Alphabet Challenge #10 - Johnstown Flood

The Johnstown Flood disaster (or Great Flood of 1889 as it became known locally) occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall. The dam's failure unleashed a torrent of 20 million tons of water. Walls of water 60 feet high tore through the town. It was the first major disaster relief effort handled by the new American Red Cross, led by Clara Barton. Support for victims came from all over the United States and from 18 foreign countries.

The total death toll for the disaster was 2,209 dead. 99 entire families had died, including 396 children. 124 women and 198 men were left without their spouses, 98 children lost both parents. 777 victims (1 of every 3 bodies found) were never identified and rest in the Plot of the Unknown in Grandview Cemetery.

One of those dead was a relative of mine.

Grace Garman was a young telegraph operator in Johnstown, and family tradition says that she sent one of the last, if not the very last, messages from the town, before perishing. I read in one book that the telegraph operators refused to leave their posts, one assumes from a sense of duty.

After the flood waters subsided, my great-great-grandfather, who was Grace's father, took his son and traveled to Johnstown to try to recover Grace's body. Walking through the mud-filled streets, my great-grandfather kicked up a lump of something hard, rinsed it off and brought it home. It was this little girl and her cat.


You can't see in the shot above shot but she is teaching her cat the ABCs.



She's a little match safe...the little chimney she sits beside is designed to hold matches. She has no markings, I don't know where or when she was made. But the glow of her cheeks and the gold of her necklace and the trim on her dress is as bright as the day she was made. No chips, no cracks.

This little figurine lived in my Great-Aunt May's house. I loved it as a child and loved to hear Aunt May tell me the story of Grace and her bravery. And now she lives in my house.

I was so nervous taking her outside to get a good picture of her. I was terrified that she would slip out of my hands and end up in pieces on the front porch. I'm glad to say she is safely back in the china cabinet.

Rest in peace, Grace.