Batteen, Grace More died 1903

BATTEEN, MOORE, MORE, BATTSEN

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 1/14/2013 at 13:33:43

Postville Review, 18 Dec. 1903.

BURNED TO DEATH !

THREE SMALL CHILDREN NEAR NEW ALBIN, THIS COUNTY, PERISH IN THE FLAMES ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

A frightful accident occured near New Albin Wednesday night says an "Extra" from Ed Medary. The home of August Batteen, a soninlaw of Martin Moore, caught fire in some manner and three small children of Batteens were burned to death. The house was the old Moore homestead on the Sand Cove, four miles south of New Albin.

The parents as well as their neighbors were absent from home attending the Catholic mission services being held at New Albin this week. On their return about ten o'clock the Batteens found their home in ruins and were horrified to learn that three of their children had met death in the flames.

Two had escaped. The eldest, a girl of eleven who is a cripple, had been assisted out of a window by one nine years old. This little hero then sought to rescue the others, two boys and a girl, but the fire drove him back. Origion of the fire unknown.

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Note: The Woodmansee burial book lists the Batteen family burials in Holy Cross cemetery. Although some of the bodies in Holy Cross were later removed to St. Joseph's cemetery, there is no evidence that the Batteen family is among the reinterrments. The children who perished are listed as Ralph, Martin and Grace More Batteen, all showing a death date of 15 Dec. 1903.

Submitter is not related.

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Related article posted By: S. Ferrall
Date: 7/13/2004

Children Burned to Death. Three children of August Batten, a farmer of Alamakee [sic - Allamakee] county, have been burned to death. Batten and his wife had left their five children alone in the house. The residence burned to the ground, and only two of the children escaped.

-source: Iowa Recorder (Greene, Iowa), 12/23/1903

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Added by Joy Moore 11/18/2019:

Source: Decorah Republican Dec. 24, 1903 Page 3 Col 2

Three Children Cremated.
One of those distressingly awful accidents that shocks everyone and sends a thrill of pity out to the afflicted relatives happened near New Albin Thursday morning of last week. August Battsen and wife had gone to New Albin to attend a Catholic fair, and while they were absent their home caught on fire and three of their five children burned to death. A nine year old lad assisted his crippled sister of eleven through a window, but when he tried to go back for his two brothers and another sister the flames were too much for him.