Friday, August 2, 2013

Chesterfield Jail Consumed by Fire, 8 Lives Lost

 
Chesterfield Jail Fire
 
From the Cheraw Gazette
Awful Calamity.
The startling intelligence renched this place yesterday morning about 10 o’clock that the jail of the District was consumed by fire, together with all the prisoners confined within its walls. This report was soon after confirmed by the following letter, to which we refer for particulars:
Chesterfield, C. H.
March 29, 1853
James Powell, Esq.,
Dear Sir:
The Chesterfield Jail was consumed by fire this morning about 3 O’clock, destroying the lives of eight prisoners. The fire was first discovered in one of the front rooms, used as a cook room. When first discovered it was then too late to render assistance, to the prisoner’s up stairs, sufficient to enable them to make their escape.
The names of those consumed are:
Mandavile H. Hall,
Robert Dickson,
John Parr,
Frances M. Hall,
Wm. Grooms,
Malcom Martin,
Mrs. Martin, wife of Malcolm Martin,
John Martin, brother of Malcolm Martin.
The last two were on a visit to Malcom Martin. James W. Jowers and Richard Dickson, were discharged yesterday, so they escaped. W. W. Campbell was in the debtors’ room and was turned out in time to be saved. –
Every exertion was used to save the lives of the prisoners and building, but all failed. Yours &c.
                                                                                            J. C. Craig



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[1] "Awful Calamity.," The Sumter Banner. (Sumterville, S.C.), April 05, 1853, Image 4, Chesterfield Jail Fire, 8 Lives Lost; on-line images, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : viewed, copied, extracted, 31 July 2013), Historic American Newspaper; From the Cheraw Gazette.























4 comments:

  1. I agree. Before this posting I doubt anyone in the County was aware of the fire and it's aftermath.

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  2. Please if you have information on the Grooms and Gainey surnames I could really use the assistance.Perhaps this is the Wm Grooms in my lineage that was born in 1825? and any info on a Matilda Grooms Gainey born 1814...Have had an aweful time locating any info on her husband...any connections to these line would be much appreciated..

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  3. Greg, I agree Chesterfield County is a very difficult county to research. I don't have any info on William or Matilida but I will watch for those names. .

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