July 23, 1933 Dubuque Telegraph Herald
DUBUQUE COUNTY BEFORE 1880
Editors Note: Herewith the history of Dubuque County, word for
word, before 1880, taken from an old county history, published by the Western
Historical company, at Chicago, author's name unknown, believed to be in
possession of but few residents. Clip these stories day by day and
by Aug. 8. when Dubuque begins celebration of her one hundredth anniversary,
you should be in possession of a complete county history of your own.
Freighted with the debris torn from the hillsides, it struck
all impediments in its way with gigantic force, snapping the bands
of steel which, held the railroad bridge together, and severing their connections
as if they had been gossamer threads, and with an a ful leap and
roar crushed out the heart and life of the peaceful valley. It was
an agonizing moment of battle between life and death, in which the irresistible
torrent, the play of the lightning and peals of thunder conspired to drown
the wails and cries which went up from the hearts of perishing humanity
unheard. Death rode the storm to victory as life flickered for a
moment and expired beneath the waves, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers,
sisters and brothers went down to death locked in each other's embrace.
No mind can picture that awful agony in the brief moment; no pen can describe
it, or linner trace, the mysteries of ways which are not man's, but the
dispensations of Providence.
The inmates of the saloon building were Joseph Becker,
the proprietor; his wife and two children; Charles Thimmesch, the bartender;
James Peace, a gardner, who, with his family, were returning to Dubuque
when the storm broke and sought refuge in the house; William Bradbury,
William Burke,Harry Adams, Lambert Kenkels, John Harker and Martin C. Carey-of
whom but Thimmisch, Kenkels, Adams and Carey escaped.
The home of John Klassen was swept away, and the inmates,
consisting of the father, mother, Christian, Lena, Lizzie, Maggie and John,
went out with the tide, and none, save John, who was recovered from the
wreck, survived to tell whither it carried them.
Saw Home Swept Away
Martin C. Carey, in Becker's saloon, saw the lights moving in his house
nearby, but beyond his reach. In an instant, the light became extinguished,
and with it all hope in the heart of the husband and father. He knew
that his home was gone; soon he, too, was battling for life, only
to be saved to learn that his wife and children had gone the way of all
flesh. The wife, Elizabeth, and children, Frank and Lizzie, were
among the dead.
Thomas Blenkiron settled there a year previous, and maintained
one of the two stories in the place. He resided, with his wife and
cousin, Oliver Blenkiron, over the store, with whom also was his wife's
sister, Miss Hoskins, who was their guest during the Fourth. Becoming
alarmed, Mr. Blenkiron aroused his with and sister, and insisted
upon their endeavoring to reach a place of safety from the storm.
They proceeded through the water in the direction of Dubuque, he assisting
them, returning after they had reached dry ground with a promise to follow
if the danger increased. This was the last seen of him until his
body, with that of his son, was recovered when the flood had subsided.
Peter Knapp, an industrious and thriving mechanic, owning
nearly all the buildings lining the street, lived in the market-house with
his wife and six children. The house was torn from its foundation
and swept in the flood and with it, himself, his wife and three children.
Charles W. Kingsley kept the only hotel in the place,
which he opened in May, 1876, coming from California. With him was
his wife, on the fatal night, there being no guests. The wife was
taken, the husband left.
Family Saved on Roof
Gustave Hern's store and post office went down in the general ruin.
By superhuman efforts, he succeeded in getting his wife and four children
upon the roof, and, by clinging to the rafters, all were saved.
Those who were known to have been lost were: Peter
Kapp, Mrs. Peter Kapp, Mathias Kapp, Mary Kapp, Joseph Kapp,
John Kapp, Peter Kapp (Second), Nicholas Kapp, Mrs. Elizabeth Carey; Jane,
Frank and Lizzie Carey; Henry Mary, Albert, Alec and Peter Becker, of one
family, and Henry, Mary and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Becker, another family;
Lucy Bowers, William Bradbury, Richard Burke, Thomas and Oliver Blenkiron,
Mr. and Mrs. John Klassen, with Christian, Lizzie, Maggie, Mary and Lena
Klassen; Mrs. Kingsley, Mr. and Mrs. James Pearce, Lena and Ida Pearce,
Minnie Bowers and the two Brown children, a total of forty-two victims.
When the storm subsided and during Thursday, these bodies
were recovered and prepared for burial. About 11 o'clock of that
day the funeral services began, on the ground, over such of the bodies
as it had been decided to bury at Rockdale. Others were taken to
Key West for Burial, but the larger number were conveyed to Dubuque.
A Sorrowful Scene
At St. Mary's church, a sorrowful scene was presented
in the afternoon. Five of the Kapp family, who were victims of the
disaster, and six members of the Klassen family, rested upon their heirs,
side by side, while Father Johannes delivered an eloquent and impressive
funeral sermon, most vividly depicting the horrid manner in which their
lives paid tribute to the fury of the relentless storm. The funeral
was largely attended, and an immense procession followed their remains
to the German Catholic cemetery.
The family of Mr. Peters was buried from the residence
of Mr. Sage, on Fourteenth street, the Rev. Mr. Seymour, of the Episcopal
church, officiating. During the impressive service, scalding tears
of sincere sorrow dripped from the cheeks of those present, and, at the
conclusion of the minister's discourse, the remains were interred in Linwood
cemetery.
The fatherless and motherless children who survived were
taken charge of by relatives, and the calamity, with all of it horrible
concomitants, was numbered with the things that were. The search
was continued through Friday, resulting in the finding of the bodies of
Frank Bowers and Lizzie Becker, who were laid to rest without the formality
of an inquest. On Saturday, Peter Becker, Lena Klassen and Richard
Burke's bodies were discovered at the mouth of the Catfish and buried in
Rockdale cemetery, which, it is believed were all who perished.
(To Be Continued)