James Nowlan was born in the year ABT 1827. He is the 3. child of Daniel Nowlan (ABT 1790) and Mary Lee (ABT 1795). John C. Nowlan and Patrick Nowlan are his siblings.
On 3 MAR 1887, James Nowlan died in Brookfield, Missouri, United States, age 59.
He had 6 children with Catherine Donahue (ABT 1828): Lewis Nowlan (31 MAR 1850), Daniel Nowlan (ABT JAN 1851), Margaret Nowlan (ABT 1854), Mary Nowlan (ABT 1856), Patrick J. Nowlan (ABT JAN 1857) and Ann Nowlan (ABT 1859).
An article about the Brush Creek Train wreck of 1881 (James survived he died in 1887)
The Brush Creek bridge disaster—On the first day of March occurred the dreadful railroad disaster at Brush Creek bridge, in the western part of Macon county, occasioning the death of some of the best citizens of Brookfield. The particulars can best be given by accounts printed at the time. The Brookfield correspondent of the Linnens Bulletin, writing the day of the accident, gave the following account:
"Brookfield, Missouri, March 1, 1881. "Dear Bulletin—Today is all excitement. The passenger train from the east, due this morning at 3 A. M., was wrecked near Bevier, east of here. A dispatch was sent here for physicians, and a special with Drs. Wood, Rear and Waters, and some fifteen or twenty men, started for the scene of disaster. On their rapid trip of mercy and duty, at a little creek below Lingo—Brush Creek—they were thrown from the track and buried in the shattered and broken mass at the bottom of this creek. Dr. Wood was injured fatally and is now dead. Dr. Rear is badly injured, but yet alive. Dr. Waters, who was on the engine, escaped unhurt. W. S. Hallett, one of the bridge men, was instantly killed. Also, Arthur Jury, of Bucklin; also, one brakeman, and two men whose names we have not heard, are dead. Mr. Nowlan, the roadmaster, is seriously injured and not expected to live. Harry Carter, leg broken; J. B. Connors, mashed up badly and has since died; James Cloud, arm and leg broken; and many others who have thus far arrived, are torn and bleeding with numerous cuts and wounds. All of the dead and wounded have not at this writing arrived. At least six are dead and ten or fifteen injured in various ways and degrees, the result of which is at present uncertain, as most of the doctors left, and those unhurt have been conveyed to the place of this double disaster, and are now on the scene caring for the injured, dying, and dead. This sad and sickening catastrophe has cast a gloomy cloud over our happy city, and the wail of broken-hearted brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers, takes the place of shouts of laughter and joy that twelve hours ago characterized these griefstricken people.
"Thecausesof these accidents are at present conjectural. A broken rail is reported to have been the cause of the passenger train, and the special was thrown by some part of the wrecking machinery dragging on the track and catching on some part of the bridge."
The Brook field Gazette Extra, of Tuesday evening, March 1, gave the following account:
"As this morning's west-bound passenger train was nearing the Wardell mine, one-half mile east of Bevier, from some cause at this hour unknown, the engine, baggage cars, and four coaches (the whole train except the sleeper) left the track and tumbled precipitately into the ditch.
"The train was running at full speed, and the wreck was a frightful one for train men and passengers to undergo, and it is a marvel that none were killed outright.
The officials here on being notified of the disaster, at once issued orders for the wrecking train to be got out, and also sent to all the physicians and gathered as many volunteer workers as possible, and a little after five o'clock the wrecking train was under way, with quite a force of bridge and section men, and Dr. O. H. Wood and Dr. Rear, to the relief of the sufferers, and to clear away the wreck.
"Just as the wrecking train reached the Howe truss bridge over Brush Creek, three miles this side (west) of New Cambria, a broken rail, over which the engine passed safely, threw the flat cars off and striking the bridge, they broke its timbers away, and down went the bridge and the cars tumbled into the wreck with a fearful crash, the engine being safe on the other side.
The scene that followed beggars description. Almost every one of the inmates of the caboose were stunned and more or less injured. Those not so badly hurt, set to work to help the others, some of whom were found wholly or partly buried under the debris of the train and fallen timbers of the bridge. One was found quite dead, others apparently so, and some seriously, and some severely wounded. The wounded were taken up as tenderly as possible and put on the engine and taken up to New Cambria, and thence the news of this second and far more serious disaster was telegraphed to the officials here. The alarm was at once given and an extra ordered out, and such doctors and volunteer help as could be secured, accompanied by some of the friends of those injured, boarded the train and started for the scene of the later wreck.
As may well be imagined this heartrending occurrence produced a general feeling of gloom, and people abandoned their homes and business, to inquire and to relate the latest intelligence. Business houses closed all along Main Street, and everything took on a funeral appearance, for the larger part of the injured and nearly all of the dead are of our own citizens, and their homes are now in mourning. Aud to express the sorrow and desolation thus brought to homes and hearts in Brookfield would be utterly impossible. To witness it strikes one dumb.
On 3 MAR 1887, James Nowlan died in Brookfield, Missouri, United States, age 59.
He had 6 children with Catherine Donahue (ABT 1828): Lewis Nowlan (31 MAR 1850), Daniel Nowlan (ABT JAN 1851), Margaret Nowlan (ABT 1854), Mary Nowlan (ABT 1856), Patrick J. Nowlan (ABT JAN 1857) and Ann Nowlan (ABT 1859).
An article about the Brush Creek Train wreck of 1881 (James survived he died in 1887)
The Brush Creek bridge disaster—On the first day of March occurred the dreadful railroad disaster at Brush Creek bridge, in the western part of Macon county, occasioning the death of some of the best citizens of Brookfield. The particulars can best be given by accounts printed at the time. The Brookfield correspondent of the Linnens Bulletin, writing the day of the accident, gave the following account:
"Brookfield, Missouri, March 1, 1881. "Dear Bulletin—Today is all excitement. The passenger train from the east, due this morning at 3 A. M., was wrecked near Bevier, east of here. A dispatch was sent here for physicians, and a special with Drs. Wood, Rear and Waters, and some fifteen or twenty men, started for the scene of disaster. On their rapid trip of mercy and duty, at a little creek below Lingo—Brush Creek—they were thrown from the track and buried in the shattered and broken mass at the bottom of this creek. Dr. Wood was injured fatally and is now dead. Dr. Rear is badly injured, but yet alive. Dr. Waters, who was on the engine, escaped unhurt. W. S. Hallett, one of the bridge men, was instantly killed. Also, Arthur Jury, of Bucklin; also, one brakeman, and two men whose names we have not heard, are dead. Mr. Nowlan, the roadmaster, is seriously injured and not expected to live. Harry Carter, leg broken; J. B. Connors, mashed up badly and has since died; James Cloud, arm and leg broken; and many others who have thus far arrived, are torn and bleeding with numerous cuts and wounds. All of the dead and wounded have not at this writing arrived. At least six are dead and ten or fifteen injured in various ways and degrees, the result of which is at present uncertain, as most of the doctors left, and those unhurt have been conveyed to the place of this double disaster, and are now on the scene caring for the injured, dying, and dead. This sad and sickening catastrophe has cast a gloomy cloud over our happy city, and the wail of broken-hearted brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers, takes the place of shouts of laughter and joy that twelve hours ago characterized these griefstricken people.
"Thecausesof these accidents are at present conjectural. A broken rail is reported to have been the cause of the passenger train, and the special was thrown by some part of the wrecking machinery dragging on the track and catching on some part of the bridge."
The Brook field Gazette Extra, of Tuesday evening, March 1, gave the following account:
"As this morning's west-bound passenger train was nearing the Wardell mine, one-half mile east of Bevier, from some cause at this hour unknown, the engine, baggage cars, and four coaches (the whole train except the sleeper) left the track and tumbled precipitately into the ditch.
"The train was running at full speed, and the wreck was a frightful one for train men and passengers to undergo, and it is a marvel that none were killed outright.
The officials here on being notified of the disaster, at once issued orders for the wrecking train to be got out, and also sent to all the physicians and gathered as many volunteer workers as possible, and a little after five o'clock the wrecking train was under way, with quite a force of bridge and section men, and Dr. O. H. Wood and Dr. Rear, to the relief of the sufferers, and to clear away the wreck.
"Just as the wrecking train reached the Howe truss bridge over Brush Creek, three miles this side (west) of New Cambria, a broken rail, over which the engine passed safely, threw the flat cars off and striking the bridge, they broke its timbers away, and down went the bridge and the cars tumbled into the wreck with a fearful crash, the engine being safe on the other side.
The scene that followed beggars description. Almost every one of the inmates of the caboose were stunned and more or less injured. Those not so badly hurt, set to work to help the others, some of whom were found wholly or partly buried under the debris of the train and fallen timbers of the bridge. One was found quite dead, others apparently so, and some seriously, and some severely wounded. The wounded were taken up as tenderly as possible and put on the engine and taken up to New Cambria, and thence the news of this second and far more serious disaster was telegraphed to the officials here. The alarm was at once given and an extra ordered out, and such doctors and volunteer help as could be secured, accompanied by some of the friends of those injured, boarded the train and started for the scene of the later wreck.
As may well be imagined this heartrending occurrence produced a general feeling of gloom, and people abandoned their homes and business, to inquire and to relate the latest intelligence. Business houses closed all along Main Street, and everything took on a funeral appearance, for the larger part of the injured and nearly all of the dead are of our own citizens, and their homes are now in mourning. Aud to express the sorrow and desolation thus brought to homes and hearts in Brookfield would be utterly impossible. To witness it strikes one dumb.