January 1894 - local newpaper
EIGHT PERSONS CREMATED

A Sickening Tragedy
The Disaster at the County Insane Asylum.

The most horrible tragedy that ever occurred in the limits of Boone county took place Tuesday night of last week when the county insane asylum burned down. Of the nine inmates of the place, eight were burned to death, roasted alive, meeting a fate that makes one shudder. The horrible death roll, which has been published all over the country and created a cry of indignation wherever read is as follows:

Anderson, Christiana, aged 28
Sniggs, Johanna, aged 55
Cregg, Joseph, (sic) aged 81
Lesser, Thomas, aged 45
Peterson, Christian, (sic) aged 87
Scott, Sarah, aged 82
Soderburg, Anna, aged 38
Tucker, Mercy, (sic) aged 48

The county insane asylum was located on the poor farm. The poor farm is on the old Fort Dodge road seven miles directly north of Boone and a mile and a half south of Mineral Ridge. Henry Holcomb is steward of the poor farm and had charge of the insane also. The insane asylum was a two-story frame building put up about 60 feet from the poor house proper. It was erected six or eight years ago, when Boone county took charge of its incurable insane, taking care of them at home instead of the state institutions. This was originally done because there was not room in the state institutions and the counties were required to take care of the harmless incurables as best they could. Of late years, since the state facilities have been increased, the county has kept up the local asylum as a matter of economy.

Joseph was born December 1, 1815, in Green County, Kentucky; he moved with his parents to Morgan county, Indiana when 14 years of age, and there grew to manhood, and worked as a farmer. On the 13th of May, 1838, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Woolard a native of Kentucky.
Thirteen children were born to them: Mary E., William H., John T., Samuel G., Robert H., Sarah, Marcellus, Samantha, Amandria, James W., Parthenia, Joseph J., and Hiram.∼

Married Sarah Wollard/Woolard May 13, 1938~

Craig , Joseph farmer, Sec. 25; P. O. Delta; born December 1, 1815, in Green County, Kentucky; he with his parents, moved to Morgan county, Indiana when 14 years of age, and there grew to manhood, a farmer, on the 13 th of May, 1838, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Woolard a native of Kentucky.
Thirteen children were born of this union:~ Mary E. born April 19, 1839, William H., born March 25, 1844, John T., born April 8,1849, Samuel G. born October 25, 1851, Robert H. born April 10, 1854, Sarah, born April 30, 1864, and Marcellus, born April 19, 1868; Samantha, died November 13, 1840, Amandria, died may 14, 1872, James W. died May 10, 1870, Parthenia died January 14, 1862, Joseph J. died January 17, 1862, and Hiram died October 24, 1866.

****From a biography posted by Rebecca Miller****

Mr. C. has a farm of 300 acres, well improved and abundance in store to make him comfortable in his old age; he came on his present farm in 1855; seven times death has visited Mr. C. yet Time is dealing gently with him.

*****
Death~
He died in a building on the Boone County Poor Farm in Boone County, Iowa, which burned on the late night of January 23, 1894, where he was being cared for in his elderly years~
He was one of eight other people who were also burned alive and could not escape this building.

He died a horrible death and I hope so much this will honor his memory~All My Love~

A Very Special Thank You to Rebecca Miller, also an ancestor~for all the photos and information!~I could not have done this with out her~