The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-07-26
DEATHS D0ING>.
DEATH OF COL. BUDD S. FORD.
Particulars Of his Acct dental browning at Ocean
City.

This community WIS startled and shocked
by the announcement in thr morning papers
of Monday last, that Col. Is. s. Ford had
been drowned the evening before while bath
ing in the surf ri Ocean City, to which place
he had gone the day before from his home in
Queen .tnn"'S county, accompanied by Miss
Alice Emory, to whom he was atlianccd, and
her ;iSter-i,i-law, Mrs. +. =. Emory, with
the intcntion of spending 4 week. The ac-
cident happened about o'clock T. NJ There
were no other Ia;i:CrS in il" surf II the time
bur, Col. Ford being 4 good swimmer, con-
cludcd to so in, and accordingly he and Mrs.
Emory did So. We take the account of what
afterwards happened from the Wilmington
Erc,'u Erehtin4:
The tide was nearly ii its food, and the
SEA was darling in heavy, threatening break
ers upon the beach. Few, even Of the most
DARN. bathcrS. would have ventured far
among them ANA Il: the time there We're no
others in the water. Mrs. Emory and her
escort, however. plunged boldly III and being
fearless and expert, appeared for time to
experience no difficulty iii keeping their feet.
1t was nearly time iOr The excursion tram to
leave and not less fhtn 1000 people attract
ttt ny lil'' tl'''tN Ht't "ti'
4 last look at old ocean in its ferccSt mood.
Suddenly somebody noticed that the bold
couple had gotten into 4 position III which
they were not able TO control their move
ments, and that Mr.. Ford was making Wig
orous effort to push his companion from
among The breakers now daShing every
second over them. His cndeavors were futile
and the startling cry, Help. heip.. sent
a terrible thrill of fear through the crowds
: 1n J.t,f,, Nd hpl died
upon his lips Il great rolling swell caught
them UP and swept them both beyond the
first line OF breaking SurgeS. y cry of hor-
ror burst from the crowd, aSthe ha,h1rs rose
and fell iielp!eSsly in the toaming pillows.
Al! that Il brave heart and valiant arm
could accomplished was done by the gallant
fellow, who attempted to swim with his
companion upon his back to the beach, bu:
the cruel waves beat him back farther and
farther from the shore.
In the meantime everything possible was
being done by the people on the beach. Bold
swimmers plunged in and attempted to
burst through the line of breakers, and one
brave fellow succeeded, swan oHt behind
them and attempted to push them i'll but i'll
vain. In u moment he was compelled to
use all his strength to save himself. The
life saving station was closed and there waS
no boat, bat a hundred hands tore the boards
from the pavilion on the beach, and they
We're carried out by those who could swim,
while others ran for rope. Between the
struggling pair and those who We're attempt
ing to reach them was the terrific line of
breakers through which the strongest swim
merS made efforts III vain to pass.
At last, however, when Mr.. Ford was seen
to sink beneath his burden, y member of the
Maryland Fifth Regiment succeeded i'll ap
preaching near enough TO huri one of the
planllS within reach. 1t was Il small one,
and although with scarcely strength to make
another stroke Mr.. Ford grasped it, and
thrust it into Mrs. Emory's hands "Hold
on to that and you are safe" said he. In
attempting to push her through the break
crs upon II, Il strong sea separated them.
The next billow swept the woman far out
into the second line of breakers, which We're
ing Violently upon the brave woman who
never lost her hold or her presence of mind
even in the very jaws of death.
Nopen can describe the awful impression
of terror which the 81 ght of what followed
made upon the thousands of witnesses who
gazed upon it. Some of the party who were
attempting 4 rescue got close TO Mr.. Ford,
he being nearer TO shore than Mrs Emory,
but he cried out SCOT TO her, save her. Never
mind me- His strength was evidently
spent and unless lie could be reached at once
there was no doubt of the issue. The waves
mountain high, We're breaking over Mrs.
Emory every moment, and she would fire.
quently disappear from sight.
At one time Il terrific surge hung for 4
moment above her head and broke with an
angry roar full upon her. She sank beneath
the blow, head down, and her feet pointing
stiff to the SKY. Those upon the shore gave
Il great cry, ''tiood God! she is gone. " but
her arms were locked around the plank and
she righted up, only 10 receive cruel blow
in the face, white and staring as seen from
the beach, from a second surge following the
first At this moment as friendly hands
were near to SieZe him, a wave washed Mr..
Ford far out into the sea, and as he
turned his head, bewildered, toward the
sky. a heavy sea lifted it, and for a moment
the face with an awful and besaeching stare
was outlined in view of the crowd against
the billow, which the next second swept
over it. He made no further struggles, and
when the water reccGed his litelesS body
was seen floating face downwardS upon the
surface A succession OF very strong surgcs
swept the body within reach i'll moment,
and it was dragged to the beach, Just rs Mrs.
Emory, completely exhausted, but aiveand
safe, WAS rescued.
All efforts 10 reSuSCitate Mr.. Ford were
unavailng. Dr. Dennis, of Princess Anne,
and other physicians did everything known
to science to revive him, but he must have
been quite dead, when the body was brought
to shore for there We're no evidences of life
during the time they were engaged i'll at
temptS at rcSuScitation.
Mr.. Ford WAS a member of Governor
Grooine's staff with the rank Of Colonel and
at the time OF his death he was State Sena-
tor of Queen Anne's county, and was Presi-
dent OF the Chester River Steamboat Com
many. Uewas horn March >, 1910, i'll Salem,
y. q. and WAS TIE third chill and seiopd son
of Rev Charles NJ. and Catharino (Nrisbt)
Ford. His father WAS Il Clergyman III the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and at the
time of the birth OF this son, WAS Presiding
Elder III the \. j. Conference. He died in
1878. in North East, i'll this county. Budd 5.
Ford enjoyed for some time the advantages
of the Pennington Academy in HeW Jersey.
After the death Of his father, the family
necessities compelled him to leave school ut
the age of fourteen, when he went to Phila-
delpl.ia and was employed for about a year
us Il clerk in Il wholesale drug store. He
Subsequently came to Port Deposit and WAS
clerk in the drug store OF James Wilson.
He soon afterwards resolved to seek his
fortune in the West, and went us far as
Ohio, where he remained several months
with promise of excellent success, but to
satisfy his widowed mother, who in her
affection and anziGty for him could not have
him at that early age so far separated from
her he sacrificed what appeared to be his
brightest prospects in life, and returned to
Maryland. He soon after secured the posi-
ton as clerk on one of the Chester river
steamers. which he held until 1850, when he
was promoted to the captaincy of the
steamer. This responsible post he filled for
two years with great credit to himself and
TO the entire satisfaction of the company.
In 1862 he WAS married TO Miss Emily Hen
bricks, of Queen .tnne's county, and re-
signing his position rs captain. he took up his
residence i'll that county, intending to devote
himself to agricultural life. Isnt this he
found on trial was not suited to his DISPOSE
ton nor his tastes. He therefore turned his
attention to other matters, AID soon after
wards organized the Chester River Steam
boat Stock Company; Of which he was made
President and general business manager,
The company built the large and elegant
steamer B. 5. Ford, to ply between Baitl-
more and ChcstertOwn. 1t was SO named
in honor of their President. In April, 1868,
Mr.. Ford'S wife died, leaving him two
daughters, Emma II. and Catharine Foard.
He was elected TO the House of Delegates
from Queen Anne's county in 1872 for tho
term OF two years, and in 1919 WAS elected
State Senator for four years from january,
1876.