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The Great Drowning From the “Napanee Beaver”,
April 30, 1897 |
Probably the most memorable drowning
accident that ever occurred in this county was just in front of the old
Adolphustown Methodist Church, on Sunday morning, August 29th, 1819. Though
nearly seventy-nine years have since elapsed, and every one who ever witnessed
that sad catastrophe has long since passed away, yet the remembrance of it
still remains fresh with nearly all the descendants of the families of those
days.
The
circumstances were substantially as follows; There had been a great revival in
the Methodist societies in nearly every part of his county that year, and the
preachers then in charge of the Bay of Quinte circuit, Revs. Isaac Puffer and
James Wilson, had arranged for a special quarterly meeting in the Adolphustown
church for that day. A quarterly meeting at that time was almost sure to bring
out a number of the zealous people from every society in the county. Those from
all parts of North Fredericksburgh and the northern part of Adolphustown had to
cross Hay Bay in small boats; the bay just opposite the old church is about a
mile and a half wide. Barnard Cole and his family lived across the bay from the
church; he owned a pretty large, skiff which was quite a rarity then, as the
old time log canoes were much in use. That Sunday morning more assembled to
cross at that place than it was safe for even his large boat to carry.
Some, it is said, would not venture in the
boat at all, under the circumstances, and some who did so got out again and
strongly urged their friends to do so. Among the latter was the late Gilbert
Bogart, who died years ago at his farm at Riverside, on the Deseronto road now
owned by Mrs. R Thompson. Feeling there was so much danger he went away crying
because he could not prevail on his brother Peter to get out also. Peter was
one of the victims. They were both young men at that time.
The morning was
calm and beautiful; there was scarcely a ripple on the waters of the bay, and
the owner of the boat had full confidence in its capacity to carry all its
precious cargo, and more too. He strongly urged all to get in. Four of his own
family were among the number, three of whom escaped. His son, the late Conrad B.
Cole, who died an old man in North Fredericksburgh a few years ago, was one of
the survivors, and has frequently told the writer of the events of that
memorable day, and pointed out to him the exact spot where the boat filled and
the drowning took place. It is not to be wondered at that every incident in
connection with that catastrophe was indelibly fixed in his memory to the end
of life.
There were
eighteen in the boat all of whom, with the exception of Barnard Cole and his
wife, were young people. They were all members of the Methodist church, and
most of them recent converts. Everything went smoothly and pleasantly at first
and the young people had been singing hymn after hymn among the popular revival
hymns of those days. When half way over it was found the boat was leaking very
freely and settling lower in the water in consequence. A bailing dish had been
forgotten, and the men at the oars began to pull with all their strength,
seeing the danger that thus threatened them. Finally it occurred to one of them
to use his Sunday hat for bailing purposes, but by that time the water was
pouring in too fast to be thus got rid of.
THE CALAMITY OCCURS
When within
about forty rods from shore, Peter German, one of the young men, said to the
others he was a good swimmer and would jump out and swim to shore, and thus
lighten the load. In doing so he thoughtlessly stepped on the edge of the boat,
tipping it so that water poured in over the top. That alarmed the already much
frightened young women who suddenly leaned to the other side, settling it so
much that the boat at once filled with water, partly upsetting at the same
time. Of course now all was confusion and dismay. The young women, who could
not swim struggled and clung to each other and in this way they were all
drowned. Peter Bogart, one of the young men, though a good swimmer, is said to
have been carried down by some clinging to him whom he was trying to save. John
German, who was also a good swimmer, turned back to help when he heard the
cries of his sister but she had sank beneath his reach when he got there. He
then became so bewildered that he did not attempt to swim to shore again, but
swam around and up and down the bay until he sank exhausted. His body was found
some distance from the others, and was not recovered until the next day. Those
who had enough presence of mind to cling to the boat were kept floating until
help came, but ten of the eighteen were drowned.
SOME OF THE INCIDENTS
Years ago,
every family about the bay had its store of incidents to tell about that great
drowning. It would require a volume almost to have related them all. It is said
that the preliminary prayer meeting had began and one had just prayed
"make this a day long to be remembered,: when the first shriek was heard.
Rev. Isaac Puffer was in charge of the meeting and looking up, he at once saw
the terrible struggle only a few rods away from the church. He at once called
out "our friends out in the bay are in distress," and all rushed out
on the banks. The church stands within a few rods of the water's edge. The
scenes on the shore are represented to have been even more heart rending than
those in the water. Some were witnessing the struggle of their own children or
near relatives. Some tore their hair or their clothing in their agony. Some are
said to have rolled on the ground in their agony, others seemed paralyzed at
the sight. Prayers and appeals went up to God from the hundreds thus assembled.
Boats were near by and soon several were called out to the rescue. Seven were picked
up who had been clinging to the boat. One, Mrs. Cole, was found floating on her
back in the water, past consciousness, but was resuscitated soon after. She
lived many years after and used to frequently say that she found drowning easy
and painless, but the agonies of resuscitation were such that she wished they
had left her as she was. Some of the others were also restored with
considerable difficulty but all the survivors lived many years.
THE VICTIMS
The names of
those drowned will be found in the verse here appended. The first named, John
and Jane German, were young people of the same family, children of Stophel
German, a local preacher and one of the first subscribers for the building of
the church. The late Nathan German of North Fredericksburgh, George German, of
Gosport, and Mrs. Wm. Vallear of Richmond, were members of the same family.
Their parents witnessed the terrible scene from the shore and the agony of the
mother was said to have been dreadful to witness. She was a beautiful singer,
but never was heard to sing again though she lived nearly forty years after.
They lived on the north shore, on the beautiful farm now owned by Mr. James
Jaynes. Peter Bogart's parents lived next farm, Abraham and "Polly"
Bogart, the latter of whom lived to be over a hundred years of age. The large
and well know Bogart family, of Adolphustown, were all of the same family. Our
townsmen, Messrs. G. Bogart, postmaster; J.M. Bogart, and Marshall Bogart, of
"Riverside" are all nephews. It is said that Peter Bogart and Jane
German were to have been soon married and it was in striving to save her life
he lost his own. Mary Cole lived next farm, the daughter of Barnard Cole,
already referred to. She was soon to have been married to Joseph Johnson of
Prince Edward, near Picton, who was also one of the company that day but
survived. She had a presentiment of some such sudden death in a dream the night
previous, and told Mr. Johnson of it in the morning. Mary and Jane Detlor were
from North Fredericksburgh, and lived on the farm now owned by our townsman, W.
Nelson Doller, Esq. They were connected with the Detlor families now living in
Napanee and this vicinity. Betsy McCay also lived in the same vicinity, on
Little Creek, she was a sister of the late Asa McCay, of Clarksville, and A.B.
McCay, Esq., who lived and died on the old homestead. Huldah Madden lived on
the boundary line between Fredericksburgh and Ernesttown, a concession north of
where the Morven brick church now stands, near the farm of Robert Collins, Esq.
She was a sister of the late Stauts S. Madden, father of Mr. W.D. Madden, of
Napanee, and Wm. Madden, York Road, who died a few months ago. Matilda Roblin
was a member of the large Roblin family still residing in this county, but
where she lived we do not know. She was a sister of the late David Philip
Roblin and Mrs. Geo. H. Detlor. Betsy Clark, was, we believe, a daughter of
Elias Clark, on the "back bay" of Adolphustown, a family well known
to all the old residents. So far as we can ascertain they were all of U.E.
Loyalist families.
RECOVERING AND BURYING THE BODIES
Burger Huyck,
living on the north shore, on the farm now occupied by Samuel Hawley, his
son-in-law, was an expert fisherman and had a fishing seine. This was at once
got and brought over. It was cast about the scene of the calamity and at the
one draw, eight of the dead bodies were brought to shore. The ninth was got
soon after, but it was not till the next morning that the body of John German
was found, as he had swam some distance off before he finally sank. The church
was at once transformed into a morgue; of course all the regular services for
that day were broken up. Carpenters were at once got and the work of coffin
making began - there were no professional undertakers in this country then. Word
went speedily around and the absent friends soon began to arrive. The next day
the funeral took place, the ten coffins all being placed in a row outside of
the church. Such a concourse of people had gathered that the church could only
hold a part of them. The preacher was Isaac Puffer, then a well known
"circuit rider" here, who afterwards went to the States, where he
lived and died. He was a very eccentric man and knew every chapter and verse of
scripture by heart, and could readily quote any verse, or tell at once where
any quoted passage could be found. The writer well remembers hearing him preach
to a large congregation in the same church during a visit to his old time
circuit, late in the forties. He was then a venerable and gray haired old man.
So affecting was that funeral scene that, over and over again would the
preacher break down and nearly the entire congregation break out into sobbings
and tears.
Eight of the
graves were side by side in the old burying ground just opposite the church.
The ninth was laid beside some other member of her family. One, Mary Cole, was
buried on the north side of the bay in the well known burial place there, on
her father's farm, where nearly all the earlier settlers of that section found
their last resting place. Strange to say there does not remain anything now to
mark even the spot where all these memorable graves are, though the ground is
in a good state of preservation. It is said, however, to be located about the
middle of that historic old "God's acre."
The following
lines were composed and printed soon after and sold in separate slips by the
many hundreds.. At one time, there were few houses in all the old Midland
district in which copies could not be found, and nearly all the young people
for two generations committed them to memory. We doubt if any other production,
crude as it is, was ever so extensively read and committed to memory in this
part of Upper Canada. The Beaver has formerly published them but as many are
still asking for them they are again re-produced in these columns. Some have
attributed their authorship to Isaac Files, then a school teacher in Prince
Edward, Rev. John Carroll, Mr. Playter and others claim they were written by
Alexander Shorts, who lived and died in Richmond, a few miles west of Selby.
Our friend, W. S. William, Esq., now of California has informed us it was his
father, the late Isaac Williams, who was well known to many in Napanee some
years ago. He was then a young man residing near Picton.
THOMAS W. CASEY
A BALLAD ON THE DEATH OF
TEN YOUNG PEOPLE, DROWNED IN HAY BAY
Come all you good people,
of every degree,
Read over these lines, which are penned down by me.
And when you are reading these lines, which are true,
Remember this warning is also to you.
In the year of our Lord,
1819,
On the 29th of August, on Sunday I mean --
The place where it happened I'll also put down,
But the loss I can't tell of , in Adolphustown.
These people were all in
good health and in prime,
All modestly clothed in apparel so fine, --
To Church they were going, their God to adore --
To reach the said place they had Hay Bay to cross o'er.
The boat being small, and
their number eighteen,
To go over together they all ventured in; --
They launched away singing a sweet excise,
Their moment near by them was hid from their eyes.
The voice of Jehovah speaks
unto us all;
Always to be ready, to go at his call,
And when you are reading these mournful lines o'er,
Death may be sent for you, and enter your door.
The boat being leaky, the
water came in
To bale with their hats, they too late did begin.
They looked at each other and began for to weep.
The boat filled with water and sank in the deep.
Their friends on the shore
then for help flew with speed,
And eight of the number from the water they freed;
There were brothers and sisters and parents also,
Soon heard the sad story, which filled them with woe.
A seine was preparing to
draw them to land
Their friends all a-weeping, around them did stand;
Such cries and lamentings were never before,
The loss was so fatal, that none could restore.
There were John and Jane
German, Peter Bogart also;
There Mary and Jane Detlor, in the waters below;
There was Matilda Roblin, and Betsy Macoy;
Betsy Clark, Huldah Madden, and the said Mary Cole.
To the unchangeable regions
their spirits are fled.
And left their poor bodies inactive and dead
Their friends with loud weeping around them were found,
Their bodies preparing to enter the ground.
On the Monday following,
their coffins were made,
And into the same their dead bodies were laid,
And solemnly borne into the Churchyard;
Their graves, in rotation, for them were prepared.
A large congregation, on
that solemn day
Assembled together to visit their clay;
To join the afflicted in their mournful state,
And also to comfort in sorrow so great.
A sermon was delivered on
that solemn scene,
By Sir Isaac Puffer, form Job 19;
Although these vile bodies the worms may destroy,
They shall see God in glory in fullness of joy.
The sermon being over, and
brought to a close,
And some words of comfort were offered to those
Whose hearts were quite broken and filled with grief,
And in a few moments these bodies must leave.
Their coffins were open to
all public view,
That all might behold them and bid them adieu;
And then to convey them to the silent clay,
No more to behold them till the judgement day.
And now we must leave them
beneath the cold ground;
Till Gabriel's trumpet shall give the last sound;
Awake! Thou that sleepest, and arise from your tomb,
And come forth to judgment to hear your last doom.