Storms, Floods, Swift Currents, and Tragedy in the Spring of 1905 - Cornelius Schriner

 

The last few weeks have given us all a crash course in remembering what spring weather can be. Impetuous, strong, and surprising. Of course, that's nothing new in history.

In the spring of 1905, Cornelius and Mary Hart Schriner lived in Tiffin Township. One day in mid-May, they travelled to Defiance for some reason and decided to take a different way home than usual because of high water The path would lead them to the Keller Bridge over Mud Creek, crossing the bridge on the Bellefontaine road. They left the city about 4:00 p.m.,and when they reached the bridge near the Children's Home, they found the road underwater. Afraid to cross with their horses and buggy, they turned around and went to another bridge 3/4 mile west.

"SWEPT AWAY IN SWOLLEN STREAM

Cornelius Schriner Drowned in Mud Creek.

Mrs. Schriner Narrowly Escaped.

...the water flowed swiftly over the road here also, but being acquainted with the formation of the embankment, they decided to risk it. Several of the neighbors, when they saw that Mr. and Mrs. Schriner intended to go over the stream swept road, followed them to the water's edge, fearing that they might have difficulty in getting safely across.

As they neared the bridge, the swift current swept the buggy from the embankment. Both Mr. and Mrs. Schriner quickly jumped out of the buggy and attempted to get on the back of the horses, but in so doing, Mr. Schriner was kicked by one of the frightened and struggling animals, and he fell into the water and was carried into the stream, never once appearing above the water.

The horse broke away from the buggy and it was seized  by the current and whirled away.

Theresa Mary Hart Schriner

Mrs. Schriner, when in the grasp of the current, seized hold of a bush which was near. There was no way of reaching the woman and rescuing her from the perilous condition, except with a boat, and the nearest was at the infirmary, nearly a mile away.

Some men rushed down, and they had to fight against the mile of current until they could reach Mrs. Schriner, who was almost exhausted from clinging to her frail support.

The horses managed to keep above the water until their harness was cut and they swam to shore.

Search for the body of Mr. Schriner was commenced immediately, but it was not until Saturday afternoon that it was discovered. The condition of Mrs. Schriner is as well as could be expected, considering the terrible ordeal through which she passed.

Cornelius Schriner

Mr. Schriner was a man of about 40 years of age, and his widow is left with eight children, the eldest of whom is but fifteen.... Mr. Schriner was a well known farmer, but the sudden and unwarned manner of his death, and the large family of children left to the care of the mother, makes it even more regrettable."

His body was found within sight of his own home, near the residence of Frank Stamm the next afternoon. The Martin Undertaking Wagon was called and the body taken back to his late residence. Apparently, his horse had stepped in some barbed wire, struggled and pulled him down and pinned him. As he fell down into the water, the horse had also kicked him. Searchers used grappling hooks at the scene all night, dragging the bottom of the creek.

Mrs. Schriner had held on to the bush for almost an hour before she had the strength to pull herself completely out of the water, according to a different source.

Mr. Schriner was a staunch Democrat, and the day before had announced himself as a candidate for infirmary director at the upcoming vote. The bridge had not been covered with water, but their buggy went off on some fill that had been added to the embankment.

His obituary appeared in the Defiance Weekly Express on May 19, 1905: 

"The funeral of Cornelius Schriner who was drowned while trying to cross the submerged road leading to the bridge over Mud Creek Friday afternoon, was held at the Mud Creek Catholic Church, Rev Espen officiating. The services were largely attended. The interment took place in the cemetery adjoining the church.

Marysdale Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery, Ney, Ohio

What happened to Mary Schriner? In the 1910 Federal Census, she is listed in Tiffin Township as a widow and the head of the household, now 42 years old and a farmer. Her oldest son, Victor, 20, also was listed as a farmer. Her other children were Mollie, 19, and Antoinette, 17, both listed as servants.

Following were Karl, 15; Catharine, 13; Loisie, 12; Alphonso, 10, and Marie, 5 (born the year of her father's death).

In her later years as her health declined, Mary moved to Flint, Michigan, to live with her one of her daughters. She never remarried. Her obituary in 1936:

"MRS. SCHRINER TAKEN IN FLINT

Former Defiance Resident Dies at 70; Rites Tuesday at Marysdale

Mrs. Mary T. Schriner, 70, former Defiance resident, died Friday at 9:30 p.m. at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Albert Babinger, Flint, Mic., where she had been bedfast for the past two years with diabetes and complications.

The body is to be brought Sunday to the home of another daughter, Mrs. William Ball, one mile southwest of the Marysdale Catholic Church in Washington Township. Services will be held at the Marysdale Church at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday with Rev. Robert Knoepfle of Delaware Bend officiating. Burial will be in Marysdale Cemetery.

Mrs. Schriner, only child of Anthony and Magdolin Heart, was born in Tiffin township, Aug. 20, 1866. She was married to Cornelius Schriner on May 14, 1887, and continued to live on the farm where she was born after the death of her husband in 1904. (1905) She came to Defiance about 15 years ago and made her home at 613 Ravine Avenue until eight years ago when failing health caused her to make her home with her children.

She is survived by eight children: Mrs. Babinger, Mrs. Ball, Victor Schriner, Tiffin Township, Mrs. Charles H. Reynolds, Toledo, Mrs. George Motter, Washington Township, Alva Schriner, Flint, Mich., Carl Schriner, 417 1/2 Clinton Street, and Mrs. Ray Kunesh, Richland Township; and 11 grandchildren, William, John, Cornelius, Tommas, Mary Catharine, and James D. Schriner, Charles J. Reynolds, Donald and Mary Lou Babinger, and Reynold and Eileen Kunesh. 

Marysdale Altar Society, of which Mrs. Schriner was a lifelong member, will meet Monday at the Ball home to say the Rosary."

Dianne Kline, Researcher

Mr. Schriner was a man of about 40 years of age, and his widow is left with eight children, the eldest of whom is but fifteen. The accident is a parallel of the one which happened at the English bridge a year ago when two young men lost their lives in a similar manner.

Mr. Schriner was a well-known and respected farmer, but the sudden and unwarned manner of his death, and the large family of children left to the care of the mother, makes it even more regrettable.