The valley had large amounts of runoff from rain and snowfall. Scapular around neck. Knit purse with $7 75. Height 5 feet 9 inches. More than ninety-nine families had been completely killed. Valuables given to John Marshall, his brother. Age ten to twelve. Red underwear. to "M S. Gray eyes. Piece of dress. Found just below Lincoln bridge. Pocket-book with $6.10. Ear-drops. Died from injury in the flood. Weight 185. One chain with bracelet with small padlock attached Two pins joined by chain. Light barred pants 70 cts. White dress with spots. Height 5 feet 5 inches. Red skirt. Light brown hair. Age about thirty. Female. Green purse. Had valuables. Female. Daughter of John I. Harris, Chief of Police, Johnstown, Pa. Three rings. Gold ring on second finger with pearl setting. Skewered by a huge tree uprooted by the flood, the house floated down from its location on Union Street to the end of Main. Dark hair. Weight 160. Walter, Jennie and Edith also drowned. Full face. Small button shoes. Red short basque with red buttons on it. With George O'Brien, Florence Gilbert, Janet Gaynor, Anders Randolf. On June 5, 1889, five days after the flood, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) appointed a committee of four prominent engineers to investigate the cause of the disaster. Auburn hair. Dark complexion. Green cloth dress Blue checkered apron and white apron underneath Gold ring with red set. Found hear Sheridan station. Weight 185. Buried at Prospect, June 9th. Gold band ring on third finger of left hand. Cord braid at waist. Breast-pin. Age about one year. Female. Beckley.". Brown calico dress, with large circular figure. Shumaker. Female. Wart on left ear. Female Age about six months. Shoes and one gum shoe. Male. 11 cents in pocket-book. Short nose. Black stockings with red stripe on top. Bunch of keys. Age about forty. Height 4 feet 3 inches. Gum boots. in pockets. National Guard uniform. Red bandana handkerchief Blue and white cotton hose. Chin whiskers. Height 5 feet 5 inches. 1911 was the year the final body was found. the "Robber Barons" Hounded by the media, members of the club donated to the relief effort. Weight 150. The body of one victim was found more than 100 miles away in Steubenville, Ohio. Height 5 feet 4 inches. Canton flannel underwaist. Bunch of keys. Suit of gray woolen underwear. Female. Age about thirty-six. $47.16. Weight 140. Weight 160. High-buttoned shoes. Female. Door key. Small piece of steel chain. Age about twenty-five. Like. White lace collar. Red and blue stripe handkerchief. Slim waist. Identified by her husband, Mr. Henry Viering, formerly reported from Nineveh, was incorrect. Blue shirt with large bars on it. Female. Head severed from body. Diamond ring on third finger left hand with garnet. Fair complexion. The death toll here was approximately sixteen people. $7.26 in change One English penny. Female. Pregnant. From club house. Weight 110. White cotton drawers. Light complexion. Brilliant ear-drops. Age about twelve. (1911). Belt of same goods as coat. Plaid dress, woolen goods, barred red, brown and green. Wife of Moses Owens. Male. Buttoned shoes. Pearl buttons. White cotton hose, foot mixed with blue. Muslin skirt. Female. Daughter of James Jones. The Johnstown Flood: Directed by Charles Guggenheim. (2016). Age about nine months. Age six. Fair complexion Long black hair. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Two gold rings on left hand, one with amethyst setting and one plain, marked "M. J. H.". Height 5 feet 9 inches Dark hair. Bunch of keys. Johnstown, Pa. Black cloth pants. Small finger on third finger of left hand. Bunch of keys. Plain gold ring. Rather slender. . Dark hair mixed with gray. Dark blue suit. Supposed to be Cooney or Conrad Schnable. Child. Banged hair. Light brown hair. Male. Male. Female. Two gold rings, one plain and heavy, one light band ring with "L.S.H." Weight about 128. Calico dress. Cash in wallet, $312.51. Brown hair. Dress with brown woolen waist. Weight about 15 pounds. Female. No clothing. $2.00 bill. Large door key, had been broken and repaired. One small ear-drop. Weight 180. Found on river bank at Coopersdale. Dark clothes. Jean pants. Hundreds of people were never found, and one out of every three bodies recovered would never be positively identified. Dark complexion. Gingham apron. Male. Black and white striped flannel skirt. Female Age seven or eight years. Black hair, smooth face. Age about thirty-six. Harvey D. Williams. Pocket-book. Dress wine color with metal buttons. Brown hair. About twelve years. Two white underskirts, one wine color underskirt with blue waist and white dots. Of Somerset county. Light sandy hair. Three watch chains. That flood also reached Pittsburgh, where it was known as the Pittsburgh Flood of 1936. Mouth-organ. Two rings on right hand. 2-foot rule in pocket. Bunch of keys with checks and name. Height 5 feet 8 inches. Height 5 feet 7 inches. On tab was "J. Kestler, 603 B. F. (Blast Furnace), Johnstown, Cambria county, Pa." Weight 160 to 175 Bald on top of head. White underskirt. Found in Kernville. Heavy set. Pocket-knife. Aged. Blue flannel underskirt. Babe. Female. Thirty-five years. Eighty-three cents in change. Supposed to be Richard Worthington, a laborer, judging by receipts found on his person. Slender. Age twenty. Black stocking. Claimed. Broad and full face. Pair of spectacles and tin case. Light complexion. Red knit skirt. Plain gold ring. on it. Chinaman. Blue suit. Bracelet on right wrist. Light hair. Small earrings with ball attached. Blue calico waist with white dots. Weight 100 Height 5 feet 6 inches. Female. Fair complexion. Blue coat and vest. Napkin ring. Age thirty-eight. Blue cloth dress. Taken by his brother, Charles W. Female Fair. Earrings. One plain band gold ring. Age twenty-four. On May 31, 1889, the world took notice of a small town in Pennsylvania. Jeff Lees said the body that was found on the 2nd flood of the garage in the 1500 block of Franklin Street around 5:00 p.m. Sunday was severely decomposed. Finger-rings and gold stud. Female. Girl. 150 pounds. Weight 180. Gaiters. Height 4 feet 10 inches. Coat, pants and vest off. Age thirty-five. Female. Red hair. Black hair. Black quilted skirt. Heavy cotton socks. Age twelve years. Weight almost 130. Supposed to be Paul Geddes. Male. Black stockings. Gray woolen undershirt. Weight 180 to 200. Male. Watchman at Wire Mill. Red and black checkered skirt. Full suit of blue chevoit. Age sixty. Blue eyes. Greatly decomposed. Black coat. Can't remove them. Age about ten years. "D.E. Light eyes. Brown and white gingham basque. Two pocket-knives Forty cents in silver. Child not more than ten years of age. Medium height. Age fourteen years. Cotton shirt, brown and white stripe with small pleats in front. [deleted] 6 yr. ago. Age about eighteen. A. Hayes, of Hayes, Murray Co., 1103 Race street, Philadelphia. Age about twenty. One small key. Black jersey jacket. Male. Dark hair. Heavy jersey. An hour after the dam's failure, a 60-foot wall of water and debris smashed into the thriving 30,000-person community of Johnstown at 40 miles per hour. Weight 160. Male. Light brown hair. Gingham apron. Navy blue vest and pants. Height 5 feet 4 inches. [19] At ASCE's annual convention in June 1890, committee member Max Becker was quoted as saying, We will hardly [publish our investigation] report this session, unless pressed to do so, as we do not want to become involved in any litigation.[19] Although many ASCE members clamored for the report, it was not published in the society's transactions until two years after the disaster, in June 1891. White. Female. Buttoned shoes. Murphy.). Male. Male Age sixteen to eighteen. Black vest. Brown hair Gray eyes. Red hair and moustache. Boy baby. Male Age about thirty to thirty-five. Black hair. Knee pants. The lake was about 2 miles (3.2km) long, about 1 mile (1.6km) wide, and 60 feet (18m) deep near the dam. Weight 65. Separable collar-buttons. Johnstown Flood. The last victim wasn't found until 1911. Weight 120. Flood, 1889]: Carrying body out of the wreck Low cut shoes, laced. Comment. Ten years. Light hair. Sacred heart. (Package.). Height 5 feet 4 inches. Boy. Weight 190. Black and white barred underwear. Very long black hair, mixed with gray. Maple avenue, Woodvale. "[23], Nonetheless, individual members of the South Fork Club, millionaires in their day, contributed to the recovery in Johnstown. Sandy hair. Gold spectacles. Imagen de la librera. Clerk Penna. Two plain hoop rings on third finger of left hand. Gray hair. Age about 55. Height 5 feet 10 inches. Female. High broad forehead. Pennsylvania History, v. 80, no. Age about twenty-two. Markers on a corner of City Hall at 401 Main Street show the height of the crests of the 1889, 1936, and 1977 floods. Two keys. Long, dark brown hair, calico dress. Eyes burned out. Female Buttoned shoes Rubbers. Age about ten. Men's home-knit socks. A strong surface low pressure of around 1000 mb is centered over Kentucky at this hour and heavy rain is falling . Light hair. Breast-pin. Male. Button shoes. Barred flannel skirt. Mr. Young, the clerk, has the rings. Laced shoes. Silver watch and chain. Conemaugh street, Johnstown. Blue woolen shirt. Apron with red bar. Two bunches of keys. Light brown hair. 81. Pocket-knife, black handle. Rubber hair pins. Comb. Female. Spotted calico dress. Gold ring with rhinestone set, rubbed with sand. Emblem pin of A.O.K. Dark hair. White. according to records compiled by the johnstown area heritage association, bodies were found as far away as cincinnati, and as late as 1911; 99 entire families died in the flood, including 396 children; 124 women and . Full suit of clothes of brown and red and black checkers. [1] Barton arrived on June 5, 1889, to lead the group's first major disaster relief effort; she did not leave for more than five months. Dark hair. Red hair and mustache. Female Age six. Female. Short hair. Alex. Boy. Gum rubbers, No. David McCullough was born on July 7, 1993 ,and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. in coin. After the flood, survivors suffered a series of legal defeats in their attempts to recover damages from the dam's owners. Open-faced watch with chain. Had been fifty-five years in America. Cigar case Pocketbook containing ring, key and five cents. From pockets were taken a three-bladed knife, ring, shoe button, lead-pencil with pocket fastener, street car check and child's china ornament. False teeth upper and lower. Heavy set. R.R. Supposed to be Mrs. Griffin. Large buckle with half moon on coat. Afterwards identified as Mrs. Samuel Lenhart. Knife. Package of Japanese headache cure. White. One brass check No. Height 5 feet 6 inches Brown hair. Weight 130. Red and white striped calico dress. Female Age twenty-five. Dark hair. Gray eyes. Weight 160. Age about eight. Dark colored shoes. Age fifteen. No vest. Very long dark hair, plait in back. Dark clothes. White muslin or canton flannel underwear. Red and black barred necktie. Height 5 feet 5 inches. Red shirt with white stripes Dark striped stockings. $2.56 money. Gingham apron. McAuliff Little girl baby in her arms when found. Weight 115. Age forty-five. Scapulary. Gold leaf earring, diamond set in centre Old number lost. Male. Cotton waist in pocket. Height 5 feet 10 inches. Handkerchief in coffin. Sleeve-buttons. Six people, including the owner Mr. Schultz, were inside the house when the flood hit. Black silk stockings. Auburn hair. No valuables. Twelve years old. Washington street, Johnstown, Pa. Gold watch and chain. Eagle on arm. Gold ring. Button shoes, spring heels. Age eighteen. Wore long stockings marked H. S. T. Female. Leather coin purse Ten cents. Pocket-knife. Plain gold ring Small ear-drop. White and black barred flannel skirt. Richland township. Dark clothes. Wore heavy brown cloak. Male. Red and black striped skirt, wine colored skirt. Weight 40. Relief committees were organized in all the larger American cities. Bunch of keys with tag marked "E. M Thomas." Black ribbed hose. Plain ring. Burned beyond recognition. A book, on front "M. H R" Steel rim glasses. Age twenty-four years. Weight 120. Age thirty. Pearl buttons. Female. Knox and Reed successfully argued that the dam's failure was a natural disaster which was an Act of God, and no legal compensation was paid to the survivors of the flood. Weight 160. Light hair. 41, No. Black hair. So not only was there a wall of water hitting the town, it brought it's own weapons. Brownish red hair. Match safe. Female Age eighteen months. One gold ring. Basque and overskirt. Knee breeches black barred, coat of same. Black hair. Pocket-knife. Worked with H. Martin, Wire Mills. Blue and red stripe waist. Cash $2.19 Two collar-buttons. Height 4 feet 6 inches. Button gaiters. Wooden pipe. The Carnegie Library in Johnstown is now operated by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association,[28] which has adapted it for use as the Johnstown Flood Museum. Plaid skirt. Age three. Valuables. $32.36. Odd Fellow's badge on pin. Blue and white barred handkerchief. Age twenty-five. Age thirty. Blue and white polka dog tie. Female. Heavy knit stockings. Age about fifty-five. Fourth Ward Morgue. Blue eyes. 48, No. Male. Weight 148 Smooth face. Paper No. A pitiful sight was that of an old, gray-haired man named Norn. Wore a "switch." High-buttoned shoes, spring heels. Female. ($1.68, keys, etc). Cuff-buttons and collar-buttons. Black knee pants. Male. Vol. Woodvale. Age about thirty. Age thirty. Silver watch. Black hair. Black hair and moustache. Age forty or forty-five. Supposed to be Miss Gordon of Hager Building. Light hair. Collar and cuff buttons. Silver open-faced watch and chain Three keys. Red or sandy hair. Flannel skirt. Dark red hair. Valuables given to him. Dark brown hair. Breast-pin shape of star. Weight 130. Female. June 15th. $29 54. Button. Red flannel underwear. T Swank, in payment of. Female. White. Infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Viering aged one year. Buried at Sandy Vale. Apparently not old. Age about six. Wife of Philip Myers Cinder street, Johnstown. Age twenty-eight Weight 160. Age thirty. Blue stockings. Black woolen stockings. Coleman, Neil M., Wojno, Stephanie, and Kaktins, Uldis. $170 in paper and $75 in gold. Porous plaster on breast. Most remained on top of the dam, some plowing earth to raise it, while others tried to pile mud and rock on the face to save the eroding wall. Light complexion. [8] Developers' artificial narrowing of the riverbed to maximize early industries left the city even more flood-prone. Ten years old. On May 31, 1889, the Johnstown Flood killed 2,209 people in southwest Pennsylvania when the South Fork Dam failed after days of heavy rain. Thin ring on third finger of left hand. Coleman, Neil M., Davis Todd, C., Myers, Reed A., Kaktins, Uldis (2009). Breast-pin. Sex unknown. Alpaca dress. Found in Charles Mesher's store above stone bridge. Reese. Height 3 feet 4 inches. Heavy gray beard on lower part of face. Height 5 feet 10 inches. Male. Weight 165. Long shaggy eyebrows. Age four years. Height 5 feet Small rolled plate ear-drops. White. Red and black striped shirt. 20 years in drug store. Boy. Black hair. Plain string and bag around her neck. Dark hair. Body sent to Blairsville, Pa., by John Henderson, June 10th. McD." Blue eyes. Of Company C, 14th Regiment Penna. Brown hair. White dress and skirt plaited. Black stockings. Female. The Wagner-Ritter House is closed for winter until April 19, 2023. Gum rubbers. Female. Rosette breast-pin, black, bound with gold and set with pearls. Mangled daughters, bleeding sons, The South Fork Dam in Pennsylvania collapses on May 31, 1889, causing the Johnstown Flood, killing more than 2,200 people. Small piece of green ribbon. Height 6 feet. Young man. Age about thirteen. G.B. Gingham apron. Age about thirty-seven. Pencil Several letters. Pocket-book $7 35. Valuables given to his aunt, Ella Mulhern. White Age twenty-nine. Blue calico apron with small round spot. Height about 5 feet 6 inches. Age two to three years. Brown hair. Knife. Weight 140. Daughter of Charles Prosser, of Cresson. Plaid wool skirt. Home A Bustling, Industrial City . Samples of dress and skirt on coffin. Female. 135 pounds. Black skirt. $2 note. Probably ten or twelve years of age. Male. Height 5 feet 6 inches. Barred dress. Dressmaker. Short black pants. Dress alternate black and red with black flowers. Initial on one ring, "W H.". Medium height. The cleanup operation took years, with bodies still being found months (and years) after the flood. Height 5 feet 10 inches. White and black checkered body. Weight 40 Height 3 feet White. Large. New shoes. Long black hair. Black ribbed hose. One light plain gold ring. Long gold breast-pin. Blue collar with white dots. Small, round, black ball. Silver ring and gold ring on second finger of left hand. One plain gold ear-ring One ring, double heart. 101 Centre street, Johnstown, Pa Weight 150. Two feet rule. Combined with the failure of the Walnut Grove Dam less than a year later, the Flood brought national attention to the issue of dam safety.[29][30]. Two dollar and a half gold breast-pin. Male. Large pocket-book with papers. Plain old-fashioned earring. Black stockings. Conemaugh Borough. Gray dress. Door key. Money returned to committee on valuables. Buried at Prospect, June 9th. Heavy mill shoes. R. O., 1886. Derby hat and paint brush found with body. The flood of 1889 killed 2,209 people in Johnstown. Possibly a Jew. Female. Two keys. Boy of sixteen or seventeen years (Johnstown). Prospect, June 14th. Small heart on right arm. Black pants. High forehead. Medium size. Male. Also blue mother hubbard wrapper with white spots. Sex unknown. Age seven years Plaited waist. A Wood & Morrell store-book. Height 4 feet 3 inches. Leather boots. Ring on left hand. Height 5 feet 6 inches. Brown hair. Age forty. Plain gold ring on third finger of left hand. Identified by paper on her person. Age about twelve. Eventually, gravity caused the surge to return to the dam, resulting in a second wave that hit the city from a different direction. Dark brown hair. Red sacque with blue trimming. Plain ear-rings. Rubber eraser. Age three months. Blue calico dress. Medium height. Light complexion. Nine years old. Weight 70. Woolen shirt, has evidently been blue. The great wave measured 35-40 feet high and hit Johnstown at 40 miles per hour. Black dress. Upon completion, the Corps proclaimed Johnstown "flood free.". Pencil Boots with brass heels. Wool dress mixed goods, pleated front on waist, belt of same goods as dress. Ear-drops. Blue and white spotted calico dress. Age ten. Medal with initials J. W. O. Weight 150. Removed Ring given to her sister, Mrs. Wm. Age about twenty. Dark hair. Blue calico dress. Gold ring with form of woman on set. Papers found on body. Weight about 50. The Johnstown Flood (locally, the Great Flood of 1889) occurred on Friday, May 31, 1889, after the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam, located on the south fork of the Little Conemaugh River, 14 miles (23km) upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States. Female. Age sixteen to eighteen. Small key. Female. Text. Age about three years. Height 4 feet 3 inches. Height 5 feet 6 inches. Black stockings. (Cambria Iron Co., Miller.). Pocket comb and maroon leather case. White handkerchief with blue polka dot border. Red woolen hose with black feet. No teeth. Blue drill overalls. Cash $167.65. Weight 125. Pen and pencil $13 in bills 87 cts. A few gray hairs on chin. Deformed. Locust street, Johnstown, Pa. Black jersey. Gray silk dress. Glove on left hand. Male. For more, visit the section about the 1889 flood in the Archives & Research section of this site. Female. Gray hair. Blank book. Black hair. Age thirty. On the morning of May 31, in a farmhouse on a hill just above the South Fork Dam, Elias Unger, president of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, awoke to the sight of Lake Conemaugh swollen after a night-long heavy rainfall. Pin with square and compass. Blue and white ringed stockings. White. $46.25. Passenger on the day express Given to R. B. Bates, Racine, Mich. Two breast-pins. Supposed to be John C. Clark's son. Light brown hair. It began to prosper with the building of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal in 1836 and the construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Cambria Iron Works in the 1850s. Black and white flannel petticoat. Sandy hair. Auburn hair. Number 4 shoes. Buried at Prospect, June 9th. Red and white waist. Given to his aunt, Ella Mulhern. Ring on possession of J. W. Young, clerk of County Commissioners, of Westmoreland county, Pa. Gold watch.