HomeMy WebLinkAboutEarly Victims of FireEARLY VICTIMS OF FIRE -Compiled by Bill Page, Cushing Library, TAMU, April 15, 2007
It the days of kerosene lanterns, fireplaces and wood burning stoves,
fire related injuries were common.
Moreover, women's clothing -long dresses with long sleeves and big
collars -greatly increased their risk as they tended fires while
cooking and doing laundry.
Poor working women -whether in town or on the farm -had few choices
except to leave even small children at home all day, unwatched and
uncared for, which obviously put such children at risk.
Harris, A.A., Captain; Captain --- Harris died from a "congestive
chill" received while fighting a fire; member of the firm of Dansby &
Co. Galveston Daily News, 6 Jan.1874, p.i, col.3. Waco Daily Examiner,
8 Jan.1874, p.i, col.6. Capt. A.A. °Hariris" buried 5 Jan.1874.
Collie-Cooper Bryan City Sexton's Records, p.8. Mr. A.A. Harris died
in 1874; he was survived by his widow and at least two sons, C.A. and
W.E. Harris. °W. E. Harris et al. v. A. H. Seinsheimer," 67 Texas
Reports 356; 3 Southwestern Reporter 307 (1887)
At 5 o'clock this morning, everybody in the town was brought on Main
Street by the cry of fire, only to discover the storehouse occupied by
Samuels & Cohn, dry goods, and Mitchell &McLelland, druggists, in the
new brick block on North Main Street, fronting the railroad, to be in
flames. Persons were prevented from entering the building by the
intense smoke, which was caused by the burning of a lot of kerosene.
The losses are as follows: Mitchell &McLelland, stock of drugs, $5000;
insurance, $2000; building, $5000; no insurance; Samuels & Cohn, stock
of dry goods, $20,000; insurance, $10,000; W.C. Padgett, stock of
saddlery, $25,000; insurance, $ 1000; building, $8000; insurance, $2000;
W.G. Dilleshaw, stock dry goods, $10,000, no insurance; building, $5000,
insurance, $2000; S.E. Echols, groceries, $6000, partly saved,
insurance, $1000; S. Kaiser, dry goods, damaged slightly by removal;
A.B. CARR, bar room, total loss, $ 1500, insurance $980; H. Richenbaum,
fruit stand, $1500, insurance, $1000; I.J. McQueen, groceries, slightly
damaged by removal; Fulkerson & Davis, dry goods, damaged by removal;
Jos. Zacavo, restaurant, damaged by removal; Peter Ameto, slight damage
by removal; J.L. Barnes, bar room, damaged by removal; Spring & Paris,
badly damaged by removal; insured; C. Baker, one building, loss, $5000;
insurance, $3000; one building badly damaged, which is also insured.
Both fire companies were promptly on hand, and did noble work. The boys
of Alert Engine Company, No. 2, were the first on hand, and worked like
beavers in the rear of the buildings, while Hook and Ladder Company No.
1 worked in the front, on Main Street, with the bravery that only a
fireman can boast of. Mr. Levi Plaisance, Second Assistant Hook and
Ladder Company No. 1 is now lying dangerously sick from inhaling the
smoke caused by the buring of kerosene oil, while bursting open the
doors of the house. His reco very is doubtful. All the buildings
burned were new, and the occupants had just begun to feel comfortably
settled down only to be ousted by this unwelcome fire. The total loss
is estimated at $100,000. The origin of the fire is yet a mystery.
Galveston Daily News, 12 May 1875, p.i.
"Brazos County," Galveston Daily News, 11 Jan. 1877, p.2, col.3. D.M.
Dansby fell into a fire
*Jack Gorman, found burned to death in the Brazos bottom. Galveston
Daily News, 24 Nov.1878, p.i, col.3
Frank Charsney, a "Bohemian"; burned to death while drunk. Austin
Statesman, 27 Sept.1879, p.3, col.i
Cathie Lacey, African American; aged 1; female; born TX; died
Sept.1879; burned to death. 1880 Mortality Schedule, ED 21, family no.
none.
Bryan, Texas, Oct.14 -This morning, about 2 o'clock, the city
calaboose, with the mayor's office above, was found to be in flames,
and, despite the efforts of the firemen, the building, with the saloon
of Joe Hearne adjoining, were entirely destroyed. The fire is supposed
to have resulted from an attempt to burn his way out, made by a colored
man confined in the jail. It was discovered too late to rescue him, and
he was burned to ashes. He was held under a telegram describing him as
ahorse-thief. He told the officers he was from Grimes County, and
claimed different names. The city lost everything. Hearne's stock
was almost all saved. Galveston Daily News, 15 October 1879, p.i,
col.4
Bryan...There are no further developments as to the origin of the
conflagration last night. The rumor got abroad while the fire was
burning that M.L. Spring, an old and most estimable citizen and resident
of this city, was in the burning building. He was searched for
throughout the town but could nowhere be found. This settled all in
their sad conviction that he was destroyed in the fire. The Masonic
fraternity, of whom Mr. Spring has long been an honored member,
appointed a committee to search for his remains. This morning his bones
were found and placed in a coffin for interment. His burial occurred
this evening, with Masonic honors and ceremony. The business houses of
the city were closed during the funeral. It appears that Mr. Spring, in
learning of the fire in an adjoining building, went to his room in the
second story of the Washington Hotel, after his books and valuables, and
that the flames, reaching oils and liquors in the saloon, increased so
as to cut off his escape down the stairway. Galveston Daily News, 29
Sept. 1881, p.1, col.5
*Two children named Person; children of Mr. & Mrs. George Person; one 1
year old; one 4 years old; burned to death at their home near Batte's
gin in the Brazos bottom; at least one daughter survived. Galveston
Daily News, 10 Dec.1882, p.4, col.6
Millican ... A Negro child of Peter Knox, while assisting her mother
washing on Saturday, got too close to the fire and her clothes caught
and burned her so badly that she soon died. Galveston Daily News, 1
March 1887, p.6
Bryan, Tex., Sept. 24 -The little 6-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs.
Louis White in some manner set fire to a pile of shucks in which it was
playing yesterday and was burned to death. The funeral services took
place today from the residence at 4:30 p.m. Dallas Morning News, 25
September 1892, p.10
*Charles (or Frank) Hovarka, 10 years old; son of Mrs. Hovarka;
accidentally burned to death; "Bohemian". (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 13
Dec.1894, p.2, col.3. Galveston Daily News, 10 Dec.1894, p.i, col.2.
Died 9 Dec.1894, buried 9 Dec.1894, city cemetery; died from being
burned, native of Texas. St. Joseph Catholic Church Death Records.
*Miss Ada Clint Jones, °little daughter" of Mr. & Mrs. Henry JONES;
burned to death at Kurten. (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 31 Jan.1895, p.7,
col.3. Galveston Daily News, 25 Jan.1895, p.3, col.3
*Barron child, aged 3; accidentally burned to death; son of John
Barron, of near Iola; John Barron was brother of J.W. Barron, Brazos
County Clerk. (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 7 March 1895, p.3, col.i
*Miss Stella Nobles, lived at Sol Holston's place on Thompson's
Creek; accidentally burned to death. Bryan Daily Eagle, 5 Apr. 1896,
p.1, col.5
*Bessie Macalusa, Italian; aged 14; accidentally burned to death in
Brazos bottoms. Bryan Daily Eagle, 3 June 1896, p.4, col.i
*Mrs. Law, widow of Comp. Law, accidentally burned to death near
White's place in the Brazos bottoms. Bryan Daily Eagle, 9 July
1896, p.4, col.2
Bryan, Tex., Sept.20 - Mittie Simpson, a Negro girl, was severely
burned here to-day. Her skirt caught fire from the blaze around a wash
pot. Constable Baker lodged a Negro named Charley Washington in jail
here to-day on a charge of killing another Negro named Mitch Anderson in
the Brazos bottoms Sunday. Anderson had a ghastly wound in the neck
from adouble-barrel shotgun. Dallas Morning News, 21 Sept.1897, p.4
*Three children of George Williams burned to death in house fire;
oldest was 5 years old; lived °below College" near Mrs. Boretzky.
(weekly) Bryan Eagle, 21 April 1898, p.3, col.3
Bryan, Texas - A tenant house on the farm of Mrs. Astin in the Brazos
bottom was burned yesterday afternoon. It was occupied by Jim Brown,
colored, and one of his children was cremated in the burning house, and
another one badly burned, but will recover. Houston Daily Post, 30
October 1898, p.3, col.7
Bryan, Tex., Oct. 29 -The house of Jim Brown, a Negro, on Astin's
place near Mumford, was burned yesterday evening, and a 4-year-old Negro
child was burned to death and younger child injured. The origin of the
fire is not known, but it is thought the members of the family were at
work, having left the children at home, and the fire was caused by some
accident. Dallas Morning News, 31 Oct. 1898, p.3
*Catalano, Rosalia, aged 21 months; died 25 Feb.1899, from burns;
buried 25 Feb.1899, Cavalry Cemetery; native of Brazos Co. St. Joseph
Catholic Church Death Records.
The house occupied by Henry Reed, a colored teacher, burned yesterday
afternoon. A small Negro boy was seriously burned on hands, arms and
face. Bryan Daily Eagle, 29 September 1899, p.3, col.2
*Jerrichow, --- (child), aged 9; accidentally burned to death in
Navasota; buried Wheat Cemetery at Millican. (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 10
May 1900, p.7, col.i
°Fatally Burned," Galveston Daily News, 5 March 1902, p.i, col.5.
Lina King, wife of Jesse King.
*Remains of a man who burned to death in a house fire were found; the
body was believed to be that of Sam McMillan; he was buried in Pleasant
Hill graveyard on Still Creek. (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 1 October 1903,
p.2, col.4
Wellborn, Tex., Feb.i - An old colored woman named Maril Porter,
living with old Uncle Bob Foster, in the Brazos bottom, was washing.
Her clothes caught fire and she was burned to death before the flames
could be extinguished. She was 80 years old and had resided in Brazos
County since 1854. Dallas Morning News, 3 February 1904, p.3
*Three African American children burned to death in their home on the
John DiPuma farm near Mudville. (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 4 February 1904,
p.2, col.2
Bryan ... Louis Battle reports a tragic incident happening to the family
of a Negro in the Brazos bottom near Mudville. The Negro was in the
field at work and his wife went to Mudville to do some trading, leaving
three children at home. During her absence the house was burned and one
of the children lost its life in the flames. Dallas Morning News, 5
Feb.1904, p.10
Bryan ... A Negro child was burned to death on the Shelton place, in the
Brazos bottom, this morning. It had been left alone on a pallet while
the mother went to the field. The house was not burned. Dallas Morning
News, 1 July 1904, p.ii
"Terribly Burned," (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 16 Feb. 1905, p.i, col. 5.
Mrs. Kalenac
Burned While at Work," (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 23 Aug. 1906, p.4, col.2.
Miss Ellie, daughter of C.C. Seale
A Negro woman living on the farm of M.G. Buchanan at Harvey, was burned
to death a day or two ago. In stooping over the fire while cooking, the
sailor collar of her dress caught and she was enveloped in flames. She
was so badly burned that death resulted. Brazos Pilot, 21 February
1907, p.6
Bryan, Tex., Aug. 2 - At the home of her father, Nofrio Flippello,
six miles north of town, late yesterday evening, a 7-year-old Italian
girl attempted to start a fire for cooking supper with kerosene. An
explosion followed and the girl was so badly burned that she died in a
short time. The house and contents were also burned. Dallas Morning
News, 3 August 1907, page 11.
°Negro Child Burned to Death," Bryan Daily Eagle, 23 August 1909,
p.i, col.6. Child (not named) died when the home of Ashdry Harris on
the Knowles farm burned.
°Negro Children Burned to Death," Bryan Daily Eagle, 15 April 1910,
p.5, col.3. They lived on the farm of Will McRea in the Brazos bottom.
°Children Burned to Death," Bryan Daily Eagle, 12 August 1910, p.3,
col.4
°Little Girl Badly Burned," Bryan Daily Eagle, 3 July 1911, p.5,
col.4. Daughter of George Harris
"Little Child Burns to Death," (weekly) Bryan Eagle, 29 Feb.1912, p.3,
col.2. Child of Antone Kapchinski
°Aged Negro Burned to Death," Bryan Daily Eagle, 8 January 1913,
p.5, col.3. °Aunt"Charity Battise, aged 85, mother of George
Turner, °who has been in the army several years"
°Uncle Tom Jones Burned to Death," Bryan Daily Eagle, 28 February
1914, p.2, col.5
°Badly Burned," Bryan Daily Eagle, 4 January 1915, p.i, col.6.
"Four Men Were Seriously Burned," Bryan Weekly Eagle, 4 May 1916, p.i,
cols.3 4
°Burns Prove Fatal," Bryan Daily Eagle, 22 June 1916, p.4, col.3.
Nellie Harris, adopted daughter of Loula Harris
°Child Burned to Death," Bryan Daily Eagle, 17 November 1917, p.i,
col.3. Daughter of Henry Williams, who lived on the farm of J.D.
Adkins, near Rock Prairie.
"Moehlman Twin is Seriously Burned When Gas Explodes," Bryan Weekly
Eagle, 13 Jan. 1921, p.2, col.4
°Negro Burns to Death in Fire at Kurten," Bryan Daily Eagle, 28
December 1925, p.i, col.8. Robert Shaw.
Bryan, Texas, Aug. 17 -Mrs. Steve Greer, pioneer Brazos County
woman, 85 years old, was burned to death late Tuesday afternoon at her
home 12 miles from Bryan. She went out to fight a pasture fire that was
encroaching on the home and her clothing caught fire and she was so
severely burned death ensued a short time later. She is survived by
three sons, two sisters and one brother. The funeral was held at 10
o'clock Wednesday morning. Dallas Morning News, 18 August 1927,
section 2, page 16.
"Burns Fatal to Aged Man Living Alone," Bryan Weekly Eagle, 3 Jan.
1929, p.4, col.6. Edward Krenek
Prof. E.A. Kemp, principal of the Bryan Negro school and an outstanding
Negro educator, was fatally burned at his home in the northwestern part
of the city last night about 8:30 o'clock and died about 2 o'clock this
morning. The funeral service will be held Thursday afternoon at 3
o'clock from the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Rev. U.S. Keeling, the
pastor, will have charge of the service. The injuries that caused the
death of Prof. Kemp were received while he was trying to stimulate a
wood fire with coal oil. He had started a fire in the kitchen stove at
his home and finding it slow to burn attempted to put a small amount of
coal oil on the flames. The oil blazed up and the five gallon can of
oil he was holding exploded and flaming oil was thrown over the front of
his body, practically burning his clothes from his body. Not only was
the injured man seriously burned, most of the skin peeling off the
burned portions, but it was believed by attending physicians that he
inhaled some of the flames as they were licking at his clothing. First
aid was given without delay and until a few minutes before he died Prof.
Kemp sat in his chair, swathed in bandages and talked with his wife and
a nurse who had been called. About ten minutes before he died he became
unconscious. Prof. Kemp, who was a graduate of Fisk University,
Nashville, came to Bryan from Burleson County and for the past 20 years
had been at the head of the Negro schools of Bryan and had come to be
regarded as one of the outstanding Negro educators of the state. He
built up and improved the Negro schools here and had secured full
affiliation for them and the system has been regarded for some time as
one of the best in the state. His wife and other relatives survive him.
Bryan Weekly Eagle, 13 June 1929, p.3
Bryan, Texas, Oct. 12 -Four boys, D.P. Nash, Russell Barnhardt,
Robert Johnson and J.D. Dehart, were seriously burned here Saturday
afternoon. They were working on a gas pipe line when the gas in some
way became ignited and shot a stream of flame over them. Their injuries
are serious, but physicians think all will recover. Dallas Morning
News, 13 October 1929, page 3.
Bryan, Texas, Feb.ii -The badly charred body of H.L. Littleton,
Negro, 65, was found early Tuesday in the ashes of his house, where he
lived alone, five miles west of Bryan. The body was near the ashes of a
shelf of books and parts of an oil lamp were also near by. It is
supposed the lamp exploded or he fell asleep and knocked the lamp over,
setting the house on fire. Dallas Morning News, 12 Feb.1930, sect.i,
p.2
Complete mystery surrounds the death of Henry Lit Littleton, Negro said
to be about 65 years of age, whose badly charred remains were found
about 8:30 o'clock this morning by another Negro, John Knox, in the
debris of Littleton's log cabin some 6 miles south west of Bryan.
Littleton was seen late on Monday evening and appeared to be in his
usual health. He is said to have been active and hale for a man of his
age. Sheriff J.H. Reed and Justice J.T. McGee visited the scene of the
fire this morning and report that they found Littleton's body near the
ashes of a shelf full of books and the remains of a kerosene lamp were
also found nearby. Something less than $2 in silver coins were found
where they had probably dropped from his trousers pocket. From this
they infer that he was reading and either the lamp exploded or Littleton
dropped off to sleep and knocked the lamp over, setting fire to the
house. The remains of an axe and two guns were found in the debris, but
there was no evidence of violence, so far as the officers could
determine. The verdict rendered by Justice McGee was °accidental
death from burning in firewhich destroyed the house." Littleton was
known as a leader among the Negroes of his community, and was said to be
a great reader. The time of the fire was fixed by those who visited the
scene this morning as probably about mid-night last night.
Bryan Weekly Eagle, 13 Feb. 1930, p.5.
"Painful Burns are Suffered by Bryanite Friday," Bryan Weekly Eagle, 30
Nov. 1932, p.i, col.3. Elo Hedtke
"Fatal Burns Are Suffered by Baby Girl," Bryan Weekly Eagle, 28 March
1934, p.i, col.7. Bonnie, daughter of Ben Patranella
Fire, Explosion Does Damage to Canady Pharmacy," Bryan Weekly Eagle, 7
Apr. 1937, p.2, col.4. Mrs. John Arhopulos was injured.
"Aged Negress is Burned to Death in Fire of Home," Bryan Daily Eagle,
15 November 1947, p.i, col.i. Lula Thompson.
"Bryan Firefighter Dies Battling Blaze," Eagle, 23 Aug. 1978, sect.A,
p.i
"Smith Announces Fund Drive For Dead Fireman's Family," Eagle, 23 Aug.
1978, sect.A, p.1
"Victory Over Fire Turns to Despair," Eagle, 23 Aug. 1978, sect. A,
p.i
"Lopez Services Scheduled," Eagle, 24 Aug. 1978, sect.A, p.4, col.5
"We Share Sorrow of Fireman's Death," Eagle, 24 Aug. 1978, sect.A, p.8,
col.1
"Firefighters Mourn Comrade," Eagle, 25 Aug. 1978, sect.A, p.i, col.i
May, Frank, "Bryan Dedicates New Fire Station," Eagle, 22 June 1980,
sect.A, p.5, col.i