Photo Courtesy of Effingham County Courthouse Museum Effingham IL Facebook Page
Effingham, IL-(Effingham Radio)- The following story is from the Effingham County Courthouse Museum Effingham IL Facebook page:
If I could, I would start the bells tolling and they would not stop ringing until everyone who died in the hospital fire at St. Anthony Hospital on April 4th and 5th, 1949 was remembered. I pay tribute to the memory of each of those who died that fiery night of tragedy in Effingham, Illinois.
St. Anthony Hospital Fire . . . April 4-5, 1949 . . . Effingham
Shortly before midnight on April 4, 1949, fire broke out at St. Anthony Hospital. After reports of smelling smoke from one of the Sisters, Sister Anastasia first called the hospital engineer, Frank Ries. He told her to call the fire department and the convent next door. Then Frank woke up his son Walt and told him to get dressed and hurry to the hospital. By the time Walt threw on his clothes, he caught a glimpse of his father entering the hospital and then never saw him again. Before the night would be over, fire would consume most of the hospital leaving many dead. Frank Ries was my husband’s grandfather that he never got to know because Frank perished that night in the fire and my husband’s grandmother Marie Ries was badly injured jumping from a room where she was working as a private duty nurse.
May they never be forgotten. Because of this tragedy, when the new hospital opened the word “Memorial” was added to the name making it St. Anthony Memorial Hospital in memory of those who perished.
- Mrs. Elizabeth Althoff
- Baby Bailey
- Mrs. Arminda Baker
- Mrs. Mary Batman
- Mrs. Julia Bergbower
- Miss Frances Bersig
- Sister Bertina, O.S.F
- Mrs. Ella Birch
- Mrs. Mabel Broom
- Mrs. Anna Brown
- Doris Brummer
- Baby Brummer
- Dessie Campbell
- Frank Carrell
- Baby Claar
- Mrs. Shirley Clements
- Mrs. Cora Colwell
- Sister Eustachia, O.S.F.
- Baby Fancher
- Harold Gentry
- Baby Harold Gentry
- Mrs. Helen Gloyd
- Clara Gossman
- Mrs. Caroline Grigg
- Mary Haley
- Margaret Hankins
- Baby Hartke
- Mrs. Otillia Haumesser
- Mrs. Chloe Helregel
- Mrs. Theodosia Henderson
- Mrs. Mina Hobson
- Mrs. Rose Jenkins
- Ella Jones
- Evan Kabalzyk
- Miss Mary Kessler
- Mrs. Margaret Kinkelaar
- Mrs. Blanche Klitzke
- Mrs. Herbert Lee
- Mrs. Theresa Lobmeir
- Dan Lovellette
- Samantha McKinnon
- Baby McManaway
- Mary Marten
- Mrs. Floyd Mascher
- Mrs. Mathilda Maxwell
- Baby Michl
- Mrs. Delores Michl
- Baby Moore
- Miss Emma Mussman
- Mrs. Ida Mae Nash
- Mrs. Allie Niemeyer
- Mrs. Lillie Nutt
- Mrs. Norma Petty
- Mrs. Edith Ramsey
- Frank Ries
- Miss Fern Riley
- Mrs. Laura Ruholl
- Baby Ruholl
- Rev. C. C. Sandon
- Edward Schmidt
- Mrs. Elizabeth Schuette
- Baby Sidener
- Baby Sigrist
- Baby Sigrist
- Flora Smith
- Baby Springer
- Henry Thoele
- Baby Clarence Ulhorn
- Kay Frances Van Sant
- Miss Gertrude Weis
- Teresa Will
- Mrs. Mary Wohltman
- Baby Worthy
- Clyde Worthy
- Mrs. Ella Wright
The fire would rage on throughout the night of the 4th and into the early hours of April 5th. People jumped from windows and many were trapped by the fire. It was truly a night of terror. May we never forget that horrible night of terror and may we always remember to honor their memories. Each and every one who perished that night is remembered with love once again.
Comments