In the Wallace Circus train wreck 23 showmen and railroad employees died at the scene in th early hours on August 7, 1903 in Durand, MI at about 4:15 am. After an intense national search to identify those killed only one remained unidentified. An additional five died of wounds sustained in the accident -- in all 28 were killed. Over 120 more sustained injuries from which they recovered. The response of the local community including staff in the medical examiner's office and local funeral homes, permanent and volunteers, was truly heroic both to rescue those injured and to identify and care for the remains of those who didn't survive and to notify their families and to return remains of the loved ones to their families.
In addition to the human loss a number of animals lost their lives as well including: one elephant and two camels. {Due to the size of these animals and the urgency of the situation they were buried near the scene.}
The unknown showman died at the scene; here are memorials to the 22 others who died at the scene:
Alfred W Large, Chief Detective Grand Trunk Railway
James W McCarthy, Sanilac county, MI, GTW engineer
note: Mr Large & Mr McCarthy were the fatalities not employed by the circus.
William Griffin; from Canada
Charles Holcolm; origin unknown
Allen 'Fatty Johnson' Johnson; origin unknown
John Kelley; origin unknown
Frank 'Charlie' Kerns; origin unknown
Joseph 'Back Door Red' Keyes; from Allegheny county, PA
Lafayette 'Lafe' Larrison; Cambridge, OH, six horse team driver
John Leary; Springfield, IL, ring stock foreman
John McCoy, Cincinnati; OH, sideshow canvas man
John Purcell; Peru, IN, canvas boss
Robert Ryce; origin unknown, harness maker
Charles Sands; Peru, IN, six horse team driver
George Smith; origin unknown, blacksmith
Harry St Clair; England, ass't reserved seat gang
John 'Animal Red' Stillman; origin unknown
George Thomas; origin unknown, stake & chain gang
Frank S Thorp; Dundee, MI; circus train master
James M Tofflemire; Orient, IA
Joseph 'Joe' Wilson; Pittsburgh, PA
Robert Wright; origin unknown
… and the five who died from wounds sustained in the wreck:
Andrew Howland; Schenectady, NY, canvas man
John R Stewart; Colorado
John Thompson; Largo, IN
Frank Tilley; Rising Sun, IN
Edward 'Yorkie' York; Terre Haute, IN, teamster of band wagon
Note: In 1907 the Hagenback and Wallace circuses merged; the Hagenback-Wallace Circus train was in another wreck in 1918 in Gary, IN near Hammond resulting in 85 fatalities. It is memorialized at Showmen's Rest in Woodlawn Cemetery, Forest Park, IL.
In addition to the human loss a number of animals lost their lives as well including: one elephant and two camels. {Due to the size of these animals and the urgency of the situation they were buried near the scene.}
The unknown showman died at the scene; here are memorials to the 22 others who died at the scene:
Alfred W Large, Chief Detective Grand Trunk Railway
James W McCarthy, Sanilac county, MI, GTW engineer
note: Mr Large & Mr McCarthy were the fatalities not employed by the circus.
William Griffin; from Canada
Charles Holcolm; origin unknown
Allen 'Fatty Johnson' Johnson; origin unknown
John Kelley; origin unknown
Frank 'Charlie' Kerns; origin unknown
Joseph 'Back Door Red' Keyes; from Allegheny county, PA
Lafayette 'Lafe' Larrison; Cambridge, OH, six horse team driver
John Leary; Springfield, IL, ring stock foreman
John McCoy, Cincinnati; OH, sideshow canvas man
John Purcell; Peru, IN, canvas boss
Robert Ryce; origin unknown, harness maker
Charles Sands; Peru, IN, six horse team driver
George Smith; origin unknown, blacksmith
Harry St Clair; England, ass't reserved seat gang
John 'Animal Red' Stillman; origin unknown
George Thomas; origin unknown, stake & chain gang
Frank S Thorp; Dundee, MI; circus train master
James M Tofflemire; Orient, IA
Joseph 'Joe' Wilson; Pittsburgh, PA
Robert Wright; origin unknown
… and the five who died from wounds sustained in the wreck:
Andrew Howland; Schenectady, NY, canvas man
John R Stewart; Colorado
John Thompson; Largo, IN
Frank Tilley; Rising Sun, IN
Edward 'Yorkie' York; Terre Haute, IN, teamster of band wagon
Note: In 1907 the Hagenback and Wallace circuses merged; the Hagenback-Wallace Circus train was in another wreck in 1918 in Gary, IN near Hammond resulting in 85 fatalities. It is memorialized at Showmen's Rest in Woodlawn Cemetery, Forest Park, IL.
In the Wallace Circus train wreck 23 showmen and railroad employees died at the scene in th early hours on August 7, 1903 in Durand, MI at about 4:15 am. After an intense national search to identify those killed only one remained unidentified. An additional five died of wounds sustained in the accident -- in all 28 were killed. Over 120 more sustained injuries from which they recovered. The response of the local community including staff in the medical examiner's office and local funeral homes, permanent and volunteers, was truly heroic both to rescue those injured and to identify and care for the remains of those who didn't survive and to notify their families and to return remains of the loved ones to their families.
In addition to the human loss a number of animals lost their lives as well including: one elephant and two camels. {Due to the size of these animals and the urgency of the situation they were buried near the scene.}
The unknown showman died at the scene; here are memorials to the 22 others who died at the scene:
Alfred W Large, Chief Detective Grand Trunk Railway
James W McCarthy, Sanilac county, MI, GTW engineer
note: Mr Large & Mr McCarthy were the fatalities not employed by the circus.
William Griffin; from Canada
Charles Holcolm; origin unknown
Allen 'Fatty Johnson' Johnson; origin unknown
John Kelley; origin unknown
Frank 'Charlie' Kerns; origin unknown
Joseph 'Back Door Red' Keyes; from Allegheny county, PA
Lafayette 'Lafe' Larrison; Cambridge, OH, six horse team driver
John Leary; Springfield, IL, ring stock foreman
John McCoy, Cincinnati; OH, sideshow canvas man
John Purcell; Peru, IN, canvas boss
Robert Ryce; origin unknown, harness maker
Charles Sands; Peru, IN, six horse team driver
George Smith; origin unknown, blacksmith
Harry St Clair; England, ass't reserved seat gang
John 'Animal Red' Stillman; origin unknown
George Thomas; origin unknown, stake & chain gang
Frank S Thorp; Dundee, MI; circus train master
James M Tofflemire; Orient, IA
Joseph 'Joe' Wilson; Pittsburgh, PA
Robert Wright; origin unknown
… and the five who died from wounds sustained in the wreck:
Andrew Howland; Schenectady, NY, canvas man
John R Stewart; Colorado
John Thompson; Largo, IN
Frank Tilley; Rising Sun, IN
Edward 'Yorkie' York; Terre Haute, IN, teamster of band wagon
Note: In 1907 the Hagenback and Wallace circuses merged; the Hagenback-Wallace Circus train was in another wreck in 1918 in Gary, IN near Hammond resulting in 85 fatalities. It is memorialized at Showmen's Rest in Woodlawn Cemetery, Forest Park, IL.
In addition to the human loss a number of animals lost their lives as well including: one elephant and two camels. {Due to the size of these animals and the urgency of the situation they were buried near the scene.}
The unknown showman died at the scene; here are memorials to the 22 others who died at the scene:
Alfred W Large, Chief Detective Grand Trunk Railway
James W McCarthy, Sanilac county, MI, GTW engineer
note: Mr Large & Mr McCarthy were the fatalities not employed by the circus.
William Griffin; from Canada
Charles Holcolm; origin unknown
Allen 'Fatty Johnson' Johnson; origin unknown
John Kelley; origin unknown
Frank 'Charlie' Kerns; origin unknown
Joseph 'Back Door Red' Keyes; from Allegheny county, PA
Lafayette 'Lafe' Larrison; Cambridge, OH, six horse team driver
John Leary; Springfield, IL, ring stock foreman
John McCoy, Cincinnati; OH, sideshow canvas man
John Purcell; Peru, IN, canvas boss
Robert Ryce; origin unknown, harness maker
Charles Sands; Peru, IN, six horse team driver
George Smith; origin unknown, blacksmith
Harry St Clair; England, ass't reserved seat gang
John 'Animal Red' Stillman; origin unknown
George Thomas; origin unknown, stake & chain gang
Frank S Thorp; Dundee, MI; circus train master
James M Tofflemire; Orient, IA
Joseph 'Joe' Wilson; Pittsburgh, PA
Robert Wright; origin unknown
… and the five who died from wounds sustained in the wreck:
Andrew Howland; Schenectady, NY, canvas man
John R Stewart; Colorado
John Thompson; Largo, IN
Frank Tilley; Rising Sun, IN
Edward 'Yorkie' York; Terre Haute, IN, teamster of band wagon
Note: In 1907 the Hagenback and Wallace circuses merged; the Hagenback-Wallace Circus train was in another wreck in 1918 in Gary, IN near Hammond resulting in 85 fatalities. It is memorialized at Showmen's Rest in Woodlawn Cemetery, Forest Park, IL.
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