By KIRBY ROSS

In the course of working on this series of historical articles we have made several visits out to the Bow Creek Cemetery on East Early Eve Road a mile east of Hwy 183 on the Phillips County side of the Rooks County line.

During one visit the Smith headstone which accompanies this story was noticed.  With brief, passing curiosity it was thought perhaps there had been a diphtheria outbreak, or some other disease which would sometimes claim the lives of entire households 120 years ago.

Several days after noticing the headstone, in the midst of researching the relationship Kirwin had with destructive fires for the half century period from the 1870s through the 1920s, we ran across our first hint that there was actually a very compelling and very tragic story behind the Smith family buried in the cemetery.

That very first hint involved an understated December 16, 1904, two-dozen-word news blurb, without even a headline, we found in the Fox Lake, Wisconsin Representative newspaper.  That blurb simply stated “Four children under 12 years of age were burned to death when the home of Charles Smith, of Kirwin, Kan., was destroyed by fire.”  That’s it — no other information.

    That caught our attention so we started digging for additional details.  After a bit more searching we found a story which appeared in the Concordia Blade-Empire with a bold headline “BURNED TO DEATH Three Children of Charles Smith Cremated Near Kirwin Friday Morning.”

That particular two-paragraph report spoke of “A terrible accident which happened on Bow Creek a few miles southwest of Kirwin.  A farmer named Charles Smith, accompanied by his wife, left home at an early hour to go to town with a load of grain, leaving their four little children in the house.

“During their absence the house took fire and three of the children were burned to death, while the house and its contents were totally destroyed.”

With that, we went all in on this story and started doing serious in-depth research — the kind that takes hours and hours — emerging from it with details which would be haunting.

While we will be quoting extensively from the newspapers of the day, we will warn you the reporting is quite graphic, so take that into account if you proceed reading beyond this point.

This is the story of heroism at its utmost, about Lillian May Losey, a girl in her very early teens who made the ultimate sacrifice to save her little brother and two sisters.

If you have looked at the gravestone on this page, you already have surmised that she wasn’t entirely successful, but she did save her little brother’s life.

After saving him, she attempted to save her two younger sisters, and in so doing she ended up losing her own life.

Losing it in the most horrific way imaginable.

But first a little background. The newspaper reports of the era were all over the place in regard to the ages of the children and the specifics involved so we had to delve into genealogical records for the sake of accuracy–

The mother of the children was Lou Minnie Smith, who had been born in 1876 and was age 28 at the time of these events.

Minnie had originally been married to Edward Thomas Losey, who was ten years her senior.

This couple had two children — Lillian May Losey, born 1890, and Charity Susan Losey, born 1892.

In July 1897 Minnie filed for divorce from Edward and shortly afterwards married Charles H. Smith in Kirwin.  With Charles, Minnie gave birth to Neva M. Smith in 1898, and Charles Cecil Smith in 1900.

Charles, the new family patriarch, homesteaded an 80 acre claim just below Bow Creek a stones throw south of the Rooks County line, with land records showing he filed his final proof of claim in late 1903.

At the time Aledo, Phillips County, just to the north of the Smith clan, was the local farm community, consisting of a handful of buildings — a blacksmith, a store, a post office.  The children attended the Sailor Country School  in Aledo, which was a little over a mile northeast of the Bow Creek Cemetery, and two miles southwest of the Delmar Hall.

So on the fateful day, December 9, 1904, the ages of the children were–

Lillian “Lily”–14

Charity–12

Neva–6

Charles “Cecil”–4

As stated, use your discretion in reading further — it gets graphic  from here.

    From the Kirwin Argus—

    Early this morning (Friday), Mr. and Mrs. Smith departed for Stockton, each with a load of corn.

    They left the house in care of their four children, ranging in age from about 14 years down to the baby of the family, aged about four years.

    Later developments show they had been gone scarcely a half hour, when one of the little girls was requested to repair the fire, which, in the excitement incident to the departure of the parents had been permitted to go out — or nearly so.

    The little one took the coal oil can from its resting place and going to the stove opened the door and began pouring the contents of the can on the bed of smouldering coals.

    This, of course, created a gas, and immediately the flames shot out of the stove and exploded the can still held by the little girl, throwing burning oil over her and the other children who were hovering about the stove to get warm.

    It was at this juncture that a scene hard to adequately describe must have been enacted, for at once the clothing of the little ones were enveloped in flames, the greedy blaze at the same time licking up with avidity everything within the wall of the old sod house, while its roar mingled with the cries of pain and affright of the burning children.

    As soon as she could sufficiently recover herself, the elder of the children began the work of rescue by grabbing her baby brother, who was nearest to her and with a courage born of despair, she fought her way to the door and the open air where lay safety.

    Carrying him a distance of at least two hundred feet from the burning building, she deposited this little fellow on the ground and again re-entered the burning building to complete the work of rescue; and again she repeated this task.

    Three times she fought her way through the flames and intense heat, each time bringing forth a burning, suffering, charred little body to a place of safety.

    The fortitude, courage and vitality of this little heroine is something wonderful.

    With her own hair burned from her head, her body perfectly nude her own clothing having been burned off, and a mass of stinging, burning, blisters from her shoulders to her feet, she hastily enveloped her body in an old bed quilt and started out for help, desperately trudging over the frozen ground with her bare feet suffering intense pain from her burns and the piteous cries of her little brother and sisters ringing in her ears.

    The neighborhood is sparsely settled and this little heroine was forced to trudge over hills and through cornfields a distance of nearly two miles for help, finally coming upon Charles McGee and brother, who were husking corn at the far end of an adjoining ranch.

    Her appeal for help was quickly made, and then human endurance could stand no more and she fell into the strong arms of these men, and was quickly placed in a wagon and removed to the home of Jud McGee.

    The alarm was given by Mr. McGee and the neighbors were quickly at the scene of the fire administering all possible aid to the three little sufferers stretched out on the ground a safe distance from the burning house. All that could be done to allay the sufferings of the little ones was done, to no avail.

    A messenger was dispatched for the parents and for Dr. R.J. Dickinson of Kirwin.

    It was noon, however, before the parents or the doctor arrived.

     Aside from assuaging the pain, medical skill could do but little, and about two o’clock the little girl who had so thoughtlessly used the oil can, was released by death from the most intense suffering ever witnessed by those who tried to care for her.

    Her little body was burned to a crisp and her eyes literally burned from their sockets and the flesh sloughed from her bones.

    About two hours later the second daughter breathed her last, suffering intensely, the charred flesh in many places having sloughed off the bones and muscles.

    It was a terrible tragedy and the awful scene will remain in the minds of the witnesses all through life.

    The oldest, whose heroic rescue of her little brother and sisters seems to have been for nought, is in a very critical condition and her recovery is thought doubtful.

    The little boy, who was first rescued, seems to be in much better condition than the others and may recover with proper care.

    The fire destroyed the household effects and building and leaves Mr. Smith and his family without a home and in destitute circumstances.

From the Topeka State Journal—

    Word has been received in Kirwin of the destruction of fire of the country home of Chas. Smith, situated on Bow Creek about 14 miles southwest of Kirwin.

    It appears that Mr. and Mrs. Smith left home early in the morning, for Stockton, to do some shopping, leaving their four children at home.

    While the children were kindling the fire with kerosene an explosion occurred, severely burning three of them, it is thought fatally, besides destroying the house and contents.

    One of the children, her body being horribly burned, lived only a short time, while two others are so badly burned they cannot recover, one of who had her eyes burned out.

    From the Rooks County Record—

    The worst calamity in the annals of Rooks County occurred at the home of C.H. Smith on Bow Creek last Friday morning, causing the death of two little girls, and is likely to result in the death of an older girl and a very small boy.

    Early in the morning Mr. and Mrs. Smith started on the trip to Stockton with two loads of corn, leaving their children at home.

    The two older ones were daughters of Mrs. Smith by a former marriage.

    Lily Losey was 14 years old and Charity Susan Losey 11 years.

    Neva and Cecil were the Smith’s children.

    The oldest girl helped them off and was sitting by the stove when the accident happened.

    Charity, the next oldest, was reading at a table near the stove.

    Neva got the kerosene oil can and poured oil on the fire.  Instantly there was a great explosion from the stove and the can and all the children were enveloped in the cruel flames.

    With her own clothes on fire, Charity picked up the little boy and carried him out of doors, and then tried vainly to extinguish the fire in her clothing by rolling in the snow.

    The oldest girl, herself afire, carried Neva to the well and plunged her into a tub of water.  Then she ran back into the burning house and carried out some articles of furniture.

    In the meantime the clothing of the little girls had burned off and they were writhing in agony upon the ground.

    Then with a fortitude inspired by the highest heroism, suffering from frightful burns about her body and denuded of clothing, she placed the smaller children in the barn and with a blanket thrown around her, hastened along the road for a mile seeking help.

    There she found Dan McGee husking corn in a field.

    He put her in his wagon and drove a quarter of a mile to his father’s home.

    The flesh was dropping from her limbs when she got to the house.

    The men drove back for the other children.  They saw a terrible sight.  Neva’s eyes were blind, one ear was burned off and lips and nose charred to a crisp.

    Charity’s face and entire body were burned the color of chocolate and her hair was gone.

    Both were conscious.  The older one was conscious to the last and was able to tell how it happened.

    Neva Smith died at 2 o’clock on Friday afternoon and Charity Losey at 4 o’clock.  Lily Losey is still living, though there is very little hope for her recovery.  Her sufferings are intense.

    The little boy was quite badly burned about the face and will carry fearful scars to the end of his life.  He was taken with a high fever at once, and for several days his life hung in the balance.  As we write he is reported better.

    The funeral of Charity and Neva was held at Aledo in Phillips County on Saturday at 11 a.m.

    Mr. Edward T. Losey, father of the two older children came from Naponee, Nebraska, Saturday morning.  He was accompanied by Mrs. Ed Critz of Naponee, sister-in-law of Mrs. Smith.

    The Smith house was a small sod structure.  The house and all its contents were burned, even the things carried out by Lily.

    The catastrophe is the most distressing and harrowing in all its details that we have ever been called upon to chronicle.

    The sympathetic neighbors have done all in their power to assuage the suffering and grief of those involved in the affair.

    By the loss of their home Mr. and Mrs. Smith are left in destitute circumstances.

    From the Plainville Times—

    Last Friday morning Chas. Smith and wife started from their place, about 13 miles north of Stockton, on Bow Creek.

    The children allowed the fire in the stove to burn rather low, and the little girl poured coal oil on the coals to start the fire, the other children trying to prevent her from so doing.

    The oil on the coals at once created gas and caused an explosion setting fire to the children’s cloth and the house.

    The oldest girl after trying in vain to extinguish the flames, carried her younger sisters and baby brother from the house and to a place of safety and then started to the nearest neighbors for help, whose house was a mile away.

    Her clothing having caught fire from the explosion was almost burned off her, and her limbs and arms being burned to a crisp, ran the distance to their neighbors against a strong north wind and gave the alarm.

    The little girls were so badly burned that they only lived a few hours, passing away at 2 o’clock, and the other at 5 o’clock that day.

    The baby brother is so badly burned that he is not expected to live.

    The oldest child is so badly burned she is unable to speak and there is hardly a possible chance of her recovery.

    The house and contents were completely destroyed.

    From the Stockton Western News—

    Last Friday morning the home of Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Smith of Bow Creek, about 12 miles north of Stockton, was totally destroyed by fire and their four children came near being burned alive.  As it was two children were so badly burned that they died the same day.

    Mr. and Mrs. Smith started for Stockton early in the morning, each with a load of corn, leaving their four children at home.

    It was a pretty cold morning, and the fire having burned so low that it needed kindling, the six-year-old girl poured coal oil into the stove.  An explosion took place instantly, and before the children could comprehend anything they were in the midst of flames, and the contents of the house caught fire in a moment.

    They were so bewildered they could not leave the burning house.

    The oldest girl heroically tried to save her brother and sisters.  Three or four times she entered the burning building and finally succeeded in getting them all from the house, but not until her clothing was burned from her body and her flesh in many places burned to a crisp.

    She carried the children to a hay stack and after covering them as best she could, wrapped a quilt around herself and started barefooted over the frozen ground to Dan McGee’s about a mile away.  She found Mr. McGee and his hired hand shucking corn and told the sad story.

    They immediately drove with her to their home where everything was done that human aid could do to relieve her suffering.

    Then they went to the scene of the fire and found the prostrate forms of the other children whose lives seemed nearly blotted out.

    They were taken in charge and the rural telephone was kept busy sending messages along the line to stop the parents and inform them of the awful calamity.

    About three miles out of Stockton Mr. Hopkins, so we are informed, met the parents and told them what he had heard.

    In the meantime word had reached this city and Lark Johnston started out with his team and spring wagon to meet Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

    He met them just north of the academy and insisted on their driving back at once with his rig, which they did.

    But what a terrible ending!

    Two of the girls, aged 6 and 11 respectively passed away, one dying soon after dinner and the other about 6 o’clock that evening.  The boy was burned least of all, though he was not out of danger for a few days, and the eldest girl was near death’s door for three or four days, but it is believed now both will survive.

    The suffering those children endured can never be told or even imagined.

    Dr. Dickinson of Kirwin was the attending physician but with all his skill the lives of the two youngest girls could not be saved.

    Funeral services were held Saturday morning at the Sailor School House, Rev. Chas. Harvey of Osborne County officiated.

    From the Hutchinson News—

    Not all the heroes or heroines of this world get their names in big headlines in the papers, and not all the brave people in this world have their deeds heralded to the world, says the Salina Journal.

    A few days ago in Rooks County an incident occurred which deserved to be published broadcast through all the world but which was hardly known beyond a small circle in a farm neighborhood for some time after the event happened.

    A farm house caught fire and burned to the ground while all the family were away from home except four children.

    The house was enveloped in flames before the fire was discovered and the country was so sparsely settled that there was no help for the children, save what the little girl could give.

    She carried her baby brother from the building and then rushed back to rescue two little girls who were still there, but it was too late.

    The fire was bursting then from the doors and windows and the child made her way through the blaze and smoke.  She managed to get out of the house just as it collapsed, but so badly burned was she that she endured the most intense suffering.

    From the Kansas City Journal—

    Her Medal a Tombstone.  When the Carnegie hero medals are ready for distribution there is a 15-year-old girl who will be entitled to one.  Farmer Charles Smith and his wife went to town, leaving the four children of the family at home.

    One of the little girls put some coal oil on the fire and there was an explosion and a fire which quickly consumed the house.

    The older girl carried her brother and sisters, one by one, to places of safety.  Two were burned so badly that they quickly died.

    The little heroine herself is fluttering between life and death.

    From the Kirwin Argus—

    The third of the victims of the disastrous Smith fire north of Stockton died last Sunday night and was buried Monday afternoon.

    This death took from the family Lillian Losey, step daughter of Mr. Smith, and the oldest daughter of his wife by a former marriage.

    This death removes the little heroine who battled so strenuously with the terrible flames to rescue her two sisters and baby brother.

    Had she been content to rescue only her little brother and turned a deaf ear to the pleas of her burning sisters, she would no doubt have been alive today; but not so; her heroism arose above self-thought and at what proved to be the sacrifice of her own life, she attempted the rescue of her own little sisters.

    For this noble act of self-sacrifice her place in heaven is assured, for has it not been said “Tis better to give than receive,” even though it be your own life?

    By her heroism and self-sacrifice this noble little girl has erected a monument to herself as lasting as time.

    The funeral services were held Monday afternoon and was largely attended by the neighbors, all of whom desired to pay their last respects to one who had gained their lasting esteem.

    The remains were laid to rest in the Bow Creek Cemetery.

    The grief stricken father of this noble little girl returned to his home in Naponee, Neb., after the funeral, seared in heart, alone and blighted, with no one to care for him and no one upon who to lavish a father’s love and affection.

    Tis indeed a sad case and one that should appeal to all parents.

    From the Stockton Western News—

    Death of Lily Losey.  Last Sunday night, about 10 o’clock, Lily Losey, the 14-year-old stepdaughter of C.H. Smith of Bow Creek, passed away, her death being due to the severe burning she received the week before in trying to save her brother and sisters from the flames which destroyed their home.

    Her two sisters died the same day of the fire, while she lived one week longer, though during that time her life hung by a thread, as it were.

    She suffered untold agony, and so great was her grief that it would be far beyond the power of any human to describe it.

    Funeral services were held Monday morning at 10 o’clock, from the Sailor School House and the remains laid to rest in the Bow Creek Cemetery.

    Having lost everything except their critically injured son, Minnie and Charles Smith struggled to recover.  Four years later Minnie gave birth to Gladys V. Smith in Webster, Kansas.  Gladys would marry Frank Clinton Johnson in 1923.

    Passing away in Logan in 1984, the little sister the Smith/Losey girls never knew is buried there in the Pleasant View Cemetery.

    Minnie and Charles were still together when he died in Bogue in 1924 at the age of 51.  Charles was brought back to the children, Lily, Charity and Neva, in the Bow Creek Cemetery.

    Minnie lived a quarter century longer than Charles, dying in Rooks County in 1949 at age 73.  Although she had married Janson Albert Nelson during that time, following a 45 year separation from her little girls she rejoined them and Charles along the banks of Bow Creek in the little cemetery that bears that quiet stream’s name.

    And while courageous Lily died perhaps knowing her sacrifice in going into the inferno to rescue her little sisters ultimately did not save their lives, one hopes that in her final moments she also knew her little brother was clinging to life, still struggling as hard as a four-year-old could, and was making a brave fight of it.

    While she wasn’t there to see it, not only did Cecil battle through his awful experience — too awful for anyone to endure, let alone a toddler — he went on to live a very long, fruitful life.

    It’s not known how the scars he carried for the rest of his days affected him or if he had been too young to have any memories of his three older sisters, or of that awful morning in early winter 1904 right before Christmas.

    Cecil does show up in the 1910 and 1920 censuses living with his parents, and in the 1930 census still with his mother after his father died and she was aging.

    By that 1930 census Cecil had two children of his own.  Eventually he would have at least four–Billy, Charles, Randy and Janivee.

    Another unnamed son of Cecil would die in infancy, and is buried close by the protective sides of his aunts and grandparents.

    From Cecil’s four children who survived to adulthood there were at least 16 grandchildren and untold numbers of great-grandchildren.

    All of them given life because a remarkable 14-year-old girl, at an extraordinary, terrible cost to herself, swept her siblings out of a hellish nightmarish inferno before racing blistered and burned and barefoot and naked across the blustery frozen December Kansas prairie to bring help to them. And in so doing, sacrificing her own life so a helpless little four-year-old boy might be given a chance at one of his own.

    Cecil would pass away peacefully in Billings, Montana on June 5, 1986, just two months shy of his 86th birthday.

    And he was surrounded by his large family.  The final gift his big sister had made possible for him 82 years before.