1874

May 16 Breaking away of the reserfoir

in Williumsburg great distruction

of life and property thousands upon

thousands visit the scene of destruction

July 21 Mary Gilbert Died Ae 19

August Mary Long hung herself Ae 38

Sept 15 Jenner went into camp to drill til 19

Sept 16 Mrs. Loritte Gilbert Died Ae 38

19 Lost a cow

Nov Mrs Hunters Mrs Crackle Died Diptheria

Nov 26 Thanksgiving-day

20 Julius taken sick

Nov 20 Willard De Wolf broke his legg

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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There is currently no available "Beginner" label. The following is the default level label: On May 16, 1874, in the hills of western Massachusetts, the Williamsburg reservoir dam broke, devastating a narrow valley lined with factories and farms and leaving 139 dead. At the time, it was the most deadly dam failure on record in the U.S. Amasa Jones, a Deerfield farmer, recorded the event in his diary, among the other entries of local deaths, accidents, and illness. His diary demonstrates that death and sickness among young people was much more prevalent in 1874 than today, but that the losses of individuals were no less mourned.

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