Swain, Laura (Died 1895)

SWAIN

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 7/19/2008 at 20:43:00

LeMars Sentinel
April 1, 1895

DEATH FROM THE FLAMES

A Little Daughter of John Swain Tries to Save Her Brother's House from Being
Burned and is Severely Injured that She Dies

One of the saddest bereavements that has ever happened to any family in the
county was the one that last Thursday deprived Mr. and Mrs. John Swain, of
Merrill, of their youngest daughter, a little girl of nine years, the pride
and pet of the household.

She had been staying with her brother, George, and her sister, Ms. Murtha,
who keeps house for him on his farm south of Remsen and on Thursday had been
left alone in the house while they went to Remsen, the hired man being at
work in the fields. At noon, as S. B. Miller, who travels for Myers, Tice &
Co., of Dubuque, was being driven from Kingsley to Remsen, in passing the
farm he and the driver noticed the house on fire and the little girl, whose
clothes were all in flame, running swiftly towards the field, where the
hired man was working, and crying loudly for help. The driver jumped out
and rushed to the house and soon succeeded in putting out the fire which had
caught in the straw banking and was burning up the side of the building. In
the meantime, Mr. Miller had raced his horses after the little girl and
quickly catching her jumped out and with his overcoat succeeded in
smothering the flames. He carried the little girl to the house and after
sending the driver for her brother and a doctor, he did everything in his
power to soothe the poor child and alleviated the frightful pain from the
burns which covered the entire front of her body except for her face. Dr.
Hunter accompanied George Swain back from Remsen and word was telephoned to
his father who was in LeMars and he arrived late in the afternoon shortly
before the little girl's death which could not have been averted. Dr. Hines
was telephoned, but too late to secure his presence before death came.

The little girl was conscious through the hours of agony before death came
to relief her and tried to be as brave and cheerful as possible. She
conversed about the accident and seemed to know that death would follow.
She said that she had been getting dinner ready for herself and the hired
man and that she saw smoke outside and ran out to find the banking on fire
and that when she tried to stamp it out her clothes caught fire.
________________________________

Alton Democrat
March 30, 1895

Phil Conway of Remsen, was in this city (Alton) Thursday, and brings us news
of a most distressing accident which happened the same day to a little
daughter of J. J. Swain, a wealthy farmer residing four miles south of that
town. While the family were in town, the little girl and her brothers were
playing, and the dress of the girl got on fire. She rain into the yard and
the wind fanned it so that the clothing was burned entirely from her body. A
passing farmer ran to her assistance but was tool late to render much aid.
All the clothing was burned from her except her shoes, and the tender flesh
scorched to a crisp in places. Medical aid was summoned and everything
possible was done for the little sufferer, but Mr. Conway says that her
death was expected hourly when he left.
_____________________________

Alton Democrat
April 6, 1895

A terrible accident occurred to little Laura Swain, 10 years old. Laura was
visiting with her brother and sister who live 4 miles south of town and
intended to go home (at Merrill) on Saturday. On Thursday she was home
along when the manure around the cellar got on fire, she was going to put it
out by tramping on it but as soon as she stepped on it she fell into a big
hole full of fire, which set her clothing to burning. Then she ran out into
the field where the hired man was at work but when she got there the
clothing had burned from her body. It happened when she ran out into the
field that a livery team came by and the driver saw her clothes on fire and
drove after her in haste, but came too late. It was between 11 and 12
o’clock when this took place and death relieved her at 5 o’clock P. M. The
funeral took place Saturday and was attended by a large number of friends
and relatives. The fire was put out and the building saved.
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~Transcriber note: Per the Iowa State 1895 Census index this little girl was Laura Swain, age 9, the daughter of John & Charlotte Swain, Plymouth County, IA. This couple had an older daughter, age 19, named Murtha--who is also mentioned in the above news article.