daughtes and a schoolma'am visit
ing them rushed up stairs to the second story
of the l. part in which they we're, and thence
watched the tremendous spectacle. They had
hardly reached their harboragc when the front
part Of the house was wrcnched of AS swiftly
and easily as one would tear paper, and the
floor gaped wide beneath them with the fierce
strain. They saw the great brick mill
tremble and collapse like a child's house Of
blocks, and the chapel rise and sail like boat
around the point Just below, there strike and
fall to pieces. They saw neighbor floating
past on q roof, extended their hands from
window, and aided him to escape to their
refuge. What emotions they felt in that hour
of waiting they can lever very clearly tell, ex
cept that they thought the next moment they
too would go. They did not talk very much,
nor did they sing, and their prayers were not
uttered aloud; it was season Of mute
expectancy, and not so much resig
nation as stunned and deadened ac-
ceptance OF fate. The fate, however, passed
them by the wave that so lightly tore away
the heavier main portion of the house and
Il .1...l ..Rkz Nl.ss. HsN.s D.
all the contents spared their slighter structure
and left them safe. When, shortly after,
they we're at work in the mud -heaped con-
fusion of their house the girls were almost
Historically gay with the reaction from the
fearful strain upon their nerves. MIR. Quig-
ley, from the bank, A few rods OF, watched
the destruction of his home and property and
anxiety impossible for those who read this to
The death of the entire Birmingham family,
consisting OF Henry Birmingham, his wife,
and three daughters-Mary, aged eighteen,
Lille fourteen, and Carrie eight-will create
wide gap in the social life Of williamsburg.
The circumstances connected with their case
are painful in the extreme. Mary was a
teacher H. one Of the Northampton schools,
and, as was her custom, had come home TO
spend Saturday and sunday. When the
alarm of the approaching flood was sounded
sne was at work assisting her motner
in her household duties. Her sister
Lille had but just got up, while Carrie,
the pet Of the household, was still asleep in
her bed. Mr.. Birmingham, who was Superin-
tendent of the James woolen mill, had gone
to his work, and did not discover the APP
preaching wave until it had neared his resi-
dence, situated but a short distance above the
factory. Had he remained in the building his
life would have been saved, but, with the
fierce determination characteristic Of the man,
he made dash for his house, intent on saving
bis family IL possible, but as he neared the
doorway the torrent was upon him, swooping
away the house with its inmates.
George Roberts, bright lad of fifteen, the
only surviving member of the family of Alex
ander Roberts, engineer on the New Haven q
Northampton Railroad, was carried some dis
tance with the rest Of the family in their
house, and when that broke clung to some
debris, and was carried with the torrent nearly
mile, when he was rescued by James For
sythe. The facts connected with his escape
which he can clearly recall are that he iiOated
very near to the embankment, but before he
could make a landing he was carried into the
current. When finally taken from the water
he was stupehed by exhaustion, but soon re-
covered, and is now in his usual health.