Prairie Fire at Osceola

SMITH, CROOKS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/24/2009 at 09:25:37

Dubuque Weekly Times, November 21, 1861.

PRAIRIES ON FIRE-

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.

On Tuesday and Wednesday of last week extensive fires raged upon the prairies to the west, extending from Osceola to Quincy. The horizon was one belt of flame and the heavens were like a fiery vault. Much injury was inflicted upon fences and crops. The woods belonging to the French settlement at Icarian village were burnt through, and near Osceola occurred a terrible accident. The people were out fighting the fire, and a woman named Smith took some dinner to her husband and another. By some means they allowed themselves to be hemmed in, and when too late began to fly. In their path lay a spot whence the turf had been taken to construct a chimney and they all prostrated themselves upon it. But as the fire came sweeping on, the woman and a man named Crooks became frightened and again took to flight. They both perished. The woman was so burnt as to be beyond recognition; Crooks was found charred, but still living and trying to rise to his knees. He died in two hours. The other man escaped with a slight burn upon one arm. – Hawkeye, 12th