Taylor, Caroline (Dana), son Emmet & Miss Amsden died 1862

TAYLOR, DANA, AMSDEN

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 9/23/2015 at 03:35:26

On Friday evening last (28th) as Mr. Taylor of Volga Township was returning from Garnavillo in a sled with Mrs. Taylor and a adopted son, 3 years of age, and a Miss Amsden, a young lady 19 years of age, crossing Cedar Creek, which was swollen from the melting snow, Mrs. Taylor and adopted son and Miss Amsden were thrown from the sled into the current of the stream and drowned.

Mrs. Taylor and adopted son, sleeping at the time of the accident in her arms, floated but few rods and across the stream, lodged in some willows which stood immediately upon the bank. Owing to the darkness however, the bodies were not found until the next morning.

Miss Amsden was born by the current some 30 or 40 rods down the stream, where her body was the next morning found.

This sad and afflictive event is a striking illustration of the familiar truth that "The ways of Providence are often very mysterious and inscrutible to us," and that often-time "There is but a step between us and death." For the stream at the place they cross could not have been much, if any more than two feet deep. But as the sled struck the opposite bank, the contact threw the seat upon which they were sitting from its [illegible], and them head foremost into the stream and the rapidity of the current quickly carried them into deeper water, and the darkness rendered a timely rescue impossible. Thus the lives of three persons were unexpectedly taken away, and a large circle of friends and acquaintances left to mourn their loss.

~Clayton County Journal, April 10, 1862

Note: Caroline & her adopted son Emmet are buried in the Old Garber cemetery. She was the wife of Marcellus Taylor. Unknown is Miss Amsden's given name or burial place.