It was September 14, 1888, when a group of old soldiers, G. A. R. men, boarded the train in Columbus to travel home. They had enjoyed the camaraderie of the G.A.R. National Encampment there, but now it was time to head to their various homes across Ohio. Quite a few Defiance men were on board. The accident happened near Ankneytown, which would be close to Mansfield on the map shown. A terrific, explosion injured or killed many of the riders.
"TERRIBLE ACCIDENT
A B & O Passenger Train Collides With a Freight.
The Engine of the Freight Train Explodes and Several Persons are Killed - A Large Number Wounded -
A Frightful Scene -
A Bad Wreck.
Mansfield, O., Sept. 15 - Baltimore & Ohio northbound passenger train No. 9, due in this city at 5:50 a.m., jumped the switch yesterday morning at Ankneytown siding, twenty-five miles south of this city, and collided with a freight train on the siding. The mail car, followed by the express car and two day coaches, struck the engine and rolled over on their sides, badly wrecked.
Almost immediately the freight engine, a 'camel back,' exploded, throwing wreckage in all directions. The two coaches contained 110 passengers, nearly all returning from the encampment at Columbus. The hot water and steam from the boiler poured into the coaches and the passengers who were not hurt by broken timbers, were scalded.
The engine on the passenger train, which with two baggage cars, had passed the switch, was immediately taken to Independence and Belleville, and all the doctors in those places were taken to the wreck. The passengers who were not held down by timbers crawled out of the windows, and by the time the doctors reached the spot, all but four or five were out of the broken coaches."
Several of the express agents were pinned under the train and the engineer, baggageman, and brakeman were deceased. The wounded were taken to nearby houses. The sleeping coaches stayed on the track; the only persons injured were in the day coach. Thirty-two were injured, with three likely to die.
The injured from Defiance County were:
A. C. Henry, Ayersville, O., left hip both feet and body badly bruised
Aaron Dickson, Ayersville, hands badly scalded, side bruised and head cut
J. H. Meyers, Defiance, shoulders and hands scalded and back sprained
John Brechbill, Ayersville, legs and head badly scalded
A. T. Brechbill, Ayersville, scalded and hip dislocated
L. D. Blue, Ayersville, badly scalded
Peter Wentzell, Ayersville, slightly scalded
Edward Waldener, Defiance, scalded and bruised
Ernest Woldener, Defiance, hands and face scalded
Arthur Wing, Defiance, face cut and scalded
On January 2, 1900, the Defiance Crescent-News reported that the survivors of the tragedy above were reunited. The disaster seemed to form a bond among the men who lived through it.
"Survivors Reunion
The survivors of the Ankneytown disaster were royally entertained yesterday at the home of J. R. Adams near Ayersville. It will be remembered that the accident was caused by an excursion train, loaded with ex-soldiers, returning from the National Encampment at Columbus, Sept. 14, 1888, being wrecked at Ankneytown, and a number being killed besides a number wounded."
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