–28 Ohio Historical Society, May 12

–28 Schmidlin and Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland. 1996, p. 165.

–28 Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “The Aftermath…Twenty-Eight Dead.” 5-14-1886, p. 1.

–27 Philadelphia Record Almanac 1885. “General and Local Events, May, 1886,” p. 92.

Narrative Information

Ohio Historical Society: “The deadliest flash flood in Ohio history roared through Xenia late on Wednesday, May 12^th, 1886, killing 28 people. Runoff from 7 to 9 inches of rain poured into Shawnee Creek and a wall of water several feet high moved through Xenia. The waters rose so quickly that the sleeping families had little time to escape. Sixteen people died in two homes that were carried into the flood and collapsed.

“The flood left more than 300 people homeless. Fire engines pumped out wells in the flooded district and unclaimed lumber was divided among the needy. After the flood, City Council announced they intended to widen Shawnee Creek and asked residents not to rebuild houses along the creek. There were rumors at the time that an embankment upstream from Xenia caused the flood waters to back up and then the embankment failed, sending the wall of water through Xenia. Careful examination showed this was not true, although debris collecting at bridges through Xenia caused a temporary rise in floodwaters that washed downstream with renewed vigor when the debris or bridge gave way.” (Ohio Historical Society. “May 12, 1886: Xenia Flood”)

Schmidlin and Schmidlin: “A flash flood killed twenty-eight people along Shawnee Creek in Xenia late on Wednesday, 12 May 1886. This was the greatest flood disaster known in Ohio up to that time and thus far has been exceeded in the number of deaths only by the March 1913 Flood.” (Schmidlin and Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland. 1996, p. 165.)

Newspaper

May 13: “The bright May sunshine of this morning fell on a desolate and stricken Xenia. After a night of darkness and terror it is grateful to have light and sun, but what an awful scene it reveals. Homes laid waste, property swept away, and worse than all the wholesale destruction of life; a picture we turn our eyes away from but still we see it.

“Like all calamities, the awful story we must relate this evening, is of a disaster that no one would ever have suspected could or would happen to Xenia, –A flood carrying death and destruction in its path.

“About eight o’clock last night a wonderful rain, wind and electrical storm came up which continued with unabated fury for fully three hours. The wind came in a continual gale, with an occasional gust which would break down trees, slam shutters and do other damage. The rain fairly fell in sheets, while the sky was livid with wave after wave of electrical disturbances and the [word unclear] of the thunder was hoarse and continual. Most families were huddled together in fright, for no one knew at what moment the storm might terminate in a cyclone. But few persons dreamed that a flood was coming which would sweep away part of the town and drown many souls.

“In the midst of the storm about 10 o’clock, the fire bells rang out their wild alarm, but no great number of people responded to the call, as they thought it was only fire and that it could not do much harm in such a rain and storm, but directly the second alarm came and brought out the whole town, so to speak. The streets were dark and the rain was coming down in torrents, but it was soon learned what the trouble was, that Shawnee Creek, that heretofore harmless little stream had become mad and was out of its banks and sweeping everything before it. Men rushed in the darkness to the scene anxious to do what they could. The waters had completely submerged the district along the Shawnee from the place where it enters the east end of town to its exit, for a distance of from one to two hundred yards on each side of Water street clear down to Detroit was completely under.

“Standing on the banks of this mighty stream in the rain and darkness it was an appalling situation. There was no light and above the roar of the angry waters came the cry for help from frightened, and in many instances drowning people. Men rushed frantically from the shore into the waters, others ran in other directions for ropes, ladders and lights and boats to assist with. On Water street, from Detroit street East, great excitement prevailed when it was known that the house occupied by Mr. Aaron Ferguson, corner of Whiteman and Water streets, had floated off with its contents of nine people. Then it was reported that the family of John Birch had all been drowned. But a boat was finally procured and they were rescued. The Ferguson house was lodged against the Detroit street bridge and the family all saved as related hereafter.

“At the corner of Detroit and Water streets a bon-fire of store-boxes kept up with coal oil was built which gave light to work by, but which threw a lurid glare over the untold and fearful scene….I

“Further down at what is known as Barr’s Bottom, a strip of low land right along the creek, a scene of terrible destruction was witnessed. A bon-fire was built which threw a glaring light out on the dark and rushing waters, and every thing was done for the assistance of the people of that unfortunate locality that could be accomplished. Of the fifteen or twenty houses that occupied the flat only two or three could be seen, the rest having gone with the tide….That many had perished in the mad waters was inevitable, but how many only this morning’s sun could reveal.

“At the Main Street Bridge the terrible tide had fairly piled the debris of ruined houses in an awful mass, among which several dead bodies were found this morning. Orrin Morris, wife and seven children, lived in a little frame house on Second street. It was raised from its moorings and floated toward the Main street bridge. Cries came from it and a man was seen at a window with a light; when it struck and mashed, partly sinking, the light went out and all was still. Mr. Morris and his little family had met their awful fate. From the shore there was no way to reach them and there was no way for them to escape. Afterwards two of his little girls were rescued alive, clinging to debris down the creek.

“All the property on the South side of Water street-side from the Columbus street crossing to Detroit street is more or less damaged….In some of the houses, where they were lower than others, the water rose to the height of five and six feet….

“The scene at the Mayor’s office this morning is beyond all description, for here were conveyed the bodies of the dead. Some were in their night clothes and had evidently been caught in their beds and most of them bore evidence of having been injured by crashing timbers as their houses went to pieces. Many were in their clothes and probably died struggling to save themselves. When the Gazette looked in upon the awful sight, twenty victims lay in that solemn silence we call death, on the floor in different parts of the room….here were whole families who had found a simultaneous death. The family of Orrin Morris, father, mother and five children, were dressed and laid side by side….They ranged in age from the two-year-old child to upwards of 60 years in age and were of both colors, all on a common level in dread silent halls of death….

List Of The Dead.

Mrs. Nellie Anderson and sister, Lydia Cassey (col.) both widows, past sixty years of age, lived in Barr’s bottom.

Mrs. Samuel Corchoran and two sons, aged about twelve and twenty-five years….lived just across the creek, on King street, in the bottoms, near the depot.

Mat Evans, colored, day laborer, wife and child, lived on the creek, just West of Whiteman street. The child missing.

Orrin Morris, white, laborer, wife and five children, three girls and two boys, the oldest a girl 15 years of age and the youngest, a babe of ten months, lived on West Second street, near the creek.

Stephen Donton, colored, laborer, lived in Barr’s bottoms.

“Wm. Powell, cart driver for Sam Clark, wife and 6 or 8 children, lived on Detroit street, between the North and South forks of Shawnee. One child escaped from the house, as did Henry Brazelton, son-in-law. Powell and two children were found this morning, the rest missing.

Lewis Anderson and wife, colored, lived in Barr’s bottoms. Mr. Anderson is missing.

Mrs. Ed. Lindsay, lived on the fork of the creek near the depot.

Mr. Powell and two children.

As we go to press it is reported that two more bodies were found near the residence of John B. Lucas and also two more at Trebein’s Mill.

“We could not get any confirmation of these reports but it is quite certain that at least ten more persons are drowned. The exact number we will not be able to ascertain before tomorrow and probably not then.

Destruction To Property.

“In this respect we can give no accurate account. But to the city of Xenia and its citizens $75,000 will not cover it while the railroads will suffer as much more. As many as 10 houses south of the property of Mrs. Barr, are gone from the bottom. Sam Clark’s coal office, Beatty’s carpenter shop and the house occupied by Wm. Powell, Charley Russell’s house occupied by the Ferguson family are all a total wreck. The gas works were flooded, the mains across Shawnee broken and a vast amount of other damage done, the extent of which can not be approximated even. As many as eight or ten houses from West Second, Main and Market streets are gone entirely out of sight. All the bridges except one or two are missing and the balance badly injured.

Council Appropriation.

“The city council met this morning and appropriated $1,000, for immediate relief, and authorized the street committee to employ every one that wanted to work to help clear the debris away. And the Mayor was instructed to appoint a relief committee of ladies and gentlemen from each ward to begin work as soon as possible….

“McDowell & Torrence are probably the heaviest losers in the flooded district outside of railroad property. Nearly half of their lumber was swept away, and their stable containing three fine horses….Three bridges between here and Spring Valley on the Little Miami are out and as much as five miles of track gone….A large amount of track below the Valley is out….The D. & I.R.R. between here and Trebein’s is washed out badly and the Little Miami track is in the same condition all the way to Dayton….

Destruction At Oldtown.

“Massiescreek and the Little Miami united and the destruction of property was great. All the valley between the Cromwell flouring mills and Linkhart’s grain mills was under water. Oldtown being on much higher ground, escaped. The Massiescreek bridge was washed away, the R.R. bridge at the gravel pit was swept away….The property owned by the Wm. Cooley heirs and occupied by John LeSourd and family, was collapsed and is a total wreck, but the family all escaped. Other houses and barns in the vicinity are also greatly damaged….

At Wilberforce.

“The terrible storm of last night was the worst that has ever been witnessed in this vicinity. Out houses and fences are in many places, leveled to the ground. Farmers have suffered greatly by the inundation of their fields. Telephone connection between here and Xenia is destroyed. Great damage has been done to bridges….The bridge near Hardy’s on the Columbus pike, is reported gone, and thereby vehicles cannot reach Xenia by that road….

….

“One of the causes of such destruction in Xenia, was a small culvert under the Columbus and Xenia R.R., just east of the Wilmington pike, it being insufficient to let the water through and it rose to the top of the road, forming a great lake, which suddenly broke the embankment, letting the water out with a rush. It then came down onto the doomed parts of town in a body ten to fifteen feet high carrying everything before it. Every stable and out-houses and several houses went with the flood, lodging at Detroit street….

“It is impossible to hear from any of the small towns around here, all telephone and telegraph lines being swept away. We are indeed isolated….

“The angry waters reached half way between Water and Second streets on the east end and up to the Dayton railroad in the West end….

“Thieves are plentiful in the flooded districts and several articles were stolen this morning, by persons who are ever ready to commit misdemeanors on such occasions.

“Ferguson’s house is lying on its side near Detroit street bridge. The house was swept down the stream and the occupants were rescued after the house had turned on its side.

“A box containing $200 was found among the debris on Main and Second streets. It was the property of Mrs. Casey, the woman who was drowned with her babe in her arms.

“Washington Galloway, on East Church street, suffered considerably although they were up so high. The water, however, rushed down the hill and was soon into their house. The water poured down the chimney’s and for a time they thought they would be entirely submerged.

“The mud in some of the flooded houses on East Water street was several inches deep. Men were busy with hoes and shovels cleaning them out. It was a distressing sight to see the handsome carpets, upholstered furniture, etc., in a number of the houses soaked with water and covered with mud….

“The Market street bridge is gone, having been swept to the left of the bed of the stream, and houses and sheds are massed together near it. To the right was John Shoecraft’s house, who was unable to save anything [more than] the clothes on their backs and it was with the greatest difficulty that his wife and child were saved at all….” (Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “Death Dealing Rush of Waters. Xenia’s Awful Fate Comes in the Shape of a Flood.” 5-13-1886, p. 1.)

May 14: “….At 8 o’clock but 22 bodies have been found, the names of whom appear in our account of the burial. There is known to be missing six persons besides the 22 found making 28 in all, which will probably be added to as time goes on. The missing are Mr. Lewis Anderson, a child of Mr. Joe Anderson, the babe of Mr. Matt Evans and three of the Powell family.

“The body of Mrs. Wm. Powell was taken from the mass of debris between Second and Main street last evening. That of one of her boys was taken from the debris near the Cincinnati pike crossing. This makes two of the bodies so far recovered.

“This morning while working at the debris at the Cincinnati pike bridge the men found the bodies of two more of the unfortunate dead, deeply embedded in the drift. They were Mrs. Henry Brazelton, daughter of Wm. Powell, and child, which makes seven of the Powell family so far found. Heretofore Mrs. Brazelton and her child have been classed as Powells. Mrs. Brazzelton’s body was buried so deeply that it took several hours to get it out. The body of Henry Powell was found about noon to-day a mile or two down towards John B. Lucas’ place.

Burial of the Dead.

“The funeral of the two sisters, Mrs. Casey and Mrs. Lizzie Anderson was held at the residence of Mrs. Peters on Orange street, this morning at 9 o’clock….

“The funeral of Stephen Donton took place at the residence of one of his relatives on East Main street at 9 o’clock….

“The funeral of the Morris family, father and mother and five children was held at the residence of Wm. Morris’, on West Main street, this afternoon at 2 o’clock….The baby, two years of age was buried in the coffin with its mother….

“The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Anderson were taken from the Mayor’s office this morning and conveyed to the colored cemetery…

“The funeral of the Powell family, six in number, was held at 3 p.m. Interment in colored cemetery. A part of this family is yet missing….

“The funeral of Mrs. Corchoran and her son was also held at the Mayor’s office this afternoon with short services.

“The body of Mrs. Lewis Anderson, a white woman was found yesterday afternoon and her funeral was held at the Mayor’s office this afternoon. Her husband, who was a colored man, is still missing. They lived in a little house on the bank of the creek directly opposite Mrs. Sheely near Second street. The house is all gone.

“Mrs. Lindsay was buried from Moore & Broadstone’s office at 4 o’clock….” (Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “The Aftermath…Twenty-Eight Dead.” 5-14-1886, p. 1.)

May 15: “….The body of a little child was found some distance down the creek this morning. It is supposed to be the child of Henry Brazelton. They body found yesterday is now thought to be that of the Evans baby. Mrs. Brazelton’s body was also found near the place where the creek enters the river. Our statement that she was found yesterday was a mistake….

No Light.

“Owing to the break at the gas works, there is no gas light and is likely not to be for several days and maybe longer, and it is likely that not many stores will remain open late at night. The mains of the gas works leading across both creeks were broken, and the retort that was in use at the time of the flood was entirely ruined. The other bench of retorts are being tried to-day and it will be known what can be done by night. In the mean time coal oil will be useful.

Twenty-Eight Dead.

“It is know quite certain that this is the exact number of the lost although it is claimed by some that a man named Tansey is missing which would make the number twenty-nine. The missing are Joe Anderson’s child, and Lewis Anderson. The found are Mr. and Mrs. Mat Evans and child; Mrs. Corchoran and son; Stephen Donton; Mrs. Ed. Lindsay; Mrs. Lewis Anderson; Mrs. Angeline Casey; Mrs. Lydia Anderson; Orrin Morris and wife and five children; Wm. Powell and wife and five children; Mrs. Henry Brazzleton and child.

Need of A Visiting Committee.

“There is sore need among a number of families whose homes were flooded, who are too proud to go to thee Relief Committee and obtain supplies to relieve their present distress. While this may be considered by some a foolish pride, yet it should not be condemned so severely. Accustomed all their lives as many of these people have been, to make an independent living, not knowing what it was to ask ought of any one, it is hard on them to want and have to ask for help. Many of these families own the houses in which they lived and it is their all….In two or three homes in the lower part of town, at which a Gazette scribe called this morning, the family had slept all night on dripping wet mattresses and feather beds. The house in one instance had been flooded almost to the ceiling….In some places they have no coal or fuel of any kind to make a fire to dry out their homes. A visiting committee should be sent at once to visit among these homes and see that the needs are supplied….” (Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “Of Twenty-Eight.” 5-15-1886, p. 1.)

May 17: “….Word was received this morning that the body of Lewis Anderson was recovered at South Lebanon in the Little Miami river thirty miles away from Xenia. There is no absolute certainty in the report. It is also claimed that from a strong stench on West Second street there must be a body some where in that locality.

“Phil Tucker was caught in the act of making a requisition on the Relief Committee, and had succeeded in getting some supplies when he was not a resident of the flooded district. He was taken before Mayor Trader and sent to the work house on an old sentence that had been hanging over him for some time. Another man was also reprimanded for making a claim that he was not entitled to….

“The loss in this city and county including the damage to railroads will exceed half a million of dollars. The city being by far the worst off because the least able to bear any additional burdens….” (Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “Amid the Debris.” 5-17-1886, p. 1.)

May 17: “To the Editor of The Gazette:– In accounting for the recent flood, neither the water spout nor the railroad embankment break theory is tenable. If there had been a water spout some one would have observed it, or the place where it struck the ground would show the effects. With the exception of a small cut at the tool house, near the Wilmington pike crossing, not larger than the culvert in capacity, the railroad embankment was not lowered, save by the removal of the rails, ties and ballast, to an average of fifteen inches in all, for a distance of twenty-five rods. The reservoir or lake spoken of by some was not over twelve acres in extent and could only reach the railroad break, literally, by a narrow passage a few rods wide from unbroken part of embankment to hill. The sudden release of gathered waters, therefore, could not have caused the devastation.

“The true cause of the flood is the prodigious rain fall in Shawnee Valley that fatal night. There passes through Cincinnati pike bridge the drainage of ten square miles of land. All accounts agree that the rain fall, within the space of a little over an hour, was from seven to nine inches. If six inches of this ran off the ground without soaking in, it amounts to 3,200 acres of water five feet deep. Pass this gradually through the city along the channel of Shawnee, in a stream twenty rods wide and five feet deep from shore to shore, others averaging ten feet deep in the centre, and it makes a stream sixteen miles long and probably two hours in passing a given point. This volume of water so suddenly hurled through the city, aggravated by the resulting gorges at the numerous bridges, did the awful work. ‘w.’” (Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “Cause of The Flood” [letter to the editor]. 5-17-1886, p. 3.)

Sources

Ohio Historical Society. “May 12, 1886: Xenia Flood.” Severe Weather in Ohio. Accessed at: http://www.ohiohistory.org/etcetera/exhibits/swio/pages/content/1886_flood.htm

Philadelphia Record Almanac 1885. “General and Local Events.” The Philadelphia Record, 1886. Digitized by Google; accessed 6-25-2019 at:

https://books.google.com/books?id=wCoXAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Schmidlin, Thomas W. and Jeanne Appelhans Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland: A Chronicle of Outstanding Weather Events in Ohio. Kent State University Press, 1996, 362 pages. Partially digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=QANPLARGXFMC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “Amid the Debris.” 5-17-1886, p. 1. Accessed 6-27-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/xenia-daily-gazette-may-17-1886-p-1/

Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “Cause of The Flood” [letter to the editor]. 5-17-1886, p. 3. Accessed 6-27-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/xenia-daily-gazette-may-17-1886-p-3/

Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “Death Dealing Rush of Waters. Xenia’s Awful Fate Comes in the Shape of a Flood.” 5-13-1886, p. 1. Accessed 6-25-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/xenia-daily-gazette-may-13-1886-p-5/

Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “Of Twenty-Eight.” 5-15-1886, p. 1. Accessed 6-26-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/xenia-daily-gazette-may-15-1886-p-1/

Xenia Daily Gazette, OH. “The Aftermath…Twenty-Eight Dead.” 5-14-1886, p. 1. Accessed 6-26-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/xenia-daily-gazette-may-14-1886-p-1/

1886 — May 12, Flash Flood, Shawnee Creek, especially Barr’s Bottom, Xenia Ohio — 28