Adams County History & Genealogy



Adams County, Ohio Articles


Fatal Injuries Sustained by a Young Lady of Scott Township While Driving Upon the Public Highway

Terrible results of the running away of a horse attached to a cart last Thursday afternoon came from Flat Run in Scott Township.

Miss Elma Moore and younger sister, daughters of Sherman Moore, and highly respected young ladies of their community and whereever known, started from their home in a cart behind a somewhat spirited horse, to attend a church exercise at the Flat Run M. E. Church Thursday afternoon. While passing the residence of Raymond Page which is not beyond hallooing distance from their own home, a large dog came bounding to the fence and jumped into the road. The action scared the horse and it ran away. Both young ladies after a short run were thrown from their position and Miss Elma, the older, aged about twenty years, was violently hurled against a fence and rebounded about six feet, falling in front of the horse which planted its foot upon her breast. The younger sister suffered less seriously.

The disturbance attracted the attention of the father and others an immediately restoratives were applied to revive them, both being rendered insensible by their experience, but without effect.

They were carefully carried to their home where the younger sister, after a few hours became concious, and gave the details of the dreadful experinece so far as she knew them, and she is not seriously injured beyond severe bruises.

Not so with Miss Elma. Every effort was employed to revive her but without avail. The injuries were too great to be repaired by human skill. An examination showed that her skull had been crushed in coming in contact with the fence and that internal injuries were sustained by the horse stepping upon her breast, where the outlines of its foot were plainly visible.

The young lady lingered until Friday morning at three o'clock when death released the anchoring chord of her spirit. Saturday morning all that was mortal of the erstwhile happy young woman was returned to mother earth at Flat Run Cemetery to molder back to its orginal elements.

During a revival service at the Flat Run Church last winter she became a member of the church, filling all the obligations, she then assumed, and upon the eventful moment of her fatality was going to the church to aid in the furtherance of some of its exercises and was thus in the line of duty when the summons came. Surely a just God will bestow a kindly welcome at the gates of Heaven upon such that fall as has this young women.

The bereaved parents are heart broken over the terrible accident, but are being sustained , soothed and comforted by the untiring efforts of neighbors and friends.


SOURCE: The People's Defender, West Union OH; July 11, 1895