Balch, Oron

BALCH

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 1/27/2008 at 13:13:13

Maquoketa Weekly Excelsior
May 23, 1872

Drowned.

On Friday, the 17th inst. Oron Balch, the only child of Mr. Nathan Balch, of Monmouth township, while returning to his home from a neighboring grocery, where he had been on an errand, was riding on a piece of road that was submerged by Bear Creek when he was thrown from his horse and drowned. No one was near to witness the accident, but it is supposed that the horse stumbled, or left the proper road and plunged into the old channel of the creek and threw his little rider where the water was about seven feet deep. A neighbor passing noticed his hat floating near where the little fellow lay. Soon after his horse was seen on an island on the opposite side of the creek. This aroused suspicions as to his fate, and in a few moments twenty or thirty persons had assembled and diligent search was made by men wading, drawing seines, grappling hooks, garden rakes, &e., for about three hours, but all in vain. Finally some dozen or fifteen young men joined hands and formed a chain reaching across the channel, and walked slowly down the stream, feeling over nearly every foot of the ground as they passed, now and then one disappearing to find the bottom. After about six rods marching in this way, Mr. Joseph Beck, while under water, felt the corpse. He immediately came to the surface, broke from the chain, and dove to the bottom of the channel and brought the little fellow up in his arms.

Little Oron was eleven years old; a bright and intelligent boy – one of those good little fellows who loved to be at home with his parents, rendering them all the assistance he could. All who know him loved him, and there are many who sympathize with the afflicted parents in their sudden bereavement.