Marion, Iowa Storm
July
20, 1860
Severe Storm in Marion
July 20, 1860, at half past 8 A. M., a severe
storm came over Marion, from the northwest, accompanied by heavy
rain and severe lightning.
A stroke of lightning struck a house in the north
part of town, in which school was taught by
Miss Kellogg. As school
had not yet "taken up," but seven pupils had arrived, and these,
together with their teacher, were felled senseless to the floor. On
recovering from the shock, Miss Kellogg found all of the children
still on the floor, three of whom never arose.
The killed were: A son of Mr. Joseph Cooper, aged about 12; a son of
Mr. Joshua Bennett, aged about 9, and a son of
Mr. Pifer, aged about
7.
The History of Linn County, Iowa, Containing
a History of the County, its Cities, Town, &t., a Biographical
Directory of its Citizens, War Record of its Volunteers in the Late
Rebellion, General and Local Statistics 1878
Read this book on line at ancestry.com
Terrible Storm at Marion
THREE CHILDREN KILLED
We learn from the Linn Co., Register
that last Friday morning there was a severe
storm in that locality, with much lightning.
A school house, containing at the time only
seven children and the teacher,
Miss Kellogg,
in the north part of Marion, was struck by
lightning. Three of the children were
killed. The Register says:
Had all the scholars been present who are
normally in attendance the calamity would have
undoubtedly been greater -- we learn from the
teacher Miss Kellogg,
that she was herself felled to the
floor with all in the room, that when she
recovered she found all the children still on
the floor; three of whom were dead! the others
soon recovered. Those that were killed
were: a son of
Joseph Cooper, aged 12; a son of
Mr. Joseph Gennett,
aged about 9, and a son of
Mr. Pifer, aged
about 7. Then in a moment's time, in the
twinkling of an eye as it were, have three
promising youths been hurried into eternity, and
three households laid in mourning by the
destroying angel.
Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, IA
24 Jul 1860
According to the
1860 Census, the boys killed
were:
Clinton Cooper,
son of Joseph
and Polly P. Cooper, age 11; notation
on the census form "Killed by lightning July
18th 1860"
James Pfieffer,
son of Christopher and
Catherine Pfieffer, age 5; notation
on the census form "Killed by lightning July 20
1860"
Charles Bennest,
son of Joshua and
Elizabeth Bennest, age 7; notation on
the census form "Killed by lightning July 20th
1860"
Miss Kellogg could have been either
Almira Kellogg, age 28, teacher or
Ann M. Kellogg,
age 18, teacher.
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