“Three persons, including a mother and daughter, were drowned and three others had a remarkable escape from a similar fate, when a motorboat capsized in the Ohio river one mile east of Sandy Springs about 8:15 PM Monday. The bodies were recovered.”
“The dead were: Mrs. Russell Kennedy1, 57, her daughter, Miss Lillie Mae Kennedy, 18, and Miss Hazel Morgan, 24, all of Sandy Springs.”
“Those who escaped are Mrs. JH Morgan2, 50, mother of Hazel Morgan, David Dawson, 5, who lives at the Morgan home, and Pete Kessinger, 24, owner and operator of the boat.”
“The triple dorwining is the second major tragedy to occur in the Ohio river in the Sandy Springs neighborhood in the last 16 months.”
“January 17, 1933, four person were drowned and two had narrow espcaes when an automobile backed off the Sandy Springs ferryboat on the Ohio side of the river. The car was in reverse gear when cranked and crashed through the safety chains.”
“Person who perished were: Mrs. Nettie Cooley Sparks, 35, of Portsmouth; and her son, Robert Cooley, 8; her stepdaughter, Mrs. Maggie Aldridge of the West Side, and Thomas Kennedy, 80 of Vanceburg, Kentucky.”
“Paris Aldridge, husband of Mrs. Maggie Aldridge, and Alfred B. Sparks, were rescued by the ferryboat crew. The car belonged to Paris Aldridge and the part was returning from Vanceburg to Portsmouth when the accident occured.”
“Six persons occupied the small motorboat owned and piloted by Pete Kessinger, a Selby Shoe Company employee, and a roomer at the Mrs. JH Morgan home, when the party started on a pleasure ride on the Ohio river at 7:45 PM Monday from a point on the Stamper farm.”
“Thirty minutes after the party started its cruise, the boat dippled at the bow partly submerged and turned over, throwing all the occupants into the water. Mr. Kessinger said he did not know whether the craft sprang a leak or became overbalanced because it was overloaded. the boat did not sink.”
“The accident occurred about 40 feet from the Ohio shore in approximately 10 feet of water, about a half mile east of the starting point and one mile east of Mitchell lane, which leads from route 52 to the sandy Springs boat landing. the nearest residence was a mile away.”
“Only two in the party could swim. Both Mr. Kessinger and Miss Morgan, his fiancee, were outstanding swimmers. Miss Morgan being exceptionally powerful in the water.”
“She went to her death a heroine, trying to save her helpless companion, Lillie Mae Kennedy.”
“According to an account of the tragedy as told by Mr. Kessinger to officials, he and Miss Moran placed Mrs. Kennedy on the upturned boat and told her to stay there until they could convey her to shore.”
“They then assisted Mrs. JH Morgan and the boy, David Dawson, to safety.”
“He said Miss Morgan swam to the assistance of Miss Kennedy, but the latter became panicky and refused to heed commands not to grab Miss Morgan. Mr. Kessinger said that Miss Kennedy clutched Miss Morgan around the neck, and despite her efforts and his to free her, Miss Kennedy dragged Miss Morgan to her death. When the bodies were recovered the pair showed evidence of a desperate struggle.”
“Mrs. Kessinger said that when he turned to rescue Mrs. Kennedy, after abandoning efforts to save Misses Morgan and Kennedy, the woman had disappeared from the boat. He said he did not know whether she fell or jumped into the water, as she became hysterical when she saw her daughter struggling in the river.”
“A medical examination indicated that Mrs. Kennedy died of fright. It is believe that she collapsed from a heart attack while clinging to the boat and dropped into the water.”
“The body of Miss Hazel Morgan was recovered first. Mr. Kessinger dove for the body and brought it to the surface 20 minutes after the drowning.”
“The body of Mrs. Kennedy was found a short time later by Mr. Kessinger. At 11:45 PM Monday the body of Miss Kennedy was found on a trout line, a short distance from the drowning, by Mark McCall, 47, farmer of Sandy Springs.”
“Fire Chief Robert Leedom and Fireman Jackson Cropper of Portsmouth, responded with an inhalator and assisted in efforts of resuscitation and to recover Miss Kennedy’s body.”
“Acting Coroner JD Williams of West Union, Adams county, is conducting an investigation.”
“Death in the tragedy blasted a romance, as Mr. Kessinger and Miss Morgan were engaged to marry in the near future and she drowned wearing an engagement ring, while her fiance made desperate efforts to save her.”
“Mr. Kessinger’s calls for help were answered by Clarence Petty and Cleve Smith, mussel fishermen from the Kentucky shore, who hurried across the river in a john boat but too late to help save any of the victims.”
“The boat was a sea launch carrying an outboat motor on the stern. It frifted on down the river after the accident.”
“Dr. HM Bertram of Vanceburg, was called but efforts of the firemen and physician to revive the victims was futile.”
‘Mrs. Etta Lawson Kennedy is survived by her husband, Russell Kennedy, a farmer living on the Stamper farm overlooking the Ohio river at Sandy Springs; two daughters, Mrs. Carrie Furnier of Sandy springs and Grace at home; seven sons, Elza, Marshall, Clayton, all of Rockville, Jesse, Alva, Cecil, and Julius, all at home; four brothers, Frank Lawson of Aberdeen; Jerry of Huntington, Kentucky, William and Alex of Martin, Kentucky.”
“Miss Lillie Mae Kennedy is survived by her father, two sisters and seven brothers, a grandfather, Christian Kennedy of Long Lick. The Kennedy’s formerly lived in Lewis county, Kentucky.”
“Miss Hazel Morgan is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Morgan, living on the Stamper farm on route 52, and six brothers, Herbert Morgan of Cincinnati, James, Harold, Wilbur, Clayton and Homer, all at home.”
“The bodies of Mrs. Kennedy and her daughter were taken to the funeral parlor of K. Stanley Kimble of Vanceburg. Funeral services for both will be held Wednesday at the Muses chapel at the head of Quick’s Run in Lewis county and the double burial will take place at the chapel cemetery there.”
“The body of Miss Morgan was taken to the Robert Kress funeral parlor at Buena Vista and will be taken to the home this afternoon.”
“The mother of Miss Morgan collapsed when she learned of the death of her daughter and is in a serious condition. Mr. Morgan is an employee of the Norfolk and Western Railway.”3
The Obituary of Miss Hazel Morgan
“Funeral services for Miss Hazel Morgan, who drowned in the Ohio river Monday night at a point a short distance east of Sandy Springs will be held thursday at 2 PM at the Sandy Springs ME church. Reverend Sarah Bowman in charge, and burial in the Sandy Springs cemetery under the direction of Robert Kress of Buena Vista.”
“Double funeral services for Mrs. Russell Kennedy and her daughter Miss Lillie Mae Kennedy, two other victims of the motor boat accident, were held Wednesday afternoon at Muses chapel at the head of Quick’s Run in Lewis county, Kentucky. The bodies were buried side by side in the cemetery there. Undertaker K. Stanley Kimble of Vanceburg was in charge.”4
The Headstone of Hazel Morgan at Sandy Springs Cemetery
- Mary Etta Lawson Kennedy
- Bertha Lee Stamper Morgan
- Tragedy mars pleasure trip on ohio river. (1934, June 12). Portsmouth Times, pp. 1–2.
- Hazel Morgan. (1934a, June 13). Portsmouth Times, p. 10.
