Remembering the 139 Lives Lost on May 16, 1874

Four photographs of the aftermath of a devestating flood: ruins of buildings and other man-made structures.

Mill River Flood Victims

Williamsburg, Massachusetts – 57 Lives Lost

Family Groups

Sarah Collyer Bartlet​t, age 24, mother
Viola Collyer, age 4, daughter

Sarah Snow, age 76, grandmother
William Tilton, age 3, grandson

Johanah Downing, age 54, mother-in-law
Eliza Downing, age 28, mother
Edmund Downing, age 1, son

Mary Brennan, age 62, grandmother
Mary Scully, age 26, mother
John Scully, age 3, son
Mary Scully, age 8 months, daughter

Caroline Chandler, age 39, mother
E. Mary Chandler, age 8, daughter

Alexander Roberts, age 42, father; railroad engineer
Caroline Roberts, age 37, mother
Nettie Roberts, age 2, daughter
Olivet Roberts, age 1, daughter
Mary Ann McGee, age 14, servant

Susan Lamb, age 54, aunt
George Ashley, age 16, nephew

Jeremiah Ward, age 71, brother-in-law; stone mason
Electa Knight, age 80, sister-in-law

Spencer Bartlett, age 74, husband; farmer
Saloma Bartlett, age 55, wife

Lucretia Johnson, age 64, grandmother
Elbridge Johnson, age 38, father; physician
Mary F. Johnson, age 32, mother
Edward Johnson, age 8, son
Mary H. Johnson, age 6, daughter
Charlotte Johnson, age 4, daughter

Family Groups (continued)

Epaphroditus Hubbard, age 56, grandfather; farmer
Emma Wood, age 21, mother
Harold Wood, age 1, son

Elizabeth Kingsley, age 60, grandmother
Annie Kingsley, age 35, mother
Nellie Kingsley, age 3, daughter
Lyman Kingsley, age 1, son

Mary Josephine Adams, age 36, mother
William Adams, age 7, son

Henry Birmingham, age 47, father; superintendent of the wool mill
Laura Birmingham, age 43, mother
Mary Birmingham, age 20, daughter; schoolteacher
Lillie Birmingham, age 16, daughter
Carrie Birmingham, age 7, daughter

Michael Burke, age 61, grandfather; worked at wool mill
Michael Burke, age 9, grandson
​Jennie Burke, age 8, granddaughter
Annie Burke, age 5, granddaughter

Frank Murray, age 53, husband; worked at wool mill
Mary Murray, age 53, wife; worked at wool mill

Individuals

  • William H. Adams, age 51, miller
  • James Stephens, age 49, worked at wool mill
  • John Atkinson, age 48, worked at wool mill
  • Frederick Burr, age 34, fireman
  • Theodore Hitchcock, age 34, miller
  • Mary Carter, age 23
  • Archie Lancour, age 21, worked at wool mill

Skinnerville, Massachusetts – 4 Lives Lost

Family Groups

Eli Bryant, age 77, grandfather
Joseph Hayden, Jr., age 5, grandson

Individuals

  • Christina Hills, age 46, daughter of John Kaplinger of Haydenville
  • Sarah Hillman, age 42, wife of Jerome Hillman, who was awarded a medal for his heroism

Haydenville, Massachusetts – 27 Lives Lost

Family Groups

George Thayer, age 5, brother
Freddie Thayer, age 1, brother

Agnes Miller, age 10, sister
George Miller, age 8, brother
William Miller, age 1, brother

Mary Kiely, age 59, wife
Stephen Kiely, age 57, husband

Rosa Bissonette, age 22, mother
Joseph Bissonette, age 9 days, son

Theresa Pouzee, age 45, mother
Isabelle Pouzee, age 22, daughter
Ilocrain Pouzee, age 14, son
Nayerene Pouzee, age 11, daughter

Margaret Wilson, age 49, mother
Matilda Wilson, age 10, daughter
Rosa Wilson, age 7, daughter
Margaret Wilson, age 5, daughter

Individuals

John Kaplinger, age 73, father of Christina Hills of Skinnerville; shoemaker

Edmund Mockler, age 55

Margaret Lablone, age 54

Mary Hogan, age 50

Mary Macy, age 50

Mary Norris, age 50

Theresa Tafor, age 45

Johanah Williams, age 22

Francis Brodeur, age 20

Georgianna Nafroyze, age 14


Leeds, Massachusetts – 51 Lives Lost

Family Groups

Meline F. Braulette, age 38, mother
Isaac Braulette, age 19, son
Osina Braulette, age 16, daughter
Louis Napoleon Braulette, age 15, son
Victor Braulette, age 1, son

George Clancy, age 3, brother
Clara Clancy, age 1, sister

Jane Cogan, age 42, mother
Annie Cogan, age 23, daughter
​Grace Cogan, age 20, daughter

Ellen Fennessey, age 80, grandmother
Andrew Fennessey, age 49, father
Ellen Fennessey, age 39, mother
Nellie F. Fennessey, age 10, daughter
John Fennessey, age 6, son
Katie Fennessey, age 3, daughter
Elizabeth Fennessey, age 36, Andrew’s sister

Mary Patrick, age 56, mother
Charles Patrick, age 24, son
Mary Patrick, age 23, daughter
Julia Patrick, age 17, daughter

Ellen Dunlea, age 72, grandmother
Jane Fitzgerald, age 38, mother
Charles Fitzgerald, age 20, son
Thomas Fitzgerald, age 10, son
Anna Fitzgerald, age 7, daughter
Lottie Fitzgerald, age 4, daughter
Bertha Fitzgerald, age 1, daughter

Carrie Bonney, age 16
Sarah Jane Ryan, age 21, sister and mother
Charles Ryan, age 4, son

Family Groups (continued)

Hannah Hannan, age 28, mother
Bridget Hannan, age 7, daughter
Edward Hannan, age 4, son
John Hannan, age 2, son
Michael Hannan, age 5 months, son

Individuals

Amos Dunning, age 78

Mrs. Hurley, age 63

Alexander Laney, age 40, button mill

T.F. Vaughan, age 40, silk factory boardinghouse manager

Ralph Isham, age 40, button mill bookkeeper

Sarah Shaughnessy, age 38, button mill

Patrick O’Neille, age 35

Samuel Davies, age 30, button mill

Mary Bagley, age 29

Mary Woodward, age 20, silk factory worker

Eveline Sherwood, age 18

Arthur Sharpe, age 17, button mill

Eliza Carpenter, age 16

Mary Rouse, age 12

Terence Dundan, age 10