228. Fatal Fires: Clark (1907) And Sanders (1863)

RCHS Blog Post Number 228. 

Fatal Fires, Clark and Sanders

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Spartanburg, Randolph County

October, 1907.

  As the result of an explosion of gasoline, Mrs. Daniel CLARK, of Spartanburg, was so badly burned about the breast, abdomen and limbs that she died four hours later.

  She was thinning some stove black in a saucer on a hot stove with some gasoline. While in the act of pouring the fluid from a bottle, she looked to see if someone was entering and some of the gasoline fell on the stove. The explosion followed and in an instant her person was enveloped in flames.

  Her screams attracted Samuel LORTEN, James MENDENHALL and John BAKER. The latter used a quilt to stifle the flames while Mendenhall helped. Before the flames could be extinguished, she was so badly burned that to save her life was impossible.

  Mrs. Clark was twenty-one years old and the daughter of James JACKSON, of Greensfork township. She was married to Daniel Clark about two years ago. Mr. Clark owns a store in Spartanburg and is well known in that part of the county.

Cabin fire, stock photo. 

North Of Union City, Randolph County, February, 1863.

  Mrs. Mitchell SANDERS, (whose husband is serving in the Union Army) living 5 miles north of Union City was engaged in dressing flax and the weather being damp, she carried several bundles into the house, which was a log cabin, and set them up around the fireplace to dry. She then went out leaving her infant in the house asleep, but took her two older children with her, both less than five years old.

  The children with her soon complained of being cold, when she sent them to the house to warm. Soon after they had entered the cabin and closed the door she discovered a great cloud of smoke coming from the chimney and on opening the door the flames verily exploded filling the house so that it was impossible to enter.

  One of the children was close to the door and was pulled out of the fire alive although dreadfully burned and Mrs. Sanders, in her efforts to save this child exposed her cloths which took fire, and she only saved her life by tearing them off.

 The charred remains of the oldest child were recovered but the baby was entirely consumed by the flames.

Postcard of Main Street of Spartanbug, Indiana; undated. 

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Randolph County, Indiana 1818-1990
Commonly referred to as "The Red History Book"
Compiled by the Randolph County Historical Society, 1991, Second reprint 2003.

Read page 129-140 to read "Death Records And Cemetery History." Page 131article titled "Franklin Township Cemeteries: 1. Race Street" has a very brief description.

Read page 446 to read the family history of Joab Addington which was submitted by Joanne Moulton.

To obtain your own copy of "The Red History Book" stop in at The RCHS Museum Shop or send an email to arrange placing a mail order.

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